Stability analysis of seismic slopes with tensile strength cut-off

In this study, an analytical approach is developed to obtain the upper-bound solutions of the slope stability, for both static and dynamic conditions, based on the limit analysis theory. Stability charts for slopes with tensile strength cut-off under different seismic accelerations are provided. Effects of the tensile strength cut-off on the earthquake-induced displacement are evaluated. Considering the tension cut-off, the stability factor is reduced by 55% for vertical slopes subjected to seismic loads, while the earthquake-induced displacement of slopes is approximately twice that obtained by using the Mohr-Coulomb (M−C)yield criterion.