• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.439-452
• /
• 2022

A forecast of slope behavior during catastrophic events, such as earthquakes is crucial to recognize the risk of slope failure. This paper endeavors to eliminate the significant supposition of predefined slip surfaces in the slope stability analysis, which questions the relevance of simple conventional methods under seismic conditions. To overcome such limitations, a methodology dependent on the slip line hypothesis, which permits an automatic generation of slip surfaces, is embraced to trace the extreme slope face under static and seismic conditions. The effect of earthquakes is considered using the pseudo-static approach. The current outcomes developed from a parametric study endorse a non-linear slope surface as the extreme profile, which is in accordance with the geomorphological aspect of slopes. The proposed methodology is compared with the finite element limit analysis to ensure credibility. Through the design charts obtained from the current investigation, the stability of slopes can be assessed under seismic conditions. It can be observed that the extreme slope profile demands a flat configuration to endure the condition of the limiting equilibrium at a higher level of seismicity. However, a concurrent enhancement in the shear strength of the slope medium suppresses this tendency by offering greater resistance to the seismic inertial forces induced in the medium. Unlike the traditional linear slopes, the extreme slope profiles mostly exhibit a steeper layout over a significant part of the slope height, thus ensuring a more optimized solution to the slope stability problem. Further, the susceptibility of the Longnan slope failure in the Huining-Wudu seismic belt is predicted using the current plasticity approach, which is found to be in close agreement with a case study reported in the literature. Finally, the concept of equivalent single or multi-tiered planar slopes is explored through an example problem, which exhibits the appropriateness of the proposed non-linear slope geometry under actual field conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.28 no.12
• /
• pp.123-131
• /
• 2012

Recent earthquake records indicate that the vertical component of earthquake loading, generally neglected in seismic slope stability analysis, has a significant influence on the stability. This is particularly true for the earthquakes originating inside the continent, not from its boundaries. Therefore the design of geotechnical structures without consideration of vertical component of earthquake loading may result in unsafe design. In this study, with a consideration of the effect of vertical seismic loading, the horizontal yield seismic coefficients under various slope conditions are estimated, using the lower bound limit analysis. In addition, the equation for the determination of the critical direction (either upward or downward) of vertical seismic loading is proposed.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 2009

The seismic slope stability is most often evaluated by the pseudo-static limit analysis, in which the earthquake loading is simplified as static inertial loads acting in horizontal and/or vertical directions. The transient loading is represented by constant acceleration via the pseudostatic coefficients. The result of a pseudostatic analysis is governed by the selection of the value of the pseudostatic coefficient. However, selection of the value is very difficult and often done in an ad hoc manner without a sound physical reasoning. In addition, the maximum acceleration is commonly estimated from the design guideline, which cannot accurately estimate the dynamic response of a slope. There is a need to perform a 2D dynamic analysis to properly define the dynamic response characteristics. This paper develops a new hybrid pseudostatic method that links the modified one-dimensional seismic site response analysis and the pseudostatic algorithm. The modified site response analysis adjusts the density of the layers to simulate the change in mass and weight of the layers of the slope with depth. Multiple analyses were performed at various locations within the slope to estimate the change in seismic response of the slope. The calculated peak acceleration profiles with depth from the developed procedure were compared to those by the two-dimensional analyses. Comparisons show that the two methods result in remarkable match. The calculated profiles are used to perform pseudostatic analysis. The results show that use of peak or a fraction of acceleration at the surface can seriously underestimate or overestimate the factor of safety, and that the proposed procedure significantly enhances the reliability of a standard procedure.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.43-54
• /
• 2020

The limit analysis and response surfaces method were combined to investigate the reliability of pressurized tunnel faces subjected to seismic force. The quasi-static method was utilized to introduce seismic force into the tunnel face. A 3D horn failure mechanism of pressurized tunnel faces subjected to seismic force was constructed. The collapse pressure of pressurized tunnel faces was solved by the kinematical approach. The limit state equation of pressurized tunnel faces was obtained according to the collapse pressure and support pressure. And then a reliability model of pressurized tunnel faces was established. The feasibility and superiority of the response surfaces method was verified by comparing with the Monte Carlo method. The influence of the mean of soil parameters and support pressure, variation coefficients, distribution type and correlation of c-φ on the reliability of pressurized tunnel faces was discussed. The reasonable safety factor and support pressure required by pressurized tunnel faces to satisfy 3 safety levels were presented. In addition, the effects of horizontal seismic force, vertical seismic force and correlation of k_h-k_v on the reliability of pressurized tunnel faces were also performed. The method of this work can give a new idea for anti-seismic design of pressurized tunnel faces.