The primary influence of shear band evolution on the slope bearing capacity

Slope bearing capacity is one of the most important characteristics in slope engineering and is strongly influenced by weak planes, loading conditions, and slope geometry. By presenting the evolution of slip surfaces, this paper explored how the slope bearing capacity is affected by widely observed influencing factors. The initiation and propagation of slip surfaces are presented in laboratory model tests of slope using the transparent soil technique. Shear band evolution under various weak planes, loading conditions, and slope geometries were experimentally presented, and slope bearing capacities were analyzed with the process of shear band evolution. This paper verified that slip surface morphologies have a strong relation with the slope bearing capacity. The same slip surface morphology can have different evolutionary processes. In this case, it is the shear band evolution that determines the slope bearing capacity, not the morphology of the slip surface. The influencing factors such as pre-existing weak planes, loading conditions, and slope geometry strongly affect the slope bearing capacity as these factors govern the process of shear band evolution inside the slope. (C) 2023 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

This paper investigates the influence of slip surface evolution on slope bearing capacity through laboratory model tests using the transparent soil technique. The shear band evolution under different weak planes, loading conditions, and slope geometries is presented and analyzed. The research shows that the morphology of slip surfaces is strongly related to slope bearing capacity, and factors like pre-existing weak planes, loading conditions, and slope geometry have a significant impact on the process of shear band evolution.