Instability and Failure Mechanism of Slope in the Condition of Extreme Snow Hazard

Abstract

The function of three fields coupling of water-heat-mechanics is derived and established. The finite difference software FLAC3D is applied to simulate the affection of three fields coupling of water-heat-mechanics of the slope in the saturated state. The mechanism of instability and failure of the slope is revealed from two aspects like freezing depth and frost heaving deformation in the condition extreme snow hazard. The results show that freezing only occurs on the slope surface in the short time which makes no affection on the deep part; with the time lapsed the temperature in each depth decreases gradually and additionally with the increasing of the depth the effect of the surface temperature slows down. In the shallow part the temperature declines with the surface temperature declining and slows down with the increasing of depth. In the process of freezing the displacements occur on the surface to the direction of free boundary. In addition, the frost displacements increase with the time lapsing.