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The inherent spatial variability of rock mass strength has been explicitly considered in reliability analyses of slopes governed by the Hoek–Brown(HB) criterion. However, previous studies have primarily focused on extensive slopes where plane strain analysis is applicable, neglecting rock slopes constrained by boundaries that exhibit significant 'end effects' and are unsuitable for two-dimensional(2D) analysis. To bridge this gap, this research presents a novel three-dimensional(3D) reliability framework designed specifically for width-limited slopes in spatially variable rock masses. Considering the efficiency limitation of previously widely adopted numerical simulations, which struggle to accommodate extensive computation task, this study constructs the deterministic model using upper bound limit analysis (UBLA). A discretized mechanism is developed to determine the safety factor of spatially variable HB slopes. The integration of accelerated search strategies enables the determination of a solution to safety factor within a mere 5 min, mitigating the computational burden associated with high-dimensional stochastic problems or scenarios with a low probability of failure. Probabilistic analysis is conducted using a metamodel Sparse Polynomial Chaos Expansion (SPCE) in conjunction with Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). Parametric analysis is employed to investigate the influence of various factors on slope reliability, including the autocorrelation length, coefficient of variation of strength, and correlation coefficient. This research presents a novel, computationally efficient deterministic model for slopes characterized by spatial variability in HB strength parameters. Furthermore, the employed principles show promising applicability in adjacent fields, such as tunneling and foundation engineering. Highlights: Develops a novel 3D reliability framework for width-limited slopes in spatially variable rock masses governed by the Hoek-Brown criterion. Develops an efficient UBLA-based deterministic model with a 3D spatial discretized technique and accelerated search strategies, reducing Fs computing time to within 5 mins. Integrates SPCE metamodel and MCS for probabilistic analysis, enabling investigation of various factors on slope reliability. The employed principles demonstrate promising applicability in adjacent fields, such as tunneling and foundation engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propagation and coalescence of discontinuous cross-type joints are often the primary drivers of rock slope failures. Due to the inherent randomness of these joints, identifying suitable methods to accurately characterize progressive failure and quantitatively assess the stability of slopes with cross-type joints is particularly challenging. To address this, a Discrete Fracture Network-Spring Based-Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (DFN-SB-SPH) method is proposed, which considers cross-type DFN generation, rock matrix heterogeneity, cracking, block contact, and deposition within a unified SPH framework. In this approach, damage and contact of blocks are achieved by introducing a fracture sign to enhance the kernel function and applying Newton's law to the damaged particles to realize the point to point contact. A uniaxial compression test on rock samples with double fissures is carried out to verify the accuracy of the proposed method. The influence of joint density, geometric parameters (i.e., trace length, dominate dip angle) of cross joints, and rock mass heterogeneity on the failure characteristics of RSCD are investigated. The results revealed that the DFN-SB-SPH model possesses robust capabilities for crack tracking, mass movement, and contact slipping along fracture surfaces. Moreover, DFN generation, heterogeneous characterization, shear and tensile fractures within a single SPH framework without mesh distortion are realized. Five typical failure modes calculated by DFN-SB-SPH are primarily determined by the combination of joint dip angles and trace lengths. Furthermore, the dip angle, trace length, joint density, and rock mass heterogeneity significantly alter the stability of RSCD with sensitivity coefficients for factor safety of 27.7 %, 44.6 %, 72.9 % and 35.0 %, respectively. Higher dominant dip angles (above 60°) lead to significantly longer run-out distances for RSCD compared to lower angles (below 30°) once instability occurs. The sudden rise in major principal stress at the slope's top and toe, along with the shift of tensile stress concentration towards the middle, predicts the stages of crack propagation and sliding in slope failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of the optimal random field element (RFE) size is crucial in soil slope reliability analysis as it governs the trade-off between precision in failure probability calculations and computational efficiency. Given the substantial computational burden associated with smaller RFE sizes, studies on their impact on slope failure probability are scarce. This research examines the influence of RFE size on failure probability and safety factor, employing the Karhunen–Loève expansion to generate random fields and integrating the simplified Bishop method with particle swarm optimization (PSO) to assess slope stability. Through Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS), this study investigates the effects of the ratio of slope height to RFE size (H/De) on slope reliability metrics across two illustrative cases. Results reveal a notable influence of H/De on the distribution of safety factors (Fs) and failure probability (PF), with overestimation observed at smaller H/De ratios. When H/De exceeds 10 for Example 1 and 15 for Example 2, the Fs distribution patterns in both scenarios stabilize significantly, displaying minimal variability. The PF of Example 1 and Example 2 decreases with the increase of H/De and remains basically unchanged when H/De exceeds 10 and 15, respectively. Consequently, a recommended H/De ratio of 20 is proposed based on the analyzed cases, facilitating accurate calculations while mitigating computational overhead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose a new combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM) to analyze the mechanical properties, failure behavior and slope stability of soil rock mixtures (SRM), in which the rocks within the SRM model have shape randomness, size randomness and spatial distribution randomness. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the modeling method of heterogeneous rocks, the SRM numerical model can be built and by adjusting the boundary between soil and rock, an SRM numerical model with any rock content can be obtained. The reliability and robustness of the new modeling method can be verified by uniaxial compression simulation. In addition, this paper investigates the effects of rock topology, rock content, slope height and slope inclination on the stability of SRM slopes. Findings: Investigations of the influences of rock content, slope height and slope inclination of SRM slopes showed that the slope height had little effect on the failure mode. The influences of rock content and slope inclination on the slope failure mode were significant. With increasing rock content and slope dip angle, SRM slopes gradually transitioned from a single shear failure mode to a multi-shear fracture failure mode, and shear fractures showed irregular and bifurcated characteristics in which the cut-off values of rock content and slope inclination were 20% and 80°, respectively. Originality/value: This paper proposed a new modeling method for SRMs based on FDEM, with rocks having random shapes, sizes and spatial distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring the stability of slopes is critical to the safe operation of geotechnical engineering. Evaluating slope stability to minimize geologic risks induced by destabilization is significant in reducing casualties and property damage. A conventional, single-coefficient strength reduction method is widely applied in slope stability analyses, but this method ignores the attenuation degree of different parameters in the slope destabilization. A new double-strength reduction method considering different contributions of the mechanics' parameters is proposed in this study for evaluating the stability of nonhomogeneous slope. First, the role of each mechanic's parameters in the slope destabilization was investigated theoretically and numerically using ABAQUS software 2022. The results indicate that the effect of elasticity (E), Poisson's ratio (v), and soil gravity (γ) on the evolution of factor of safety (FOS) are insignificant and can be neglected compared with cohesive force (c), and angle of internal friction (φ). Next, an improved method was constructed to correlate the FOS with cohesive force (c) and the angle of internal friction (φ). Then, a numerical method was constructed based on the computation of the mathematical–mechanical relationship between FOS and the mechanical parameters, and the stability of slope is estimation based on the Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion. Finally, the double-strength reduction coefficient method proposed in this study, the limit equilibrium method, and the traditional finite element strength reduction coefficient method were applied to nonhomogeneous slopes and slopes containing a soft underlying layer for comparison, and the difference between them was within the range of ±5%. The results indicate that both the limit equilibrium method and the traditional finite element strength reduction method tend to overestimate the FOS of intricate slopes compared with the evaluated method proposed in this study. This parallel comparison serves to validate the accuracy of the double-strength reduction method proposed in the present study. Further, based on the proposed method, the relationship between slope stability and slope displacement is established, which provides a theoretical basis for the safety assessment of slope engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, the reliability of a rock slope is evaluated based on the linear Mohr–Coulomb strength criterion, neglecting the nonlinear shear strength of the majority of geotechnical materials. The paper proposes a probability method to assess the reliability of rock slopes based on the power-type nonlinear strength criterion and the mean-value first-order second-moment method. In the proposed method, a novel analytical method to determine the safety factors of slopes with plane failure is derived based on the power-type nonlinear strength criterion. The local mean value of a random variable on the failure surface is determined based on the two-dimensional random field theory, avoiding the random field simulation. To quickly search the minimum reliability index βmin, a dichotomic search method is proposed. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated in two cases. The study results from the two cases illustrate that the proposed method has high computational efficiency and accuracy. The proposed method offers a fresh way to examine the reliability of rock slopes when the nonlinear strength criterion is adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prevent landslides, the slope is a crucial component that needs to be evaluated. Mining activities produce slopes, both natural slopes and artificial slopes, and if a slope is not designed properly, its stability will be adversely affected. The purpose of this study is to determine the stability of a slope supported by sedimentary rocks as the constituent material of the slope. Data processing is carried out using the RS2 Version 11 software and finite element methods (FEMs) by considering the value of the strength reduction factor (SRF) and maximum displacement of the slope. The results obtained for stage 1 show that a maximum displacement of 0 m was obtained, along with a critical value of SRF = 1. A maximum displacement of 0.2 m was obtained in stage 2, with a critical SRF of 1.25. In stage 3, 0.2 m was the highest attained displacement, and the critical SRF was 1.26. A maximum displacement of 0.4 m and a critical SRF of 1.31 were found in stage 4. The maximum displacement in stage 5 was 0.8 m, while the critical SRF was 1.34, and the critical SRF in stage 6 was 1.35, while the maximum displacement was 0.8 m. Finally, the maximum displacement in stage 7 was 1.6 m, while the critical SRF was 1.36. A general pattern emerged from the results of stages 1 through 7. Specifically, the maximum permitted displacement value increased with the critical value of SRF. As the slope moved, it also became more stable, with a big critical SRF. If a slope's deformation exceeds 1.6 m, it will collapse at a safety factor of 1.36. Furthermore, the contour level showed that the factor of safety (FoS) falls between 1.4 and 4.2. Additionally, as sigma 1 and 3 increase, the resulting FoS value increases as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, intelligent numerical models for the prediction of debris flow susceptibility using slope stability failure factor of safety (FOS) machine learning predictions have been developed. These machine learning techniques were trained using novel metaheuristic methods. The application of these training mechanisms was necessitated by the need to enhance the robustness and performance of the three main machine learning methods. It was necessary to develop intelligent models for the prediction of the FOS of debris flow down a slope with measured geometry due to the sophisticated equipment required for regular field studies on slopes prone to debris flow and the associated high project budgets and contingencies. With the development of smart models, the design and monitoring of the behavior of the slopes can be achieved at a reduced cost and time. Furthermore, multiple performance evaluation indices were utilized to ensure the model's accuracy was maintained. The adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system, combined with the particle swarm optimization algorithm, outperformed other techniques. It achieved an FOS of debris flow down a slope performance of over 85%, consistently surpassing other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In high-cold regions, the instability of precarious rock masses in open-pit mines is often exacerbated by the effects of freeze-thaw cycles, posing a significant threat to the continuous production of open-pit mining operations. To address this issue effectively, we conducted an in-depth study on the precarious rock masses in the near-slope of a mining area in a high-cold region using a fracture mechanics-based stability analysis method. We analyzed the impact of freezethaw cycles on the engineering stability. Introducing a novel approach, we established the temperature field at different time points to determine whether the freeze-thaw depth influences the generation of freeze-thaw forces on the controlling structural surfaces. Employing the maximum circumferential stress criterion, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of tension cracks in the slope and derived corresponding safety factor expressions. Focusing on retrogressive rock slopes, we divided the slope's precarious rock masses into n potentially unstable approximate rectangular rock bodies. Based on this, we developed a fracture mechanics-based slope stability calculation method considering the combined effects of freeze-thaw forces, crack water pressure, and gravity. Through relevant numerical examples, we successfully calculated the safety factors of the segmented rock bodies, revealing the varying influence of freezethaw forces on rock mass stability. By integrating the calculation results with practical engineering considerations, we validated the feasibility of our proposed method. Lastly, aligning with pertinent precarious rock stability assessment criteria, we provided corresponding remediation measures based on the distinct stability conditions of the rock masses. Through comprehensive research and an effective computational approach, we offer a scientifically viable solution for the stability of precarious rock masses in open-pit mines in high-cold regions, thereby providing robust technical support for the sustainable production of mining enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel approach to analyze the seismic stability of rock slopes using the stress characteristics method (SCM). Based on a prescribed factor of safety (FS), the slope profile (SP) is forthrightly determined without involving any optimization technique. A theoretical model is developed to execute the seismic analysis by coupling the SCM with the modified pseudo-dynamic (MPD) approach. The SCM obliterates the necessity of predefined slope geometry and slip surfaces in the analysis, whereas the MPD approach captures more credible nonuniform seismic inertia forces during earthquake excitation. The generalized Hoek–Brown criterion is employed to model the nonlinear strength characteristics of the rock mass. With different recommended values of FS, chart solutions comprising SPs are presented to readily evaluate the seismic stability of rock slopes. A comprehensive parametric analysis is conducted to interpret the behavior of obtained SPs under the influence of various input parameters. The overall slope angle of the present curvilinear SPs is found to be in close agreement with that of traditional linear SPs reported in the literature. Moreover, the legitimacy of the current methodology for designing open pit mines and assessing the safety status of existing rock slopes is showcased through different case studies along with a numerical simulation of the derived SPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Rainfall can cause seepage erosion of the fine particles in soil (FPS) within the wide grading of particles present in a deposit slope, reducing its strength and eventually leading to a landslide. Unfortunately, there is no effective method for simulating this phenomenon; therefore, using the finite-element method (FEM), the whole process for establishing the slope stability analysis method is described considering the effect of the erosion of FPS, which includes equations of the FPS erosion process, introducing the real seepage parameters obtained by large-scale soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) tests, and establishing correlations among water content, fine particle content, and slope strength. The findings of the application of this method to a real project reveal that FPS erosion occurs most readily on the first and second levels of a subslope, causing shallow instability of the slope and a reduction in the slope factor of safety (FOS); however, the higher the rainfall intensity, the lower the slope FOS. The method in this paper is suitable for the deposit slope with a certain content of FPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mountainous regions, landslides pose significant and frequent threats, causing extensive damage due to their destructive nature and frequency, therefore determining their likely occurrence sites and environmental factors is essential for hazard assessment. The infinite slope approach characterizes slope stability using a factor of safety (FOS) to assess the likelihood of slope failure and is frequently used to estimate the occurrence of shallow landslides on soil and regolith-covered slopes. Various methods have been used to evaluate and spread uncertainty across such models. Slope failure is a significant geological occurrence brought on by topography and weather, which result in a variety of ground movements. Engineers must plan and implement measures to mitigate hazards, safeguarding both lives and property from potential risks and dangers by using an adequate stabilizing solution. Technology and software advancements have made it simpler than ever to handle challenging issues that used to require a lot of time in every profession. Over the past decade, software utilization in civil engineering has surged. GEO 5 is a versatile program gaining prominence, aiding in the resolution of diverse geotechnical challenges. Through the installation of IoT cameras in various sand and clay areas along the bank of the Mahandi River in Odisha, we have gathered the data necessary to develop the region in this case. a select selection of which we have chosen for our research. In this study, slope stability-related modules have been carefully examined and used for the analysis of slope stability. Using the GEO5 program, the geometry of the issues was established, and the study took into account several stability optimization techniques. Additionally, the cost factor of various reinforcing techniques was calculated and contrasted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel closed‐form equation (surrogate model) for approximating the Morgenstern–Price estimate of the factor of safety of homogeneous dry finite slopes with circular failure surfaces. Unlike typically used methods, the proposed equation does not require the definition of a critical failure surface, splitting the soil mass into slices, or the iterative reduction of soil resistance to the limit state. It can be easily programmed into calculators or computers and accurately determines the minimum factor of safety based on the shear strength parameters and slope geometry—meaning that it is ideally suited for integration into reliability calculations. The equation is determined parametrically for various soil parameters and slope geometry using the Morgenstern–Price method and compares favorably with conventional techniques, such as slope stability charts, limit equilibrium, and strength reduction methods (SRM). From a practical perspective, the proposed equation greatly simplifies the analysis of the slope stability as the creation of a numerical model is not required and is suited to use in the feasibility stage of a project, for example, for large linear infrastructure projects with differing slope geometries or in situations where a quick assessment is desired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slope failures in nature and engineering are typically three-dimensional (3D). The rotational failure mechanism derived from the variational limit equilibrium (LE) method shows superior performance in the stability analysis of the 3D slope. In contrast to the traditional LE methods, it avoids arbitrary kinematical and statical assumptions. Stability charts obtained by the variational LE method are used to derive explicit expression equations of the safety factor, also known as the stability equations, for both 3D reinforced and unreinforced slopes. These equations are highly accurate and can provide a convenient means to assess slope stability in practical engineering. An example of a convex reinforced slope with a turning arc is illustrated in this study to investigate the effect of the 3D effects on the required reinforcement length for design. The results indicate that the 2D method underestimates the required reinforcement length when dealing with a 3D reinforced slope problem. Furthermore, a forensic analysis of the Yeager Airport reinforced slope is conducted within the framework of the variational LE method. The required strength for stability is found to be significantly less than the allowable strength of reinforcements without considering the decrease in soil shear strength. However, the required strength greatly exceeds the allowable strength when the decrease in soil shear strength is considered. The results verify that the decrease in shear strength of the weak layer is responsible for the collapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-layer slopes are widely found in clay residue receiving fields. A generalized horizontal slice method (GHSM) for assessing the stability of multi-layer slopes that considers the energy dissipation between adjacent horizontal slices is presented. In view of the upper-bound limit analysis theory, the energy equation is derived and the ultimate failure mode is generated by comparing the sliding surface passing through the slope toe (mode A) with that below (mode B). In addition, the influence of the number of slices on the stability coefficients in the GHSM is studied and the stable value is obtained. Compared to the original method (Chen's method), the GHSM can acquire more precise results, which takes into account the energy dissipation in the inner sliding soil mass. Moreover, the GHSM, limit equilibrium method (LEM) and numerical simulation method (NSM) are applied to analyze the stability of a multi-layer slope with different slope angles and the results of the safety factor and failure mode are very close in each case. The ultimate failure modes are shown to be mode B when the slope angle is not more than 28°. It illustrates that the determination of the ultimate sliding surface requires comparison of multiple failure modes, not only mode A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limiting stability of finite rock slopes is assessed in this paper by implementing the stress characteristics method (SCM) alongside the generalized Hoek‒Brown (GHB) yield criterion. By employing the SCM, a set of differential equations governing the equilibrium stress field is derived and later combined with the rock mass failure envelope characterized by the GHB criterion. Subsequently, the limiting slope face (LSF) with a global factor of safety (FS) as unity is obtained to preserve the state of plastic equilibrium. The current approach overcomes the necessity of a preconceived slip surface in the analysis. The resulting curvilinear LSFs exhibit more excellent compatibility with the shape of the naturally occurring slope profiles. The LSFs evolved from this investigation are generally found to be steeper than the traditionally encountered planar slopes without negotiating the mechanical stability. Numerical validation of the current approach using the finite-element limit analysis (FELA) is also established to authenticate the reliability of the present outcomes. The current results are suitably compared with the solutions available in the literature. Design charts are provided in the form of curvilinear slope faces for the ease of practicing rock engineers. Finally, the proposed LSF-based stability concept is applied to two selected case studies reported in the literature. Using the nonlinear generalized Hoek‒Brown strength criterion, this study directly determines the rock slope profile required to maintain limiting stability (factor of safety = 1.0). The profile thus derived is referred to as the LSF. The LSF serves as the basis for two potential field applications: designing the optimal rock slope profile and conducting routine stability checks on existing rock slopes. Taking the derived curvilinear LSF as a reference, optimal linear, bilinear, or multilinear/stepped slopes can be designed with a sufficient safety margin. Additionally, the LSF operates as an interface between the zone of stability and instability. Therefore, a simple profile-matching scheme between any existing rock slope and the corresponding LSF can provide the safety status of that existing slope. Therefore, the present design charts containing LSFs contribute to a readymade solution for a rapid and reliable rock slope stability assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a geotechnical investigation regarding the slope stability in a pit lake, emphasizing the impact of water level variations. Advanced analysis techniques were utilized for this study. The research was performed by using fully coupled flow-deformation analyses. For the fully coupled approach, Bishop's effective-stress equation was used, and for the description of soil hydraulic behavior, the Van Genuchten's model was applied. The analysis of slope stability associated with reservoir water level changes revealed that the slope tended to become unstable as the water level decreased; the stability factor was negatively related to the rate of water level reduction. Concerning the water level fluctuations, the analyses revealed that the soil mass seemed to become less stable as the rate of water level change increased. Under a specific range of rates of water level variation, the safety factor became higher as the number of fluctuations increased. Additionally, the simulation results concerning the water level rising indicate that the pressure due to the external water level acts on the slope surface with a positive impact on the stability factor. The results obtained reflect the effects under a specific site condition, but they can be used as a reference for evaluating slope stability in a pit lake design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limit equilibrium (LE) method is the most widely used method for slope stability analysis. Different methods based on the LE technique for the analysis of the stability of the slope have been developed. Some are based on satisfying the force equilibrium condition of the failing mass (Janbu's method), while some focus on satisfying the moment equilibrium condition (Bishop's method). Among these methods, the most accurate result is provided by the Morgenstern–Price method as it not only satisfies both moments as well as a force equilibrium condition but also considers the interslice shear forces (Vi) and interslice normal forces (Ei), which are neglected by most of the LE methods to avoid the condition of indeterminacy. To accommodate these forces, Morgenstern–Price (MP) gave a relation between the Vi and Ei which depends upon a scaling multiplier (λ). Thus, it becomes necessary to evaluate λ value along with the factor of safety (FS). There is barely any work discussing the detailed methodology of evaluation of λ along with FS. Method for obtaining λ along with FS have been developed and elaborated in details here. While calculating FS (MP method), evaluation of Ei is a must which is dependent upon the values of normal force at the base of each slice (Ni) and FS, which itself is dependent upon the value of Ei, making it a loop of interdependent variables. To avoid this interdependency of above stated variables, a separate formulation of Ei is given which reduces the calculations (run-time) involved. A VBA code-based platform has also been developed incorporating the generalized LE method, including Bishop's, Janbu's, and Morgenstern–Price methods which are represented in the form of flowcharts in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented study attempted to use coupled finite element numerical (FEM) and analytical limit equilibrium (LEM) procedures to provide comparative graphical charts demonstrating the geometry, the groundwater condition, the safety factor, and the characteristics of the support, which were implemented in the Dangote Pozzolan quarry at Tombel to preventing the slope instability's occurrence. Field and laboratory work have been carried out to collect and characterize data. The results obtained with the LEM procedure via Slide 2D showed a safety factor of 0.87, indicating an unstable slope compared to a safety factor of 1.0 obtained with the FEM procedure via Plaxis 2D corresponding to a limited equilibrium state of the slope. The characteristics of the support that can be used to stabilize the slopes are geotextile support of 100% strip coverage, a tensile strength of 100 kN/m, an adhesion property of 4 kPa, and a frictional angle of 40°. The geotextile is anchored at the slope surface. After the support has been introduced, and the new safety factor calculated, the support automatically increased the safety factor value from 0.87 to 1.51 by using Slide 2D and from 1.0 to 1.98 by using Plaxis 2D, which is from an unstable state to a very stable state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reliable constitutive model is essential for accurately predicting slope deformation in numerical analysis, which includes assessing slope stability as an integral component. However, calculating slope stability in numerical models can be challenging due to complex boundary conditions and advanced constitutive models, especially when probabilistic and hydro‐mechanical coupled simulations are required. In this paper, we use a vector‐sum method‐based framework for slope stability analysis that incorporates a critical state hypoplastic constitutive model. The rationality and accuracy of the stability results are initially verified through critical slip surface analysis and a factor of safety evaluation. Subsequently, we investigate the probability‐based slope stability and failure characteristics by incorporating the spatial variability of strength parameters into the hypoplastic model. Finally, the Baishuihe landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region is examined as a case study, where hydro‐mechanical coupled simulations are conducted under actual water level and rainfall conditions. The time‐varying stability and deformation characteristics of the landslide are analyzed and compared with the results obtained from the Mohr‐Coulomb model. The analysis results demonstrate the practicality and efficiency of using a hypoplastic model for probabilistic and time‐varying slope stability calculations. Furthermore, it highlights the superior ability of the hypoplastic model to accurately describe reservoir landslide deformation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current context of global climate change, geohazards such as earthquakes and extreme rainfall pose a serious threat to regional stability. We investigate a three-dimensional (3D) slope dynamic model under earthquake action, derive the calculation of seepage force and the normal stress expression of slip surface under seepage and earthquake, and propose a rigorous overall analysis method to solve the safety factor of slopes subjected to combined with rainfall and earthquake. The accuracy and reliability of the method is verified by two classical examples. Finally, the effects of soil permeability coefficient, porosity, and saturation on slope stability under rainfall in a project located in the Three Gorges Reservoir area are analyzed. The safety evolution of the slope combined with both rainfall and earthquake is also studied. The results indicate that porosity has a greater impact on the safety factor under rainfall conditions, while the influence of permeability coefficient and saturation is relatively small. With the increase of horizontal seismic coefficient, the safety factor of the slope decreases significantly. The influence of earthquake on slope stability is significantly greater than that of rainfall. The corresponding safety factor when the vertical seismic action is vertically downward is smaller than that when it is vertically upward. When considering both horizontal and vertical seismic effects, slope stability is lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil is a complex material that exhibits both spatial variability and anisotropy. For simplicity, the traditional approach for analyzing slope stability often assumes that soil is homogeneous or isotropic, which can lead to an overestimation of slope stability and reliability. To address this issue, a novel approach is proposed in this study that uses an anisotropic yield criterion based on the random finite-element method to evaluate the influence of strength anisotropy on slope stability, while accounting for the influence of spatial variability on reliability. The proposed approach is applied to a typical case of slope reliability analysis. It is shown that the results of the proposed approach are consistent with those of previous studies and OPTUM G2 outcomes. The assessment involves determining the safety factors for both homogeneous and anisotropic conditions, while also taking into account the probability of failure in the presence of spatial variability. It is found that strength anisotropy significantly affects slope stability and reliability, as the factor of safety decreases from 1.255 to 1.037 and the probability of failure increases from 3.5% to 52.1% when considering strength anisotropy (n=0.707 , ξ=11.25°). In addition, a sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the influence of slope geometric parameters, strength anisotropic parameters, and spatial variability parameters on slope stability and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of rainwater infiltration is crucial for the prevention and early detection of rainfall-induced landslides. Under the assumption of saturated-unsaturated stratification, and considering the influence of saturated layer seepage and air pressure on infiltration, a modified Green-Ampt model (SRGA model) suitable for slope rainfall infiltration is established. A corresponding slope safety factor expression is derived for the model. The results show that the SRGA is demonstrated to accurately describe dynamic expansion of the wetting layer throughout the heavy rainfall infiltration process; it is also applicable under weaker rainfall conditions. Validation against experimental data confirms the model's accuracy, with an error of approximately 21% compared to Chen-Young's model. The instability time predicted with the SRGA model during the slope stability analysis emerges approximately 7.2% earlier than measured, significantly outperforming Chen-Young's model. Air pressure and seepage force influence infiltration depth through different mechanisms. The influence of air pressure is more significant in the early control stage of soil infiltration capacity, while seepage force is more significant in the later stage. Rainfall infiltration is affected by slope length to greater extent than slope stability. The SRGA model is versatile, and can be simplified into existing models under certain conditions. The results of this work may provide theoretical support for slope control under rainfall infiltration conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pile driving can trigger slope failure, specifically in sensitive soil deposits or marginally stable slopes. Cases of slope failure during pile installation have been reported in countries such as Norway, Sweden and Canada where soft sensitive clay deposits are prevalent. Although a few approaches have been suggested to assess the factor of safety of a slope during pile driving, there is currently no standard method recognized by the geotechnical society to account for the reduction of safety factor of a slope as an effect of pile installation. Some approaches suggest using the excess pore pressure generated during pile driving to account for the reduction in soil strength (by reducing effective stresses), neglecting the change in total stresses. This paper discusses the accuracy of stability analysis methods currently in use for this problem by looking at stress changes in the soil during pile driving as well as using numerical analysis results. Importantly, the paper identifies the shortcomings regarding these approaches, thus allowing geo-engineers to understand the limitations of their analysis and the uncertainties in the models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the disadvantage of considering slopes as a homogeneous layer in intelligent stability assessment, this paper proposes a compatible three-dimensional convolutional neural network (3-D CNN) to improve the prediction performance in the stability of multilayer slopes. In the 3-D CNN, the slope information is encoded in a format similar to RGB images, with three channels corresponding to the mass density, cohesion, and friction angle of the rock and soil materials, and the parameters within each channel are aligned with the geometry of the slopes to reflect the layered rock and soil. The prior knowledge (actual slope cases and landslide inventories) and digital twin technique are carried out to form a database consisting of 4394 slopes for the proposed 3-D CNN model in the case of difficulty in collecting multilayer slope data. The results showed that, the best 3-D CNN framework achieves the R 2 = 0.929 in 879 testing data, which is 6.3% higher than the best 1-D CNN framework. Finally, the stability of 12 real slope cases around the world was predicted by the optimal 3-D CNN, which obtained an R 2 of 0.795 and an RMSE of 0.158 by comparing the predicted and the analyzed safety factors. The results indicate that the proposed 3-D CNN has compatibility through training with the dataset generated by the digital twin and prior knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rock walls of Valles Marineris (VM) valleys on Mars reveal significant gravitational failures, resulting in a sequence of massive landslides spanning several hundred cubic kilometers in volume. For further Mars exploration missions, it is critical to understand which characteristics impact the stability of these rock walls. In this work, ArcGIS is used to identify 30 steep slopes. Utilizing the finite element method, we calculate the proposed seven possibly landslide-prone slopes based on geometry in VM. Using Strength Reduction Method (SRM) in Midas GTS NX, the impacts of variations in cohesion, internal friction angle, unit weight, and elastic modulus of soil and rock on the slope safety factor against landslides are evaluated. The Strength Reduction Method (SRM) is a widely used approach in geotechnical engineering to assess slope stability. It involves systematically reducing the strength parameters of the soil and rock materials within the slope until failure occurs. By iteratively reducing the strength parameters, the SRM calculates the factor of safety against landslides. Internal friction angle is the most critical factor in determining the stability of a slope under low gravity circumstances since it has the widest range of possible alterations. Furthermore, the material's cohesion and unit weight significantly impact the safety factor, although elastic modulus barely affects slope stability. A modulus of elasticity of more than 35 GPa will not enhance the factor of safety. There is no significant difference in soil suction between Earth and Martian gravities near the surface water table. However, as the groundwater depth increases, soil suction under Martian gravity becomes notably lower than that on Earth. Additionally, consistent with prior investigations, the Vadose zone on Mars is positioned at higher elevations relative to Earth, indicating the presence of a higher capillary fringe. Furthermore, the factor of safety for slope stability consistently outperforms Earth for equivalent slope configurations under unsaturated conditions, with approximately 2.5 times higher factor of safety for higher suctions and approximately 1.5 times higher factor of safety for lower suctions compared to Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation is natural and environment-friendly material for slope reinforcement. To simple and effective analysis of vegetated slopes, a new method is proposed to consider the tensile strength cutting criterion (C–F criterion) of unsaturated root–soil composites. The proposed method incorporates the hydrological and mechanical effects of vegetation roots. A 1D stability model is developed to calculate the safety factors of vegetated slopes under steady transpiration state. Parametric studies are performed to investigate the effects of shrub root depth, slope angle, rainfall intensity, transpiration rate, and tensile strength on pore-water pressure (uw) and slope safety factors (Fs). uw and Fs are calculated using both the C–F criterion and the Fredlund strength criterion. The results demonstrate that Fs and uw decreases with increasing slope angle and rainfall intensity. Slope angle and rainfall intensity of vegetated slopes has a negative impacts on the slope stability. Moreover, Fs increases with increasing tensile strength. Furthermore, the transpiration rate and root depth increases, Fs and uw increases. Root depth, tensile strength, and transpiration rate are adverse for slope stability. Increasing slope angle and rainfall have detrimental effects on slope stability. Shallow slopes are more sensitive to rainfall than deep slopes. Fs for vegetated slopes with tensile strength cut-off are reduced compared to those based on the Fredlund strength equation. The C–F criterion is best suited for evaluating the shallow slope stability. Overall, the proposed method is a simple and practical approach to assess the vegetated slopes stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slope failures lead to catastrophic consequences in numerous countries, so accurate slope stability evaluation is critical in geological disaster prevention and control. In this study, the type and characteristics of slope protection structure disease were determined through the field investigation of an expansive soil area, and this information is incorporated into the numerical simulations and works to develop prediction models of slope stability. Four base machine learning (ML) methods are used to capture the relationship between protection structure diseases and factor of safety (FOS). Further, with the help of stacked generalization (SG), four ML models are combined, and the final SG model is used to predict the FOS. The results show that ML methods can effectively utilize this information and achieve excellent prediction results. The proposed SG model exhibits superior accuracy and robustness in predicting FOS compared to other ML methods. With FOS as the regression variable, the main feature contributions are slope height (37.05%) > slip distance of retaining wall (25.43%) > expansive force (18.03%) > slope gradient (12.00%); the coupling relationship among features is also captured by the proposed model. It is concluded that the SG method is particularly suitable for slope stability modeling under small sample conditions. Besides, the SG-based model effectively captures the impact of protection structure diseases on slope stability, enhances the interpretability of the ML model, and provides a reference for the maintenance and repair of the protection structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining is one of the most daunting occupations gain the sector since it entails risk at any point in the operation. In its operation, the main focus is on slope stability. To avoid slope failures, work should be performed in line with both the regulations and the safety criteria. Slope stability is essential in mining activities owing to slope failure putting productivity and safety at risk. Prediction of slope failure is difficult because of the complexity of traditional engineering techniques. Through study, recent technologies have helped mining companies predict slope problems quickly and effectively. In this current research, an ensemble of machine learning intelligence algorithms was used to estimate and assess the Factor of Safety (FOS). In Ostapal Chromicte Mine, India, 79 experimental and failure slope occurrences were tracked to gather in-the-moment field data. The available data were split into training and testing sets at random to build algorithms. The five influenced factors such as the unit weight, the friction angle, the cohesiveness, the mining depth, as well as the slope angle used as input variables to estimate the FOS. Selected machine learning techniques such as Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Decision Tree, Random Forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and ensemble hybrid model combining eXtreme Gradient Boosting and Random Forest (XGBoost-RF) were developed to evaluate the FOS. The validity and efficiency of created models can be evaluated using standard evaluation parameters such as coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean square error (MSE), normalized root mean square error (NRMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and mean absolute deviation (MAD). The most precise model to assess the FOS across all models was discovered to be the XGBOOST-RF ensemble model, which had a high R² of 0.931, MSE of 0.009, NRMSE of 0.069, MAD of 0.037, MAPE of 3.581 and an RMSE of 0.098. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strength reduction method (SRM) based on the generalized Hoek‒Brown (GHB) criterion has become an important and popular topic to analyse the stability of rock slopes. Various reduction strategies have been proposed and applied by the civil and mining engineering community. This paper proposed a new SRM for rock slopes with the GHB criterion based on the critical failure state curve (CFSC). The existence of the CFSC has been proven by theoretical analysis, and the explicit expression of the CFSCs for different parameters mi and slope angles β, considering the influence of disturbance factor D, has been obtained by curve fitting based on a great deal of simulation data. The new SRM provides a graphic method to determine the parameters at the critical failure state from the initial state by reducing the compressive strength of intact rock σci and the parameter combination sα with the same ratio and proposes a definition of the factor of safety (FOS) based on the parameters of the two states. This method was applied to nine slope examples to verify its validity and accuracy. The relative errors between the critical state parameters obtained from the graphic method and that from the simulation analysis are less than 10%, which proves the accuracy of the CFSCs. The FOSs obtained by the proposed definition are compared with those obtained by the Bishop simplified method and the local linearization method (LLM), and the results are very close. The relative error is less than ± 5% compared with the LLM, and the stability state predicted is perfectly accurate. However, the calculation procedure is largely simplified, and the calculation speed is largely improved. A practical case of an open pit limestone slope with multiple steps was detailed analysed by the proposed SRM based on CFSC. The FOS results comparison with other existing method has demonstrated its feasibility and reliability in engineering application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The swelling-shrinkage behavior of expansive soils under climate changes will cause the crack development, which can be destructive of expansive soil slopes. This study investigated the effect of drying/wetting cycles on the stability of an expansive soil slope using the discrete element method (DEM), in consideration of the crack development induced by climate changes. The strength reduction method was adopted in the DEM calculations, which was coupled with the unsaturated seepage analysis given by the finite element method. The slope stability and the failure model of the slope after different times of wetting–drying cycles were analyzed, and the results were compared with those calculated by the limit equilibrium method and the finite element method. The results indicated that the failure pattern of the expansive soil slope was strongly influenced by the wetting–drying cycles. A shallow sliding surface of the expansive soil slope occurred after several wetting–drying cycles. Similarly, the safety factor of the expansive soil slope decreased gradually with the wetting–drying cycles. Considering the cracks' evolution inside the expansive soil slope from the drying/wetting cycles, a shallower sliding surface with a smaller safety factor was obtained from the strength reduction method of the DEM, in comparison with the two conventional methods of the Limit equilibrium method and finite element method. Therefore, cracks play an essential role in the expansive soil slope stability. The strength reduction method of the DEM, which considers the cracks' evolution during drying/wetting cycles, is more reliable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of slopes is typically evaluated by two-dimensional plane strain analysis. However, many slopes exhibit three-dimensional (3D) geometries, including slope corners. Several researchers have studied the stability of slope corners but found that the factor of safety (FS) was close to the FS for the plane strain case. The results of a new series of 3D finite element method (FEM) simulating slope corners, including slope angle, plan view angle, radius of curvature, and slope height are presented. They confirm that the FS does not vary much for corners compared to the plane strain case. However, 220 cases using an elastic-perfectly plastic soil model together with the FEM shear strength reduction method show that the displacement field is very different at the corners compared to plane strain with differences reaching over 100%. The displacement ratio between corners and plane strain is presented as a function of the plan view angle of the corner. Often failure is defined at a chosen large displacement, as in the ultimate load of foundation elements. If this concept is carried over to slope stability, it would indicate that the FS of corners should be very different from the plane strain case. A possible explanation is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many multistoried reinforced concrete farmed buildings are being constructed in hilly areas and on hill slopes, due to urbanization and infrastructure development. These buildings constructed on sloping ground fail when subjected to seismic forces. The building loads are transferred to the hill slope terrain at the foundation level, probably resulting in a hill slope failure. Therefore, the stability of hill slope with building loads needs to be examined. This paper considers the effects of soil structure interaction and presents the results of seismic response analysis of multistoried buildings resting on sloping ground. The prototype buildings are scaled down to model buildings by using appropriate scaling laws, further numerical analysis has been carried out using Finite Element Method based analysis. The factors of safety for sliding failure of a slope in stepback and stepback–setback building configurations have been studied. Storey displacements, resonant frequency, and stability of slopes are evaluated. The results indicate that stepback–setback buildings perform better than stepback buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supervised machine learning (ML) techniques have been widely used in various geotechnical applications. While much attention is given to the ML techniques and the specific geotechnical problem being addressed, the influence of sampling methods on ML performance has received relatively less scrutiny. This study applies supervised ML to the strain-dependent slope stability (SDSS) method for the prediction of the factor of safety (FoS) using hypoplasticity. It delves into different sampling strategies for training the ML model, emphasizing predictions of soil behavior in lower stress ranges. A novel sampling method is introduced to ensure a more representative distribution of samples in these ranges, which is challenging to achieve through traditional sampling approaches. The ML models were trained using traditional and modified sampling methods. Subsequently, slope stability analyses using SDSS were conducted with ML models trained from six different sampling methods. The results illustrate the impact of sampling methods on the FoS. Besides a noticeable improvement in predictions of shear stresses within the lower stress ranges, a decisive effect on the overall FoS was observed as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Elucidating the effects of vegetation on soil mechanical and hydrological behavior is crucial to understand shallow landslide stability. However, in geohazard-prone regions, quantifying the soil hydrological behavior is challenging because of large variations in soil water. The positive effects of vegetation hydrological effects have not been clearly delineated. The objective of this study was to analyze the contribution of vegetation types to slope stability under different soil matric suction conditions. Methods: The hydrological and mechanical properties of soil were measured and the extended Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion were used to estimate the differences in hydrological reinforcement on slopes under three vegetation types (grasslands, trees, and shrubs). The slope stability was compared using a two-dimensional finite element model. Results: The results showed that the increase in soil hydrological reinforcement of grasslands (16%) was higher than that of shrubs (13%) and trees (9%). The displacement vector and plastic strain cloud map indicated that slope failure was initiated from the foot of the slope; additionally, the plastic strain area of the grasslands was considerably larger than that of the shrubs and trees. Furthermore, with increase in matric suction, the factor of safety (FoS) of slope for trees, shrubs, and grasslands increased from 1.87 to 2.87, 1.50 to 3.53, and 1.47 to 3.32, respectively, with minimum variations in the FoS of slope for trees. Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights for quantifying the contribution of soil matric suction to the hydrological reinforcement of shallow slopes under different vegetation types. To maintain slope stability, understanding the soil hydrological properties is important to select suitable plants that can strengthen slope stabilities, allocate plant communities scientifically and rationally, and guide the implementation of appropriate land management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the stability of slopes in infrastructures such as road and railroad embankments, excavations, and, in general, earthwork is important, analyzing the stability of these slopes has been one of the main focuses of geotechnical engineers. Although analyzing both reinforced and unreinforced slopes is needed, reinforced slopes require special attention as the reinforcement elements significantly affect the calculations. Hence, the current study's aim is to find out the differences between obtained safety factors using the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) and Shear Strength Reduction Method (SSRM). For this purpose, first, the origin differences in terms of Safety Factor (SF) are theoretically determined according to basic formulas for the aforementioned techniques. Then, to verify the formula, several numerical modelings are carried out using in situ measured geotechnical data to better understand the differences in terms of safety factors. The results indicate that for the reinforced slope with an SF value of higher than 1, the SSRM provides a higher SF in comparison with the other techniques, and the origin of this difference is the definitions of the SF in the different methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geotechnical engineers must place a high priority on the analysis and forecasting of slope stability to prevent the disasters that can result from a failed slope. As a result, it is crucial to accurately estimate slope stability in order to ensure the project's success. This sort of information is indispensable in the early stages of concept and design, when important decisions must be made. In this study, an optimized GEP-based model for calculating the safety factor of rock slopes (SFRS) was proposed. For this purpose, a variety of rock slopes for circular failure mode were analyzed using the PLAXIS software to generate 325 datasets. In the datasets, six effective parameters on the SFRS including unit weight, friction angle, slope angle, cohesion, pore pressure ratio, and slope height were considered. 80% of the datasets were used for training and 20% for test. As a result of finding the optimal fit between the predictions, an equation for the refined GEP model was derived. Finally, the equation's potential ability to estimate SFRS was approved by comparing its outputs with the actual ones and comparing its behavior with practice. The mutual information sensitivity analysis revealed that the unit weight parameter is the most influential variable in the proposed equation. This model can reduce the uncertainties about the stability of rock slopes and give machine learning development in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic interaction between subsurface flow and soil mechanics is often simplified in the stability assessment of variably saturated landslide-prone hillslopes. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of conventional simplifications in coupling and modeling strategies on stability assessment of such hillslopes in response to precipitation using the local factor of safety (LFS) concept. More specifically, it investigates (1) the impact of neglecting poroelasticity, (2) transitioning from full coupling between hydrological and mechanical models to sequential coupling, and (3) reducing the two-phase flow system to a one-phase flow system (Richards' equation). Two rainfall scenarios, with the same total amount of rainfall but two different relatively high (4 mm h−1) and low (1 mm h−1) intensities are considered. The simulation results of the simplified approaches are compared to a comprehensive, fully coupled poroelastic hydromechanical model with a two-phase flow system. It was found that the most significant difference from the comprehensive model occurs in areas experiencing the most transient changes due to rainfall infiltration in all three simplified models. Among these simplifications, the transformation of the two-phase flow system to a one-phase flow system showed the most pronounced impact on the simulated local factor of safety (LFS), with a maximum increase of +21.5% observed at the end of the high-intensity rainfall event. Conversely, using a rigid soil without poroelasticity or employing a sequential coupling approach with no iteration between hydromechanical parameters has a relatively minor effect on the simulated LFS, resulting in maximum increases of +2.0% and +1.9%, respectively. In summary, all three simplified models yield LFS results that are reasonably consistent with the comprehensive poroelastic fully coupled model with two-phase flow, but simulations are more computationally efficient when utilizing a rigid porous media and one-phase flow based on Richards' equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using previously proposed values of standard deviation (σ) for the drained fully softened and residual strength correlations, the probability of failure (Pf) can be calculated to supplement the drained factor of safety (FoS). Using the standard deviation (σ) of soil strength, e.g., fully softened (FS) and residual, the standard deviation of FoS (σFoS) and coefficient of variation of FoS (VFoS) can be calculated readily using slope stability software to estimate Pf. Being able to calculate Pf allows owners, regulators, and/or engineers to select a frequency of failure for a particular slope given the consequences of failure instead of a nebulous value of FoS. For example, it is easier for owners, regulators, and/or legal representatives to understand a frequency of failure, e.g., 1 failure in 1,000 years, than a drained or effective stress FoS of greater than 1.5 with some level of uncertainty. Even more confusing to owners, regulators, and/or legal representatives is the difference between various values of drained and undrained FoS, which is simplified via the selection of a suitable value of Pf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of critical failure surface and stability evaluation of 3D slopes have been a hot and difficult problem in geotechnical engineering. The conventional method defines the critical failure surface using the safety factor (SF) whereas it is powerless for some special problems, such as two different failure surfaces with equal SFs. So far, many studies on the critical failure surface of a 3D slope have mainly focused on rotational ellipsoid, while less research has been done on the arbitrary shape. To solve the above problems, we develop a model for constructing a arbitrarily shaped failure surface and ascertain the critical failure surface by the sliding direction (SD). To verify rationality of the introduced theory, the critical failure surfaces of two benchmark symmetric slopes and corresponding SFs are reanalyzed, and the results are compared with the reference solutions. Meanwhile, the results obtained by the proposed method are also consistent with the reference solutions for the complex slope with the asymmetric failure surface. The parametric analysis explores the relationships between the mechanical properties of soil and the SD as well as the SF. Furthermore, influence factors of the spatial characteristics of sliding mass are also revealed. The proposed method is used as a helpful complement to the existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates the influence of slope geometry and scale of the joint networks on the stability and failure mechanisms in discontinued rock masses. These analyses are based on the finite element method (FEM) to calculate the factor of safety (FOS) and to simulate the explicit discontinuity deformations for different scales of rock masses. The study was carried out through examples of regular jointed models having different slope heights and irregular jointed dry rock slopes. Joints usually decrease the strength of the slopes and suggestively increase slope stability problems. The result shows that the slope stability decreases with increased block size and shape and that the irregular columnar joints are more unfavorable to the slope stability than the regular joints. Furthermore, with dropping the factor of safety and randomly distributed joints the rock failure mechanism appears to shift from structurally controlled for the 50 m slopes towards a step-like failure path for the 100 m and 200 m slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study performs a stability analysis of a three-dimensional (3D) rock slope in disturbed rock masses following the Generalized Hoek–Brown (GHB) failure criterion. The factor of safety (FoS) of the slope is derived and the optimal solution is captured combining the limit analysis method and the strength reduction technique. It is indicated by the parametric analysis that the 3D geometric characteristics have a significant impact on slope stability such that FoS decreases sharply with the increase in the width-to-height ratio B / H within 0 < B / H ≤ 2.0 and thereafter reaches a constant value asymptotically. The FoS decreases more than 60% linearly when the disturbance factor D increases from 0 to 1.0. Stability charts and slope angle weight factor fβ_3D for 3D slopes are proposed to provide a convenient and straightforward approach to obtain the FoS solutions of 3D slopes. A case study was carried out to apply the stability charts on practical engineering cases, which showed that slope stability under two-dimensional (2D) plane strain will lead to conservative results, and a 3D stability analysis of slope is more appropriate, especially for a slope with a limited width. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation reinforcement for slopes has been recognized as an environment-friendly measure and has been widely adopted in engineering practice. However, the stability analysis of vegetation reinforcement for slopes has mainly been discussed for an infinite slope and common grass and scrub plant species. This study proposes a procedure for analyzing the stability of a finite slope reinforced with Ficus virens under transpiration and rainfall conditions. A simplified empirical model for characterizing root cohesion and triaxial testing is utilized to quantify the mechanical effect of roots on rooted soil shear strength. A numerical modeling technique with COMSOL Multiphysics is used to investigate the hydrological effect of roots. The combination of these two effects forms an expression for the unsaturated shear strength of rooted soils. The stability of a vegetated soil slope is then investigated in terms of safety factors and failure mechanisms, with/without considering rainfall. The results show that the stability solutions without consideration of the roots' mechanical and/or hydrological effects are overly conservative. The hydrological contribution to slope stability could also be partially preserved under short-term rainfall, and as rainfall continues, the hydrological effect is weakened, while the mechanical reinforcement is assumed to be unchanged. In the meantime, the hydrological contribution to slope stability is susceptible to atmospheric conditions, which indicates a favorable effect on water uptake and an adverse consequence for water infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D numerical modeling is used for the dump slope stability assessment. The 2D numerical modeling stability assessment results are not realistic for the actual geometry of the dump. This investigation aims to combine UAV and 3D numerical modeling approaches using realistic and entire dump slope stability estimation and showing the failure zone. 3D surface reconstruction to create a 3D numerical model for stability analysis. The finite difference and limit equilibrium methods are used for the dump slope stability analysis. Finally, 3D numerical modeling was used to assess slope stability under static and dynamic loading. Static, pseudo-static, and probability of failure were analyzed using the 3D limit equilibrium method. This study proposes an approach for dump slope stability analysis. The slope factor of safety is 1.25, and it shows a stable dump slope under static conditions. This study examines the dump failure zone and its probability of failure, which will be helpful for mining authorities to make decisions about the prevention and mitigation of failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]