Seismic dynamic response behavior and failure mechanism of low-angle reverse-inclined sand-mudstone interbedded rock slopes
ZHANG Yunfei1, BAO Jingkun2, WANG Kun1*, TIAN Lin1, XU Zemin1, LI Ze1, YANG Taiqiang3, LUO Junyao3
(1. Faculty of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China;
2. Faculty of Land Resources Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, China;
3. PowerChina Kunming Engineering Corporation Limited, Kunming, Yunnan 650051, China)
Abstract：This study investigates the dynamic response behavior and failure mechanisms of low-angle reverse-inclined sand-mud interbedded rock slopes. A refined three-dimensional geological model was developed using the FLAC3D platform to accurately replicate the cliff-slope topography, with precise control over the spatial distribution of sandstone-mudstone interlayers. The Arias Intensity (AI) and Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) techniques were employed to perform time-domain dynamic response analysis and time-frequency domain energy analysis (including peak Hilbert energy spectral amplitude, PHESA), respectively. This approach enabled a systematic investigation of energy evolution patterns and spatial damage distribution within the slope structure. The key conclusions are as follows: (1) Acceleration and AI responses indicate that the slope′s dynamic response exhibits an amplification effect with elevation, which is, however, mitigated by the presence of hard sandstone layers; (2) The Hilbert energy spectrum reveals that energy is concentrated in the low-frequency band of 0–5 Hz; (3) AI and PHESA identify two high-response zones: the cliff on the left boundary and the main slope on the right boundary; (4) Based on energy evolution analysis (using δPHESA＜0 as the criterion for rock mass failure), two typical failure modes were identified: “tensile cracking-sliding-shear combination” and “tensile cracking-bending-shear combination.” The findings of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the seismic design and disaster prevention of similar rock slopes.
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2026, Vol. 45 
