Abstract
Abstract. Landslide is a major disaster resulting in considerable loss of human lives and property damages in hilly terrain in Hong Kong, China and many other countries. The factor of safety and the critical slip surface for slope stabilization are the main considerations for slope stability analysis in the past, while the detailed post-failure conditions of the slopes have not been considered in sufficient detail. There is however increasing interest in the consequences after the initiation of failure that includes the development and propagation of the failure surfaces, the amount of failed mass and runoff and the affected region. To assess the development of slope failure in more detail and to consider the potential danger of slopes after failure has initiated, the slope stability problem under external surcharge is analyzed by the distinct element method (DEM) and a laboratory model test in the present research. A more refined study about the development of failure, microcosmic failure mechanisms and the post-failure mechanisms of slopes will be carried out. The numerical modeling method and the various findings from the present work can provide an alternate method of analysis of slope failure, which can give additional information not available from the classical methods of analysis.
Highlights
Slope stability problem is always a main concern in geotechnical engineering
It was observed that the failure mechanism of the physical model test is a local triangular failure beneath the bearing plate, and the failure surface propagates towards the slope surface with a curved surface similar to a log-spiral curve until a failure mechanism is formed
The complete progressive failure mechanism of a slope under a local surcharge is determined both from the model test and numerical analysis for comparison
Summary
Slope stability problem is always a main concern in geotechnical engineering. Natural or cut slopes have greatly influenced humans’ properties and lives, especially in a hilly terrain like Hong Kong and many other countries where slope failures can be fatal. It was observed that the failure mechanism of the physical model test is a local triangular failure beneath the bearing plate, and the failure surface propagates towards the slope surface with a curved surface similar to a log-spiral curve until a failure mechanism is formed This type of problem could be considered a bearing capacity problem as well as a slope stability problem, which were demonstrated to be equivalent by Cheng et al (2013). When the displacements were further increased, the applied load decreased further and the failure zone propagated towards the slope surface until the failure surface as shown in Fig. 6c and d is obtained, which is the typical global failure as considered in classical stability analysis.
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