Stability analysis of rock slopes based on MSDP criterion

To investigate the effects of the tensile and compressive strengths of rock on the rock slope stability, a geometric relationship between the MSDP(Mises-Schleiche Drucker-Prager) strength envelope and the corresponding Mohr circle is established, and an expression of the MSDP criterion in the τ-σn space is derived. Then, a theoretical calculation method of the safety factor for the plane sliding rock slope is proposed based on the limit equilibrium method, and the mechanical model and the corresponding analytical solution of the safety factor for the rock slope are verified by engineering practice. Finally, the effects of some factors(e.g. slope angle, internal friction angle, compressive strength, tensile strength, tensile crack depth, weight and inclination of sliding surface) on the safety factor are discussed. The results indicate that the slope safety factor evaluated based on the MSDP criterion is higher than that by the traditional M-C criterion, that the slope stability can be improved by considering the tensile and compressive strengths of rock and the effect of the compressive strength on the slope stability is more significant than that of the tensile strength, and that the slope safety factor has a good quadratic function relationship with the internal friction angle, the compressive strength, the depth of tensile cracks and the sliding surface dip angle, and a good linear relationship with the tensile strength and the weight. © 2022, Science Press. All right reserved.