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In slope stability, an important factor to be considered is the presence of tension crack. Over the years, stability has been analyzed using the limit equilibrium analytical method and more recently with the use of numerical methods. In previous investigations, the location and/or the depth of the crack were previously set. In this investigation, using the finite element method, the behavior of the failure surface in soils was simulated, the properties of the materials were established, the geometric conditions (inclination and height of the slope) were assigned, evaluating their influence on the deformation by shear, in order to visualize the appearance of the fracture surface formed by the tensile crack, and in this way its location and depth were determined. It was shown that as the geometric conditions increase, the depth of the crack increases, the location distance decreases, as does the safety factor. Finally, it is concluded that tensile cracks occur in the case of the fine soils studied, that the geometric conditions are decisive in the location and depth of the tensile crack, as well as in the stability of the slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En la estabilidad de taludes, un factor importante a considerar es la presencia de grietas de tracción. Con los años, la estabilidad se ha analizado utilizando el método analítico de equilibrio límite y más recientemente con el uso de métodos numéricos. En investigaciones anteriores, la ubicación y/o la profundidad de la grieta, se fijaron previamente como un dato conocido. En esta investigación, utilizando el método de elementos finitos, el comportamiento de la superficie de rotura, se simuló con la presencia de grietas de tracción en suelos, considerando la influencia de las condiciones geométricas (inclinación del talud y altura), así; se determinaron entonces la ubicación y profundidad de la grieta de tracción. Finalmente, se concluye que se producen grietas de tracción en el caso de los suelos finos estudiados, a medida que la inclinación y la altura del talud aumentan, la distancia desde la base del talud a la grieta disminuye, la profundidad de la grieta aumenta y por consiguiente, el factor de seguridad disminuye, que resulta un factor determinante en la estabilidad del talud.

This research describes an analytic methodology, which allows to determine the minimum safety factor depending on the depth of tension crack and the inclination of surface failure on the most critical condition, considering at the same time, surcharge, seismic effect and water pressure. Therefore, it studies the stability of rock slopes considering that the potential of the failure surface it is constituted by two blocks with different inclinations. The superior block it is limited by a tension crack that it is represented by a fracture without displacement. On the other hand, on the inferior block, geometry it is formed by a potential slide plane of inclination with the horizontal axis, in which are acting shear stresses. Fracture on the superior block is characterized by a normal-tensile stress field that acts over the crack whose presence is originated when the rock loses its original cohesion. At last, application examples prove the importance of the methodology developed, which improves the way to determine both the most critical position of failure surface on the two blocks, and the intersection point between the tension crack and upper slope, which allows to determining also, the distance between this point and the slope edge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]