Shaking Table Tests for Seismic Responses and Shattering Failure Mechanisms of Bedding Rock Slopes with Bench Landforms

To investigate the seismic-induced shattering failure mechanisms of highway cutting slopes under multiple seismic events, a large-scale shaking table model test was conducted. This study examined the acceleration and dynamic response characteristics of bedding rock slopes with bench landforms subjected to the seismic waves of the Wenchuan earthquake. Furthermore, the propagation characteristics of seismic waves within bench slopes were investigated using snell’s law, and the acceleration amplification factor ratio was proposed to characterize the dynamic response differences in different slope terrains. Experimental results indicate that the acceleration of the slope exhibits a significant elevation amplification effect with increasing excitation amplitude. When the excitation amplitude exceeds 0.6 g, the seismic shattering damage accumulates, resulting in increased shear strain and increased damping ratio within the slope. Consequently, the acceleration amplification factor tends to level off as the elevation increases. It is worth noting that the distribution law of acceleration aligns with the progressive failure phenomena of the slope recorded by the high-speed camera during the shaking table test. According to the cumulative shattering damage process of the slope, it can be divided into four stages: shallow creep (0.1‒0.4 g), local tension (0.4‒0.6 g), accelerated deformation (0.6‒0.8 g), and overall instability (0.8‒1.0 g), which shows the characteristic of sliding-tension. The research findings can offer essential theoretical groundwork and technical backing for shattering damage mechanisms and seismic reinforcement of rock slopes featuring complex topographies and geological structures.