Estimating Mohr-Coulomb Strength Parameters from the Hoek-Brown Criterion for Rock Slopes Undergoing Earthquake

The direct application of the Hoek-Brown failure criterion to practical slope engineering is still an urgent problem. The slope geometries and earthquake effect need to be considered in the determination of linear Mohr-Coulomb (MC) strength parameters from the Hoek-Brown criteria for slope stability analysis. This study adopted the tangential method to construct a three-dimensional (3D) rotational failure mechanism using the Hoek-Brown failure criterion for homogeneous rock slopes undergoing earthquake. The quasi-static method was employed to treat the seismic action as an external seismic force in the work-energy equation of the limit analysis theory. Based on the numerical optimization, the least upper-bound solutions and equivalent MC strength parameters were derived with respect to different strength parameters and seismic loads. The influences of nonlinear strengths, geometric parameters and earthquake load on the equivalent MC strength parameters were thoroughly investigated. The results suggested that the nonlinear parameters have different influences on the equivalent MC parameters for general steep slopes and vertical slopes. The effects of nonlinear parameters on the equivalent MC parameters become obvious for vertical slopes. The disturbance factor D affects the equivalent MC parameters only for very steep slopes in fractured rock masses. Additionally, the effect of slope inclination on the equivalent MC parameters becomes obvious for slopes in fractured hard rock masses. The 3D effect of the rock slope on the equivalent MC parameters was found to be slight. Moreover, the impact of earthquakes on the approximate MC parameters becomes weaker for steeper rock slopes. The tables of approximate MC strength parameters were given for various slopes with different nonlinear strength parameters. The presented tables can provide certain references for practical slope engineering.

Automated summary

This study used the tangential method and quasi-static method to investigate the influence of nonlinear parameters, geometric parameters, and earthquake loads on the equivalent Mohr-Coulomb (MC) strength parameters of rock slope. The results showed that the nonlinear parameters have different effects on MC parameters for general steep slopes and vertical slopes, and the effect of slope inclination on MC parameters is significant in fractured hard rock masses. The 3D effect of rock slope on MC parameters was found to be minimal, and the impact of earthquakes on MC parameters becomes weaker for steeper rock slopes. The tables of approximate MC strength parameters provided in this study can serve as references for practical slope engineering.