Modeling the Progressive Failure of Jointed Rock Slope Using Fracture Mechanics and the Strength Reduction Method

The fracturing process during the progressive failure of a jointed rock slope is numerically investigated by using fracture mechanics and the strength reduction method (SRM). A displacement discontinuity method containing frictional elements is developed for the calculation of the stress intensity factor (SIF). The failure initiation of the jointed rock slope is analyzed by evaluating the SIF. A new joint model is proposed by combining solid elements with interface elements in the commercial software FLAC3D. These represent the discontinuous planes in a rock mass on which sliding or separation can occur. The progressive failure process is simulated by reducing the shear strength of the rock mass, which includes the process of stress concentration, crack initiation, crack propagation, slip weakening, and coalescence of failure surfaces. The factor of safety (FS) and location of the critical failure surface are determined by the SRM. The influence of the joint inclination is investigated using the FS and the SIF. Laboratory experiments on specimens containing an inclined flaw under compression-shear stress are also conducted to investigate the effect of the angle between the shear direction and the flaw inclination, which provides an experimental explanation for the shear behavior of jointed rock. The results show that the joint inclination dominates the failure behavior of jointed rock slope, and two failure patterns have been classified.