Internal Stress Evolution in Thrust-Type Soil Landslides: Insights from Indoor Model Testing and Numerical Simulation

Slope monitoring and early warning technology rely on the study of slope deformation patterns and internal stress evolution laws. This study focuses on investigating the evolution of internal stress in thrust-type soil landslides using a landslide case study of the Baoxing landslide. First, using similarity theory, the on-site landslide is reconstructed by model experiments. Monitoring equipment, such as earth pressure sensors, bolt axial force sensors and 3D scanner were used to monitor the entire process of the experiments. FLAC3D was used to simulate surface displacement and internal stress changes in thrust-type soil landslides. An “interface” element simulated the weak surface extension-induced landslide, matching the model test with the pre-made sliding surface method. Both experimental and numerical results exhibited the same trends. The displacement of the sliding body showed a significant gradient change along the slope, and the internal stress transfer from top to bottom during the slope evolution was not instantaneous. This process can also be explained using a model that incorporates elastic–plastic mechanical elements added between the slice blocks. An internal force transmission approximate process in thrust-type soil landslides was proposed in this study, providing a model for accurate mechanical monitoring and warning of landslides through mechanical means.