A model test method for simulating the decrease in slope soil strength: application to an excavation slope

Yunkang Rao, Tao Yang (), Huailin Chen, Yijun Wu, Bokai Li, Zhichao Yu, Zhe Zhang and Haojiang Ding
Additional contact information
Yunkang Rao: Southwest Jiaotong University
Tao Yang: Southwest Jiaotong University
Huailin Chen: Southwest Jiaotong University
Yijun Wu: Southwest Jiaotong University
Bokai Li: Southwest Jiaotong University
Zhichao Yu: Southwest Jiaotong University
Zhe Zhang: Southwest Jiaotong University
Haojiang Ding: China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co. Ltd.

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2023, vol. 117, issue 2, No 23, 1745-1766

Abstract: Abstract The numerical simulation-based strength reduction method has frequently been applied to analyze slope stability, showing that slope failure characteristics caused by the decrease in slope soil strength represent potential failure characteristics. This study aimed to develop a model test method for simulating the decrease in slope soil strength and applied this method to an excavation slope. A model material, composed of a high-strength substrate and a softening solution, which showed progressively decreasing strength, was developed. Then, a model slope constructed from the substrate was immersed in the softening solution to simulate the decrease in slope strength. Finally, an excavation slope was used to test the practical applicability of the developed method. The test results of the model slope indicate that the developed method enables the observation of the complete failure process caused by the decrease in slope strength, with a circular slip surface forming at 62 min 2 s of softening time; the location of the slip surface and the critical cohesion causing the slope failure generally agree with those from three limit equilibrium methods. The model test results of the excavation slope show that slope failure initiates near the toe at 53 min 36 s of softening time, followed by a series of retrogressive sliding failures that quickly occur; the location of the slip surface and the critical cohesion generally agree with the published information of the natural excavation slope.

Keywords: Slope failure; Slope model test; Strength reduction; Excavation slope; Failure process (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11069-023-05927-w Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:117:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s11069-023-05927-w

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/11069

DOI: 10.1007/s11069-023-05927-w

Access Statistics for this article

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards is currently edited by Thomas Glade, Tad S. Murty and Vladimír Schenk

More articles in Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards from Springer, International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().