Discrete-Element Numerical Investigation of the Dynamic Response Characteristics and Instability Mechanism of a Cross-Jointed Rock Mass Slope under Multistage Sustained Seismic Action
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 25, Issue 2
Abstract
Frequent earthquakes, coupled with discontinuous geological conditions, complicate the earthquake dynamic response characteristics of slopes. To reveal the dynamic accumulative damage effect and instability mechanism of a cross-jointed rock mass slope under continuous earthquakes, two discrete-element models, a homogeneous slope and a cross-jointed slope, are established in this study via particle flow code (PFC2D). The results show that the cross-jointed slope has an obvious dynamic amplifying effect on the elevation and slope surface. Compared with the homogeneous slope, the cross-jointed slope has a more significant slope magnification effect. The seismic wave amplification on cross-jointed slopes is more significant under the influence of S waves than P waves. In addition, on the basis of the characteristics of crack propagation and particle bonding failure, the dynamic cumulative failure effect and evolution process of cross-jointed slopes under cumulative earthquakes are revealed, including the crack initiation stage (≤0.1g), crack accumulation stage (0.1–0.2g), crack propagation stage (0.2–0.4g), and crack penetration stage (0.4–0.6g). Through the analysis of particle bond rupture characteristics and displacement evolution, the mechanisms of dynamic failure and modes of instability for the cross-jointed slope are identified. Under a small earthquake (≤0.2g), the slope remains largely uncracked, and slope failure does not occur. Under a strong earthquake (≥0.4g), bond failure near the slope surface develops rapidly and intensively, and the sliding body gradually experiences instability failure. Moreover, joints control slope dynamic failure behavior. Shear failure and tensile failure mainly occur in cross-jointed slopes and homogeneous slopes, respectively.
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Data Availability Statement
The data sets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52109125), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2023ZYGXZRx2tjD2231010), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20231217), the independent research project of the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building and Urban Science (2023ZB15), the Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering Safety, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SKLGME023001), and the Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province (2024NSFSC0925).
Author contributions: Danqing Song: Writing—review and editing, Methodology, Investigation. Kunpeng Huang: Structural analysis, Validation. Zhuo Chen: Conceptualization, and Supervision. Shuai Zhang: Visualization.
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 25 • Issue 2 • February 2025
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© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 25, 2024
Accepted: Sep 3, 2024
Published online: Dec 6, 2024
Published in print: Feb 1, 2025
Discussion open until: May 6, 2025
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