Finite element simulation for earthquake-induced landslide based on strain-softening characteristics of weathered rocks

In this study, an effective and simple analytical method based on FEM with total stress formulations is developed to predict a catastrophic landslide induced by strong earthquake. It is well known that such a catastrophic failure would be induced by the strain-softening behavior of the weak materials around the slip surface, which can be appropriately taken into account in the proposed method. The validation of the proposed method is made through the numerical simulations for two different types of catastrophic landslides occurred during 2004 Mid Niigata Prefecture Earthquake in Japan, utilizing the measurements in the ground investigation and the results of the laboratory tests. As a result, the observed phenomena can be simulated well by the analyses, and the developed method is found to be effective for the prediction.