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The shear mechanical behavior of weak interlayer is of great significance for the stability analysis of landslides. Based on the shear deformation-failure characteristics of weak interlayer soil and the clay damage theory, a shear failure mode is proposed to describe this kind of phenomenon. Triaxial compression tests and numerical simulation are conducted on weak-interlayer samples at conditions of different confining pressures and inclination angles. The numerical and experimental results show basically good agreement for both the peak strength and failure patterns. With increases in the thickness and dip angle (in the range of 0°–60°) of the weak interlayer, the shear strength of the samples decreased gradually. The weak-interlayer samples having a low dip angle were crushed and inflated; when the dip angle exceeded 15°, there was shear slip along the weak interlayer; when the weak interlayer was thin, the sample sheared along the structural plane; when the weak interlayer was thick, there was extrusion inside the weak interlayer or shear slip along the contact surface of the weak interlayer and mudstone. These results can improve our understanding of the mechanical behavior of mudstone rock mass with weak interlayers and can be used to analyze the stability of rock slopes or other rock engineering cases such as tunneling construction in rock mass with weak interlayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-seated mudstone landslides are widely distributed in northwest China. The Zhengjiamo landslide occurred in 734 CE near Taijing, Tianshui region. It was triggered by the main shock of the historical Ms = 7.0734 CE earthquake. The earthquake also induced a wide range of landslides in this area, with hundreds of fatalities and many houses destroyed by landslide debris. Based on a detailed field survey, borehole data, and mapping, a detailed geological reconstruction of the slope was achieved and the geo-mechanical features of the claystone involved in the landslide were obtained. Using the Particle Flow Code to simulate the mechanism of the Zhengjiamo landslide, the features of the landslide dynamics were obtained using a 5-stage model. During the landslide process, the slip mass at the front and upper edges exhibited higher mobility than at the rear and bottom edges. Furthermore, the contact bond strength of the sliding body gradually weakened. The model indicates that the particle bond strength has a larger influence on the maximum runout distance and landslide debris morphology than the type of weak intercalated layers. The slip mass presented a rotational slide pattern and remained on the slip plane throughout the sliding process. Finally, the earthquake uplifted the slope toe, which prevented the slip mass from gliding. The modelled scenario provided a reasonably good fit to the actual topography, verifying the modelling results. After the historical earthquake, with the clay minerals swelling and shrinking under rainfall and efflorescence conditions, the structure of the soft rock changed, contributing to the weakening of the sliding rock mass. The landslide gradually crept and evolved to its current topography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of a loess-mudstone landslide model to seismic activity is examined using centrifuge shaking table tests and 2D seismic input waves. The physical model of a dormant landslide is subjected to simulated seismic signals of different input amplitudes, and the dynamic response is analyzed in terms of relative peak ground acceleration (PGA), which is used to assess deformation and failure mechanisms of the slope. Relative PGA increases with increasing landslide height, reaching maximum values at the crest, while values at the toe are slightly larger than those in the middle of the slope. Relative PGA is the highest along the outer surface and weakest along the sliding surface. Horizontal values are generally larger than vertical values, and the amplitude of the seismic input strongly affects the landslide dynamic response. The PGA amplification factors increase considerably with increasing input amplitude, reaching maximum values at 0.3-0.4 g, and then decrease. The largest displacement is observed at the crest, while displacements in the middle part and at the toe increase steadily with higher input amplitudes, and displacement at the crest increases at a higher, irregular rate. Deformation is most apparent at the crest, developing from cracks into collapsed soil deposited at the toe. Local shallow sliding is observed along the landslide surface, and the dormant sliding body may generate displacement along the sliding surface caused by earthquake reactivation. A numerical model of the landslide provides results consistent with centrifuge model testing; both indicate similarity in seismically induced dynamic responses and failure characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic behavior and failure mechanism of slope during earthquake are hot topics in geotechnical engineering community. In Tianshui area, Northwest of China, the deformation features of loess-mudstone slopes induced by earthquakes are still not well understood. The current study aims to discuss the dynamic behavior of the slope under earthquake, by performing a series of centrifuge shaking table tests and numerical simulations. The results are processed for PGA amplificatory effect study and to evaluate the earthquake induced deformation mechanism. Better agreement is obtained between the results of numerical simulations and centrifuge tests. The results indicated that the acceleration response of the loess-mudstone slope showed several amplifying characteristic: the height effect, lithologic effect and surface effect. It also proves that the displacements in the loess layer are much larger than mudstone. As the input amplitude increased, the shear plastic zone developed along a further slide surface. Tension plastic zone mainly occurred at the crest. Roughly, the regions of earthquake induced deformation state increased with the increase in amplitude of earthquake wave. Deformations occurred at the upper part of the slope. Tensile cracks evolved on the crest and the upper part of slope in loess layer, moreover, failures occurred at slope surface, and only slight deformation at slope toe. Deformations with continuous shear cracks and slope surface upheavals developed at the middle part of slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tianshui City is located in a seismically active region of China. Historically, many earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.0-8.0 have been reported in this area, and most of loess-red mudstone landslides in this area are known to have been triggered by earthquakes. However, the soil dynamics under earthquakes in the Tianshui area have been little studied. Therefore, to understand the dynamic stress-strain behavior of undisturbed soils during the earthquake, cyclic and shear strength tests were conducted on soil samples (loess and weathered red mudstone) obtained from Tianshui in a cyclic triaxial test system. Two types of laboratory tests were carried out on two kinds of soils. The first type involved the tests with different cyclic stress ratios applied and the number of cycles N more than 20, while the second type are series of stress-controlled undrained reverse-shear tests. By doing so, the differences on stress condition on the behavior of Young's modulus E , stress-strain and shear strength were measured. In addition, tests modeling natural seismic loading were also carried out for comparative purposes. Some residual shear behaviors were also recognized. The results of a series of tests designed to study the stress-strain behavior of undisturbed soils under repeated loading are presented. These tests will provide useful parameters (e.g. λ and E ) for analysis of slope stability during earthquakes and earthquake-resistant design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]