Seismic dynamic response characteristics and failure mechanisms of an accumulation body slope

In order to study the dynamic characteristics and destabilisation damage mode of the accumulation body slope under the action of ground vibration, and to provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the optimization design of reinforcement of similar slopes, a large shaking table model (scale 1:16) test with a specific accumulation body slope was conducted as a prototype. The dynamic response and deformation characteristics of the model slopes were observed by inputting sine, Wolong, and EI Centro waves to the bottom of the model slopes, respectively. The test results showed that in the vertical direction and on the slope surface, the acceleration amplification factor (AAF) increased with the increasing of altitude, and presented a nonlinear change. In the horizontal direction, the AAF increased with distance from the slope surface. There was also a slope surface amplification effect with the AAF reaching its maximum at the slope shoulder. Similar laws were obtained after numerical simulation of the prototype slope by FLAC3D software. Different types of seismic waves exhibited different effects on the AAF. Sine waves showed the largest effect, followed by Wolong waves, and EI centro waves exhibited the smallest effect. The AAF of the modelled slope was different for different input wave frequencies. As the input frequency of Sine waves increased, the AAF increased first and then decreased. This change coincided with the AAF reaching its maximum value at 25–30 Hz. The AAF of the modelled slope varied when the input wave amplitude values were different. When the AAF reached its maximum value, the input amplitude was 0.4 g. By analysing the slope failure progression, it showed that the slope of an accumulation body began with local sliding at the front edge, followed by internal sliding of it, and the overall sliding.