Modified Limiting Equilibrium Method for Stability Analysis of Stratified Rock Slopes

The stratified rock of Jurassic strata is widely distributed in Three Gorges Reservoir Region. The limit equilibrium method is generally utilized in the stability analysis of rock slope with single failure plane. However, the stratified rock slope cannot be accurately estimated by this method because of different bedding planes and their variable shear strength parameters. Based on the idealized model of rock slope with bedding planes, a modified limiting equilibrium method is presented to determine the potential sliding surface and the factor of safety for the stratified rock slope. In this method, the S-curve model is established to define the spatial variations of the shear strength parameters c and φ of bedding plane and the tensile strength of rock mass. This method was applied in the stability evaluation of typical stratified rock slope in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China. The result shows that the factor of safety of the case study is 0.973, the critical sliding surface for the potential slip surface appears at bedding plane C, and the tension-controlled failure occurs at 10.5 m to the slope face