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Numerical simulation study on erosion collapse failure mechanism of cemented conglomerate accumulation

Chengfu Hu (Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Geomechanics and Embankment Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China) (Research Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China)
Chong Shi (Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Geomechanics and Embankment Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China) (Research Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China)
Yiping Zhang (Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Geomechanics and Embankment Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China) (Research Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China)
Xiao Chen (Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Geomechanics and Embankment Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China) (Research Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China)
Sha Luo (Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Geomechanics and Embankment Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China) (Research Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China)

Engineering Computations

ISSN: 0264-4401

Article publication date: 25 July 2023

Issue publication date: 15 August 2023

101

Abstract

Purpose

Cemented conglomerate accumulation is a weak and heterogeneous medium that occurs in western China. It consists mainly of argillaceous cement that loses strength rapidly upon contact with water, leading to collapse instability failure. Its deformation failure mechanism is complex and poorly understood. In this paper, the erosion failure mechanism of cemented conglomerate accumulation is investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The collapse failure process after erosion of the slope foot for typical cemented conglomerate accumulation is studied based on field investigation using the particle discrete element method. And how the medium composition, slope angle and cementation degree influence the failure mode and process of the cemented conglomerate accumulation is examined.

Findings

The foot erosion of slope induces a tensile failure that typically manifests as “erosion at the foot of slope – tensile cracking at the back edge of slope top – integral collapse.” The collapse failure is more likely to occur when the cemented conglomerate accumulation has a higher rock content, a steeper slope angle or a weaker cementation degree.

Originality/value

A model based on rigid blocks and disk particles to simulate the cemented conglomerate accumulation is developed. It shows that the hydraulic erosion at the foot of the slope resulted in a different failure mechanism than that of general slopes. The results can inform the stability management, disaster prevention and mitigation of similar slopes.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The work presented in this paper was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41831278) and the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2018YFC1508501).

Citation

Hu, C., Shi, C., Zhang, Y., Chen, X. and Luo, S. (2023), "Numerical simulation study on erosion collapse failure mechanism of cemented conglomerate accumulation", Engineering Computations, Vol. 40 No. 6, pp. 1407-1419. https://doi.org/10.1108/EC-08-2022-0580

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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