Modeling of the progressive failure of an overhang slope subject to differential weathering in Three Gorges Reservoir, China

• Published in: Landslides Vol. 13; no. 5; pp. 1303 - 1313
• Main Authors: Zhang, Ke, Tan, Peng, Ma, Guowei, Cao, Ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.10.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Canyons; Civil Engineering; Coalescence; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Failure; Fracture mechanics; Geography; Land bridges; Landslides & mudslides; Mathematical models; Natural Hazards; Original Paper; Reservoirs; Rock; Rocks; Safety; Slope stability; Slopes; Weathering; China, People's Rep., Sichuan Prov., Changjiang R., Three Gorges Dam; China, People's Rep; Overhanging slope; Failure time prediction; Fracture mechanics; Stress intensity factor; Displacement discontinuity method; Factor of safety

Differential weathering is a primary cause of secondary toppling failures of rock slopes. Using the Taibaiyan cliff in the Three Gorges Reservoir as a case study, the evolution of an overhanging slope was numerically investigated using fracture mechanics. A displacement discontinuity method (DDM)-ba...