Human-induced landslide on a high cut slope: a case of repeated failures due to multi-excavation

The paper attempts to represent a case of repeated failures on a high cut slope due to multi-excavation. The characteristics of each failure induced by excavation are analyzed through geological investigation, and then a geological model at different failure stages is proposed. The geological analysis shows that the excavation-induced repeated failures are related to the exposure of the weak bedding plane and the toe unloading of the cut slope. Numerical modeling is conducted based on a sequential method, taking into account the main failure stages of cut slope. The simulation results fairly coincide with the practical phenomena observed in field. It is shown that the decrease in normal stress of displaced mass on cut slope will induce the increase in shear stress in bedding planes and that at the toe of the cut slope. The released stress leads to repeated gravitational instabilities of cut slope due to the decrease in normal stress and the increase in shear stress along the bedding planes of mudstone.