Modelling of slope failure by a material instability mechanism

Abstract Slope stability analysis, based on the continuum mechanics assumption and finite element analysis, generally uses a plasticity criterion to describe the failure mechanism. In this paper we model the failure phenomenon using a material stability criterion based on the sign of the second order work. After a brief and critical review of the classical methods for slope stability analysis, we study a case of material instability experimentally and analytically. Homogeneous stress–strain problems are then investigated ising a non-linear constitutive model. It is shown that unstable stress–strain states are reached strictly inside the plastic limit condition (set of admissible stresses). Theses analyses are then extended and applied to sandy slope problems solved by FEM.

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