Prediction of large seismic sliding movement of slopes using a 2-body non-linear dynamic model with a rotating stick-slip element

In the present work a new cost-effective dynamic method predicting large seismic displacement along slip surfaces is proposed. For this purpose, the 1-D propagation of horizontal shear waves on a soil stratum with a horizontal stick-slip element at some depth is considered. State-of-the-art equations modeling (a) the coupled 1-dimesional dynamic response of soils with slippage both above and below the slip element, (b) the rotation of the sliding mass with displacement effect and (c) the non-linear soil response for both the dry and saturated cases are combined in a unique manner. No other cost-effective dynamic method was found in the bibliography that simulates all the above effects. The new method is applied for some particular geometries for both the linear and non-linear cases. In the linear case the effects of the stiffness of the soil layers both above and below the slip element and of the rotation of the sliding mass on the permanent seismic displacement are illustrated and interpreted. Likewise, in the non-linear case, the effects of (1) the shear modulus degradation in dry soil profiles and (ii) the additional effect of excess pore pressure build-up in saturated soil profiles on the permanent seismic displacement are illustrated and interpreted.