Study on failure modes of collapse in rock slopes

Steep rock slopes, especially the convex ones, are more likely to collapse than landslide. The real status of such a slope can not be reflected by the Factor of Safety (FOS) calculated by Limit Equilibrium method. Therefore, a method to judge failure modes of collapse is proposed based on the results of numerical simulation. Also, physical simulation is carried out to research the development of collapse in slopes. The results showed that the failure mode of collapse decided by the method fits very well with the results of physical simulation. The proposed method provides an effective way to judge the stability of rock slopes and can give advice for safely excavation.