Stability analysis of a high slope along a loess plateau based on field investigation and numerical analysis

Abstract

In this paper, a landslide along a high loess plateau is studied by the method of field investigation, laboratory test and numerical analysis. First, the environmental factors that induce the landslide of the high loess slope are investigated. Second, an elastoplastic constitutive model based on the unified strength theory (UST) was established and implemented in a three-dimensional finite difference code FLAC3D. Based on the information from field investigation and the results of laboratory test, three-dimensional stability analysis of the high loess slope is analyzed using the FLAC3D code and UST model. The influence of the ground water level variation and the seepage flow on the slope stability is analyzed. The calculation results of the ground water level variation suggest that the slope reaches an equilibrium state after a certain amount of deformation is yielded. However, the displacement increased significantly and the failure of the high loess slope occurred suddenly when the seepage flow is taken into account. The analysis results of this paper indicated that it is necessary to reduce the reclamation and irrigation along the boundary of the loess plateau, and the stability of the high loess slope along the loess plateau could be ensured.