Dynamic tensile cracking in slopes possibly induced by Rayleigh surface waves

Abstract

The 1978 Miyagi-ken-oki earthquake generated crack openings in fill slopes in Sendai, Japan. Although the slopes were reinforced with steel pipe piles after this event, tensile cracking was induced again in the same slopes by the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku earthquake. This clearly indicates conventional countermeasures against dynamic slope failures, usually based on body wave interaction with slopes, are not always effective. Considering that similar open cracks in the top surfaces of slopes were also found in New Zealand and California, we may need to clarify the generation mechanism of such cracks with some new insights. Recently, it has been indicated that the effect of Rayleigh surface wave propagation on dynamic slope stability may become significant. In this contribution, therefore, by performing two-dimensional elastodynamic analyses of Rayleigh/body wave interaction with a geometrically simple model slope, we show Rayleigh waves may play a more dominant role than body waves in generating the open cracks, and emphasise the importance of taking into account the dynamic slope failures induced by Rayleigh waves. Surface waves may be produced also by nearby blasting, etc., and therefore, the results obtained here may be of crucial importance in comprehending the dynamic stability of slopes in general.

Keywords:

• dynamic slope stability
• dynamic slope failure
• Rayleigh surface wave
• wave interaction
• particle method