Seismic Response of Stratified Rock Slopes: Mechanism Analysis

Publication Title
Seismic Response of Stratified Rock Slopes: Mechanism Analysis

Abstract

In recent years, the construction of infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges, and tunnels, has given rise to severe engineering geological challenges. Particularly in alpine valley regions, seismic activities have triggered numerous geological hazards in stratified rock slopes. Notable examples include the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and the 2014 Ludian Earthquake, both of which caused substantial economic losses and human casualties. To investigate the dynamic response characteristics of rock slopes under seismic loading, this study carried out physical modeling tests and three-dimensional dynamic numerical simulations were conducted to systematically examine the dynamic response mechanisms of stratified rock slopes. The results indicate that the acceleration amplification within rock slopes under seismic excitation primarily exhibits three patterns: anomalous amplification at the interfaces of hard and soft rock layers, differential amplification associated with excitation directions, and coupled amplification induced by multi-directional seismic waves. Additionally, by analyzing the characteristics of Fourier spectrograms at different internal locations of the slopes, this study clarifies the dynamic response mechanisms of rock slopes under varying seismic intensities and excitation directions. These research outcomes hold significant engineering value for understanding the dynamic behavior of stratified rock slopes in seismic zones and guiding their reinforcement design.

Authors
Fei Zhao; Zhenming Shi; Songbo Yu

Published In

11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)

Theme

Special Session 5: Combination of numerical and physical modelling