With increase of design seismic intensity, analytical methods and modeling for evaluating deformation and failure of rock slopes during earthquakes appropriately are needed. In this study, shaking table model tests of rock slopes with a sliding plane inclined at angle of 15 degrees were conducted and the dynamic response of sliding block was observed using laser displacement sensors and accelerometers. To simulate the block interaction such as sliding or separation, the numerical simulations are conducted by the dynamic limit equilibrium method and the finite element model, the applicability of analytical methods is verified.
Dynamic response analysis is conducted to evaluate the stability of slopes under seismic conditions at important structures such as main traffic routes, nuclear power plants etc. Stability analyses are commonly carried out through numerical analysis assuming that rock mass is elastic and homogeneous on the basis of the results from PS logging and/or the seismic coefficient method. However, the behavior of rock masses is greatly influenced by the geometrical distribution of discontinuities within the rock mass. It's necessary to figure out dynamic behavior and fracture morphology of discontinuous rock slope.
With increase of design seismic intensity, analytical methods and modeling for evaluating deformation and collapse of rock slope under earthquake appropriately are expected. In this study, shaking table tests on rock slopes with a sliding plane inclined at an angle of 15 degrees were conducted and the dynamic response of sliding block was measured using laser displacement sensors and accelerometers. To simulate the block interaction such as sliding or separation, the numerical simulations are conducted by the dynamic limit equilibrium method and the finite element model, the applicability of analytical methods is verified.
In order to understand the dynamic response and stability of rock slopes, several shaking table tests on rock slopes with a potentially unstable block on a dipping plane shown in Figure 1 were carried out. The assumed rock slope with a height of 50 m and having a potential plane at an angle of 5 degrees is scaled down to a model with a scale of 1/500. The model material is sandy Ryukyu limestone and locally is knows as Awa-ishi. The input-wave, the acceleration of upper block acceleration and relative displacement of the potentially unstable blocks were measured using accelerometers and laser displacement transducers as shown in Figure 1. Table 1 gives the specifications of the shaking table and monitoring devices.
