Abstract
AbstractFrom the examples of several past worldwide disasters caused by earthquakes, scientists and researchers realized the requirement for incorporation of vertical earthquake loading in the dynamic stability analysis of soil slopes. However, in earlier studies, the vertical component of the ground motion has been neglected, and the importance has been given to only horizontal seismic acceleration for the assessment of the stability under seismic loading conditions. In this paper, a finite element method based pseudo-static stability analysis was carried out by taking horizontal and vertical seismic acceleration together. A two-dimensional hypothetical slope model was developed by using the finite elements under plain-strain conditions. The seismic behavior of the slope under joint earthquake loading was described by means of the safety factor, displacement, and yield acceleration. The results showed that the slope which was found stable after applying the horizontal seismic loading that fails due to combined seismic loadings. Further, the impacts of vertical seismic acceleration on the slope stability were examined by means of parametric studies. Finally, the validity of the numerical analysis was established by comparing the result with that obtained from analytical analysis based on the sliding block mechanism. The study recommends that for comprehensive stability estimation of slopes under seismic loads, the combined seismic loading should be considered in order to achieve a safe design.KeywordsVertical seismic accelerationFinite elementPseudo-static stability analysisFactor of safetyYield acceleration
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