Finite element simulation for collapse of dip slope during earthquake induced by strain-softening behavior of bedding plane

Abstract

Many landslides in mountain area occurred during 2004 Mid Niigata Prefecture Earthquake in Japan. Numerical simulation for the collapse of a dip slope by the 2-D dynamic elasto-plastic finite element method is reported. To simulate such a catastrophic failure, the strain-softening characteristics under cyclic loading for the thin sand seam within the bedding plane were investigated, based on the cyclic direct shear tests of undisturbed block samples. As a result, the observed phenomena could be simulated well by the analysis and it was suggested that a long distance traveling failure was induced by the strain-softening behavior of the bedding plane.