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Stability analysis of stratified rock slopes with spatially variable strength parameters: the case of Qianjiangping landslide

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Abstract

Jurassic strata prone to slope failure are widely distributed in the Three Gorges Reservoir region. The limit equilibrium method is generally used to analyze the stability of rock slopes that have a single failure plane. However, the stability of a stratified rock mass cannot be accurately estimated by this method because different bedding planes have variable shear strength parameters. A modified limit equilibrium method is presented with variable water pressure and shear strength used to estimate the stability coefficient of a sloping mass of stratified rock and to identify the potential sliding surface. Furthermore, an S-curve model is used to define the spatial variations of the shear strength parameters c and ϕ of the bedding plane and the tensile strength of the rock mass. This model can also describe the variation of strength parameters with distance from the slope surface, which depends on the reservoir water level. Also, it is used to evaluate the stability of the Qianjiangping landslide, located at Shazhenxi Town, Zigui County, Three Gorges Reservoir area, China. The results show the most probable sliding surface is the interface between a slightly weathered layer and subjacent bedrock. When reservoir water rises above the elevation of the slide mass toe, the stability coefficient of the slope declines sharply. When the reservoir water level is static at 135 m, the stability coefficient decreases gradually as the phreatic line changes as a result of heavy rainfall.

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Acknowledgments

This study is financially supported by the National Basic Research Program 973 Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (2011CB710604), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41272305), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41502300), Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation (No. Q16D020005). The authors appreciate the help provided by Harkiran Kaur, who made the careful English language editing on this manuscript before submitting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Engineering Faculty, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, People’s Republic of China

    Huiming Tang

  2. Civil Engineering Faculty, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312000, People’s Republic of China

    Rui Yong

  3. College of Petroleum Geology and Minerals, University of Bahri, Khartoum, 12327, Sudan

    M. A. M. Ez Eldin

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  1. Huiming Tang
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  2. Rui Yong
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  3. M. A. M. Ez Eldin
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Correspondence to Rui Yong.

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Tang, H., Yong, R. & Ez Eldin, M.A.M. Stability analysis of stratified rock slopes with spatially variable strength parameters: the case of Qianjiangping landslide. Bull Eng Geol Environ 76, 839–853 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-016-0876-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-016-0876-4

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