Research on Stability Mechanism of Fissured Loess Slope Influenced by Rainfall and Evaporation

Based on saturated-unsaturated seepage mechanism, the features of pore-water pressure, strain and displacement of fissured and fissureless slope are analyzed by using the finite element method. At the same time, pore-water pressure, displacement and safety factor of fissured and fissureless slope as well as fissured slope with different depth and width are comparatively analyzed under the condition of rainfall and evaporation. The research results show that, under rainfall condition, the existence of fissures could change the boundary of soil infiltration and seepage filed distribution, lead to stress concentration and make plastic strain around the fissures area. In addition, as the rainfall response time increasing, the plastic zone around the fissures will spread to the surrounding, thus, the new micro-fissures would be produced during the process of the fissures expansion. Evaporation will reduce the shallow soil water content, increase suction and slope stability. Under the condition of rainfall and evaporation, slope stability is affected more seriously by the fissure depth, but less by the width.