Microcosmic Study on Shear Zone of Side Slope Based on Discrete Element Method

The properties of soil have great influence on road engineering. Various laboratory tests are carried out to study the properties of soil, including the most representative triaxial test. However, laboratory tests generally focus on the acquisition of macro mechanical properties, which may not reflect the stress and movement of soil particles in the sample. In this paper, by using the discrete element method (DEM) and particle flow code (PFC) software, the triaxial test and slope stability problems are firstly modeled and analyzed, then the relationship between micro parameters and macro mechanical behavior is discussed and summarized. After that, the formation and development of shear zone is also observed in PFC, and the stability factor of side slope calculated based on strength reduction method is 3.56. Lastly, the methods of soil slope stability prediction by geotechnical laboratory test and DEM software are summarized.