Abstract
Slope failure behaviour of noncohesive media with the consideration of gravity and ground excitations is examined using the two-dimensional combined finite–discrete element method (FDEM). The FDEM aims at solving large-scale transient dynamics and is particularly suitable for this problem. The method discretises an entity into a couple of individual discrete elements. Within each discrete element, the finite element method (FEM) formulation is embedded so that contact forces and deformation between and of these discrete elements can be predicted more accurately. Noncohesive media is simply modelled with assembly of individual discrete elements without cohesion, that is, no joint elements need to be defined. To validate the effectiveness of the FDEM modelling, two examples are presented and compared with results from other sources. The FDEM results on gravitational collapse of rectangular soil heap and landslide triggered by the Chi-Chi earthquake show that the method is applicable and reliable for the analysis of slope failure behaviour of noncohesive media through comparison with results from other known methods such as the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), the discrete element method (DEM) and the material point method (MPM).
Highlights
Slope failure, including rock slide and landslide, is detrimental and hazardous to human lives and engineering infrastructures [1]
This paper focuses on the slope failure behaviour of noncohesive media considering both gravity and seismic excitations
Soil moves to the right and a repose angle ψ has been formed in the finite–discrete element method (FDEM) simulation
Summary
Slope failure, including rock slide and landslide, is detrimental and hazardous to human lives and engineering infrastructures [1]. There are a number of numerical methods that can be employed to examine the slope instability and the failure process. Piovano et al [23] simulated the instability of a homogeneous slope along a circular sliding surface under gravity with the FDEM Their results were compared with those from limit equilibrium method (LEM) and FEM, and factor of safety was calculated. Grasselli et al [24] performed slope stability analysis using the FDEM, and presented examples including rock fall, toppling failure, cliff recession and planar slide. Geometries of these given examples were simple and regular. The combined FDEM is proven to be an applicable and reliable computational tool for modelling slope failure of noncohesive media
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