12 / 2025-07-08 09:24:09

Shaking Table Modelling of Seismic Amplification and Progressive Damage in Anti-dip Bedding Rock Slopes

Shaking table test; Anti-dip rock slope; Seismic response; Failure process

Anti-dip rock slopes—characterized by bedding planes dipping opposite to the slope surface—are common in tectonically active regions and highly vulnerable to seismic loading. This study employs a large-scale shaking table test to investigate both internal and external seismic responses, as well as the damage evolution of an anti-dip rock slope, in both time and frequency domains.

The model is based on a generalized prototype slope with a height of 22 m, a slope angle of 75°, a bedding thickness of 2 m, and an anti-dip bedding angle of 60°. A comprehensive monitoring system was implemented in the physical model, consisting of six laser displacement meters, 11 uniaxial accelerometers, and 13 strain gauges, as illustrated in Fig. 1, to record dynamic deformation and internal forces during a sequence of simulated earthquakes.

The results reveal key dynamic behaviors and transitions in acceleration response across both time and frequency domains. Notably, nonlinear variation in frequency profiles were illustrated to indicate progressive internal damage. Moreover, the pre-toppling failure process and associated precursory phenomena under the sequential excitations were examined. These findings offer valuable insights into the failure mechanisms of anti-dip rock slopes and provide a foundation for potential early warning strategies and seismic risk assessment in engineering practice.