Study on slope stability of waste dump with a weak layer using finite element limit analysis method

Slope stability is generally paid more attention to in slope protection works, especially for slope containing weak layers. Two indexes of safety factor and failure model are selected to perform slope stability. Moreover, the finite element limit analysis method comprehensively combines the advantage of the limit analysis method and the finite element method obtaining the upper and lower bounds of the safety factor and the failure mode under the slope stability limit state. In this study, taking a waste dump containing a weak layer as an engineering background, the finite element limit analysis method is adopted to explore the potential failure mode. Meanwhile, the sensitivity analysis of slope stability is performed on geometrical and geotechnical parameters of the waste dump. The results show that the failure mode of the waste dump slope is two wedges if the weak layer is located on the ground surface (Model A), while the slope can be observed as three wedges failure if the weak layer is below the ground surface (Model B). In addition, both failure modes are highly sensitive to the friction angle of the weak layer and the shear strength of waste disposal, and moderately sensitive to the heap height, the dip angle and cohesion of the weak layer, while the toe cutting has limited effect on the slope stability. Moreover, the sensitivity to the excavation of the ground depends on the location of the weak layer and failure mode.