Stability analysis of cohesive soil embankment slope based on discrete element method

• Published in: Journal of Central South University Vol. 27; no. 7; pp. 1981 - 1991
• Main Authors: Xu, Guang-ji, Zhong, Kun-zhi, Fan, Jian-wei, Zhu, Ya-jing, Zhang, Yu-qing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Changsha Central South University 01.07.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Cohesion; Cohesive soils; Computer simulation; Discrete element method; Embankment stability; Engineering; Extrusion; Gravitation; Metallic Materials; Parameters; Reduction; Safety factors; Slope stability; Soil analysis; Soil stability; Stability analysis; PFC2D 软件; embankment slope; 稳定性分析; stability analysis; PFC2D software; 黏性土; 安全系数; 路堤边坡; 数值模拟; safety factor; cohesive soil; numerical simulation
• ISSN: 2095-2899; 2227-5223
• DOI: 10.1007/s11771-020-4424-9

In order to study the safety factor and instability process of cohesive soil slope, the discrete element method(DEM) was applied. DEM software PFC2D was used to simulate the triaxial test to study the influence of the particle micro parameters on the macroscopic characteristics of cohesive soil and calibrate the micro parameters of DEM model on this basis. Embankment slope stability analysis was carried out by strength reduction and gravity increase method, it is shown that the safety factor obtained by strength reduction method is more conservative, and the arc-shaped feature of the sliding surface under the gravity increase method is more obvious. Throughout the progressive failure process, the failure trends, maximum displacements, and velocity changes obtained by the two methods were consistent. When slope was destroyed, the upper part was cracked, the middle part was sheared, and the lower part was destroyed by extrusion. The conclusions of this paper can be applied to the safety factor calculation of cohesive soil slopes and the analysis of the instability process.