Abstract
With the development of traffic, many highways were built on the top of soil–rock slope (SRS). However, the effect of highway load on the SRS stability has never been studied comprehensively. Therefore, based on the statistical analysis, the stability of SRS considering additional loads of highway was studied. For generating a more realistic slope model, the identification algorithm of rock characteristic parameters was described considering rock ellipticity and long axis inclination angle; the corresponding rock contour establishing method and SRS establishing process were detailed, which could well consider rock content, ellipticity and long axis inclination angle. Applying the stochastic program, 522 stochastic numerical models and corresponding 12 physical models were created to study the influence of rock contents and long axis inclination angles on the SRS stability. The obtained results showed that the additional loads and dispersion degrees of stochastic analyzing results increased with the increase of rock contents, which were related to plastic developing modes (detour, through, scatter and contain modes) of SRS. By adjusting long axis inclination angles of rocks, it was observed that the minimum or maximum additional load was, respectively, obtained when this angle was parallel with or vertical to plastic belt. The effect of long axis inclination angles to the additional load (30.5%, 38.3% and 60.8% for 20%, 40% and 60% rock content) were concluded, which proved the necessity to consider long axis inclination angles of rocks in estimating SRS stability, especially in high rock content. According to numerical analysis results and the failure characteristic of physical models, three typical development modes of plastic belt of SRS were concluded when the load was on the top of slope, including deep, shallow and partial failure of SRS. In addition, it can also be found that the sliding body shows collapse (whole) modes when long axis inclination angles for rocks are vertical (parallel) to the plastic belt.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bao Y, Gao P, He X (2015) The water-level fluctuation zone of Three Gorges reservoir—a unique geomorphological unit. Earth Sci Rev 150:14–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2015.07.005
Chen T, Yang Y, Zheng H, Wu Z (2019) Numerical determination of the effective permeability coefficient of soil–rock mixtures using the numerical manifold method. Int J Numer Anal Met 43:381–414. https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.2868
Coli N, Berry P, Boldini D (2011) In situ non-conventional shear tests for the mechanical characterisation of a bimrock. Int J Rock Mech Min 48:95–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2010.09.012
Gao M, Zhao J, Li S, Qiu Z (2016) Theoretical model of the equivalent elastic modulus of a cobblestone–soil matrix for TBM tunneling. Tunn Undergr Sp Technol 54:117–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2016.02.001
Gao W, Gao W, Hu R, Xu P, Xia J (2018) Microtremor survey and stability analysis of a soil-rock mixture landslide: a case study in Baidian town, China. Landslides 15:1951–1961. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-1009-x
Gong J, Jun L (2017) Influences of rock proportion on failure process and failure mode of soil-rock-mixture slope with PIV analysis. Rock Soil Mech 38(3):696–701. https://doi.org/10.16285/j.rsm.2017.03.011
He S, Ouyang C, Luo Y (2012) Seismic stability analysis of soil nail reinforced slope using kinematic approach of limit analysis. Environ Earth Sci 66(1):319–326. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1241-3
Huang D, Gu DM (2017) Influence of filling-drawdown cycles of the Three Gorges reservoir on deformation and failure behaviors of anaclinal rock slopes in the Wu Gorge. Geomorphology 295:489–506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2017.07.028
Huang XW, Yao ZS, Wang BH, Zhou AZ, Jiang PM (2020) Soil-rock slope stability analysis under top loading considering the nonuniformity of rocks. Adv Civ Eng 9575307:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/9575307
Jiang S, Papaioannou I, Straub D (2018) Bayesian updating of slope reliability in spatially variable soils with in-situ measurements. Eng Geol 239:310–320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2018.03.021
Kalender A, Sonmez H, Medley E, Tunusluoglu C, Kasapoglu KE (2014) An approach to predicting the overall strengths of unwelded bimrocks and bimsoils. Eng Geol 183:65–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2014.10.007
Kamani M, Ajalloeian R (2020) The effect of rock crusher and rock type on the aggregate shape. Constr Build Mater 41:117016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.117016
Khorasani E, Amini M, Hossaini MF, Medley E (2019) Statistical analysis of bimslope stability using physical and numerical models. Eng Geol 254:13–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2019.03.023
Li D-Q, Xiao T, Cao Z-J, Phoon K-K, Zhou C-B (2016) Efficient and consistent reliability analysis of soil slope stability using both limit equilibrium analysis and finite element analysis. Appl Math Model. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apm.2015.11.044
Liu Y, Zhou X, You Z, Yao S, Wang H (2017) Discrete element modeling of realistic particle shapes in stone-based mixtures through MATLAB-based imaging process. Constr Build Mater. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.03.037
Liu S, Huang X, Zhou A, Hu J, Wang W (2018a) Soil-rock slope stability analysis by considering the nonuniformity of rocks. Math Probl Eng 2018:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3121604
Liu Y, Xiao H, Yao K, Hu J, Wei H (2018b) Rock-soil slope stability analysis by two-phase random media and finite elements. Geosci Front 9:1649–1655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2017.10.007
Lu Y, Tan Y, Li X (2018) Stability analyses on slopes of clay-rock mixtures using discrete element method. Eng Geol 244:116–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2018.07.021
Luo J, Xu Z, Ren Z, Wang K, Tia L (2019a) Rock avalanche-debris geometry and implications for rock-avalanche genesi. Geomorphology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.02.029
Luo J, Xu Z, Ren Z, Wang K, Tian L (2019b) Rock avalanche-debris geometry and implications for rock-avalanche genesis. Geomorphology 334:60–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.02.029
Manouchehrian A, Gholamnejad J, Sharifzadeh M (2013) Development of a model for analysis of slope stability for circular mode failure using genetic algorithm. Environ Earth Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2576-8
Meng QX, Wang HL, Xu WY, Cai M (2018) A numerical homogenization study of the elastic property of a soil-rock mixture using random mesostructure generation. Comput Geotech 98:48–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2018.01.015
Meng QX, Wang HL, Xu WY, Cai M (2019) Multiscale strength reduction method for heterogeneous slope using hierarchical FEM/DEM modeling. Comput Geotech 115:103164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2019.103164
Mohsen M (2019) A general framework for coupled hydro-mechanical modelling of rainfall-induced instability in unsaturated slopes with multivariate random fields. Comput Geotech. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2019.103162
Napoli ML, Barbero M, Ravera E, Scavia C (2018) A stochastic approach to slope stability analysis in bimrocks. Int J Rock Mech Min 101:41–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2017.11.009
Pei Z, Xiuli Du, Liu J, Dechun L, Qiuming G (2018) Study on the orientation angle of rock long axis on the macromechanical properties of soil-rock-mixture. Eng Mech 35:64–72. https://doi.org/10.6052/j.issn.1000-4750.2017.05.0362
Shi C, Chen KH, Wang SN, Haili W (2013) Research on microstructure statistical model of soil-rock mixture. Appl Mech Mater 353–356:28
Tao W, Sihong L, Yan F (2018) Compaction characteristics and minimum void ratio prediction model for gap-graded soil-rock mixture. Appl Sci 8(12):2584. https://doi.org/10.3390/app8122584
Vessia G, Kozubal J, Puła W (2017) High dimensional model representation for reliability analyses of complex rock–soil slope stability. Arch Civ Mech Eng 17:954–963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acme.2017.04.005
Wang T, Zhang G (2019) Failure behavior of soil-rock mixture slopes based on centrifuge model test. J Mt Sci 16:1928–1942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-019-5423-x
Wang Y, Li X, Zheng B (2017) Stress-strain behavior of soil-rock mixture at medium strain rates—response to seismic dynamic loading. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 93:7–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2016.10.020
Wang Y, Li CH, Hu YZ (2018) Use of X-ray computed tomography to investigate the effect of rock blocks on meso-structural changes in soil-rock mixture under triaxial deformation. Constr Build Mater 164:386–399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.12.173
Wu LZ, Huang RQ, Xu Q (2015) Analysis of physical testing of rainfall-induced soil slope failures. Environ Earth Sci 73:8519–8531. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-4009-8
Xu W, Wang S, Zhang H, Zhang Z (2016a) Discrete element modelling of a soil-rock mixture used in an embankment dam. Int J Rock Mech Min 86:141–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2016.04.004
Xu WJ, Hu LM, Gao W (2016b) Random generation of the meso-structure of a soil-rock mixture and its application in the study of the mechanical behavior in a landslide dam. Int J Rock Mech Min 86:166–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2016.04.007
Yang Y, Sun G, Zheng H, Qi Y (2019a) Investigation of the sequential excavation of a soil-rock-mixture slope using the numerical manifold method. Eng Geol 256:93–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2019.05.005
Yang Y, Sun Y, Sun G, Zheng H (2019b) Sequential excavation analysis of soil-rock-mixture slopes using an improved numerical manifold method with multiple layers of mathematical cover systems. Eng Geol 1:105279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2019.105278
Zhang Y (2017) Study on the strength/deformation characteristics and the interaction of rock and soil mixture. Rev Fac Ing 32(16):230–236
Zhang H, Xu W, Yu Y (2016a) Triaxial tests of soil–rock mixtures with different rock block distributions. Soils Found 56:44–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2016.01.004
Zhang Z, Xu W, Xia W, Zhang H (2016b) Large-scale in-situ test for mechanical characterization of soil–rock mixture used in an embankment dam. Int J Rock Mech Min 4:317–322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2015.04.001
Zhang P, Jin L, Du X, Lu D (2018) Computational homogenization for mechanical properties of sand cobble stratum based on fractal theory. Eng Geol 232:82–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2017.11.013
Zhou AZ, Huang XW, Li N, Jiang PM, Wang W (2020) A monte carlo approach to estimate the stability of soil–rock slopes considering the non-uniformity of materials. Symmetry 4:590. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym12040590
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the anonymous reviewers and the editor for their useful suggestions on the manuscript.
Funding
This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. 51778004, NO.51309121 and NO.51678300), Anhui Province University disciplines (professional) top-notch talent-funded projects, Excellent Young Talents Fund Program of Higher Education Institutions of Anhui Province (CN) (gxbjZD09).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Huang, Xw., Yao, Zs., Wang, W. et al. Stability analysis of soil-rock slope (SRS) with an improved stochastic method and physical models. Environ Earth Sci 80, 649 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09939-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09939-2