Abstract:A block-layered rock slope with a special block structure has a greater difference from a general layered rock slope in failure modes. In this paper, the bedding and anti-dip block-layered rock slopes are modeled in detail by indoor tests and the possible failure modes of two typical block-layered rock slopes are qualitatively determined. And the failure modes are extended to a general state based on the possible failure characteristics in practical engineering. In addition, the cases of the indoor model tests are analyzed using upper bound limit analysis method. The results show that the upper bound limit analysis method has a good performance to the stability analysis of a block-layered rock slope. Finally, the upper bound limit analysis method is deducted to a general failure mode of a block-layered rock slope. This extent application of the upper bound limit analysis method is developed to an effective approach for the stability analysis of a block-layered rock slope.
