Comparing the performance of TRIGRS and TiVaSS in spatial and temporal prediction of rainfall-induced shallow landslides

This study compares the performance of transient rainfall infiltration and grid-based regional slope stability (TRIGRS) model and time-variant slope stability (TiVaSS) model in the prediction of rainfall-induced shallow landslides. TRIGRS employs one-dimensional (1-D) subsurface flow to simulate the infiltration rate, whereas a three-dimensional (3-D) model is utilized in TiVaSS. The former has been widely used in landslide modeling, while the latter was developed only recently. Both programs are used for the spatiotemporal prediction of shallow landslides caused by rainfall. This study uses the July 2011 landslide event that occurred in Mt. Umyeon, Seoul, Korea, for validation. The performance of the two programs is evaluated by comparison with data of the actual landslides in both location and timing by using a landslide ratio for each factor of safety class (\({\text{LR}}_{\text{class}}\) index), which was developed for addressing point-like landslide locations. Moreover, the influence of surface flow on landslide initiation is assessed. The results show that the shallow landslides predicted by the two models are highly consistent with those of the observed sliding sites, although the performance of TiVaSS is slightly better. Overland flow affects the buildup of the pressure head and reduces the slope stability, although this influence was not significant in this case. A slight increase in the predicted unstable area from 19.30 to 19.93% was recorded when the overland flow was considered. It is concluded that both models are suitable for application in the study area. However, although it is a well-established model requiring less input data and shorter run times, TRIGRS produces less accurate results.     

Evaluation of TRIGRS (transient rainfall infiltration and grid-based regional slope-stability analysis)’s predictive skill for hurricane-triggered landslides: a case study in Macon County,North Carolina

The key to advancing the predictability of rainfall-triggered landslides is to use physically based slope-stability models that simulate the transient dynamical response of the subsurface moisture to spatiotemporal variability of rainfall in complex terrains. TRIGRS (transient rainfall infiltration and grid-based regional slope-stability analysis) is a USGS landslide prediction model, coded in Fortran, that accounts for the influences of hydrology, topography, and soil physics on slope stability. In this study, we quantitatively evaluate the spatiotemporal predictability of a Matlab version of TRIGRS (MaTRIGRS) in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Macon County, North Carolina where Hurricanes Ivan triggered widespread landslides in the 2004 hurricane season. High resolution digital elevation model (DEM) data (6-m LiDAR), USGS STATSGO soil database, and NOAA/NWS combined radar and gauge precipitation are used as inputs to the model. A local landslide inventory database from North Carolina Geological Survey is used to evaluate the MaTRIGRS’ predictive skill for the landslide locations and timing, identifying predictions within a 120-m radius of observed landslides over the 30-h period of Hurricane Ivan’s passage in September 2004. Results show that within a radius of 24 m from the landslide location about 67% of the landslide, observations could be successfully predicted but with a high false alarm ratio (90%). If the radius of observation is extended to 120 m, 98% of the landslides are detected with an 18% false alarm ratio. This study shows that MaTRIGRS demonstrates acceptable spatiotemporal predictive skill for landslide occurrences within a 120-m radius in space and a hurricane-event-duration (h) in time, offering the potential to serve as a landslide warning system in areas where accurate rainfall forecasts and detailed field data are available. The validation can be further improved with additional landslide information including the exact time of failure for each landslide and the landslide’s extent and run out length.     

Modeling landslide recurrence in Seattle, Washington, USA

To manage the hazard associated with shallow landslides, decision makers need an understanding of where and when landslides may occur. A variety of approaches have been used to estimate the hazard from shallow, rainfall-triggered landslides, such as empirical rainfall threshold methods or probabilistic methods based on historical records. The wide availability of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and digital topographic data has led to the development of analytic methods for landslide hazard estimation that couple steady-state hydrological models with slope stability calculations. Because these methods typically neglect the transient effects of infiltration on slope stability, results cannot be linked with historical or forecasted rainfall sequences. Estimates of the frequency of conditions likely to cause landslides are critical for quantitative risk and hazard assessments. We present results to demonstrate how a transient infiltration model coupled with an infinite slope stability calculation may be used to assess shallow landslide frequency in the City of Seattle, Washington, USA. A module called CRF (Critical RainFall) for estimating deterministic rainfall thresholds has been integrated in the TRIGRS (Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-based Slope-Stability) model that combines a transient, one-dimensional analytic solution for pore-pressure response to rainfall infiltration with an infinite slope stability calculation. Input data for the extended model include topographic slope, colluvial thickness, initial water-table depth, material properties, and rainfall durations. This approach is combined with a statistical treatment of rainfall using a GEV (General Extreme Value) probabilistic distribution to produce maps showing the shallow landslide recurrence induced, on a spatially distributed basis, as a function of rainfall duration and hillslope characteristics.     

基于TRIGRS模型的浅层滑坡稳定性分析

采用基于网格的瞬态降雨入渗(TRIGRS)模型,以滑坡灾害频发的陕南安康市东部巴山东段白河县为研究区,探讨模型适用性及不同降雨条件下边坡稳定性空间分布规律。根据中国土壤分布图并结合已有研究,选取模拟所需的水土力学参数。将模拟所得研究区稳定性分布图与实际滑坡目录对比分析进行TRIGRS模型精度评估,分别模拟连阴雨和短时间强降雨两种降雨情景,探讨研究区边坡稳定性空间分布规律,结果表明:1)TRIGRS模型在模拟预测降雨诱发型浅层滑坡时,结合受试者特征ROC曲线进行精度评估,曲线下面积为0.752,说明此模型在白河县进行滑坡模拟时具有一定的合理性与准确性,能反应该地区滑坡灾害的空间分布特征;2)连阴雨情景模拟下,极不稳定区域主要集中在北部低山地貌区,以冷水镇和麻虎镇为主,随降雨历时增加向东部和南部增多,西部仓上镇、西营镇和双丰镇的极不稳定区域面积较少,能承受长时间连续性降雨。短时间强降雨对边坡稳定性的影响更为直接,极不稳定区域随降雨强度增大而增加,以冷水镇和麻虎镇为主要防范区域。结合地形分析,极陡峭区域边坡稳定性最差,无法承受持续性降雨和高强度降雨,较陡峭区域更易受到降雨历时和降雨强度的影响,而平缓区域则能承受长时间及高强度的降雨;3)TRIGRS模型根据不同降雨条件预测易发生滑坡灾害的区域,为滑坡实时预报警系统提供了新的可能方法。     

Analysis of time-varying rainfall infiltration induced landslide

A case study of rainstorm-induced landslide is modeled following the hourly rainfall time series from the stage of infiltration caused by induced slope movement and soil saturated to excess pore pressures—Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-based Regional Slope-Stability Analysis (TRIGRS). The grid-based landslide stability analysis was conducted to model the increased pore pressures and runoff in the study area under the specified rainfall conditions. The generated time variances of pore pressures help determine landslide characteristics and mechanisms under rainfall conditions. Inputs of soil properties and permeability parameters for landslide stability analysis in the study area were prepared by TRIGRS adopted for transient infiltration analysis. Results of the analyses show that under heavy rainfall conditions, the infiltrated slope is unstable and the time of debris masses movement initiated is correlated to the recorded time. In the initiated landslide, characteristics and effects are considered and reflected in the numerical modeling under combinations of topography, land use, climatic and geological conditions. Results reveal that there is a plane failure surface and a potential circular failure surface at the study site besides the rock topple failures in the crest. A grid-based slope-stability analysis incorporated with the GIS spatial functions is more advantageous than the traditional two-dimensional analysis for specified slope profiles to determine the whole behavior of a slope.     

空间三维滑坡敏感性分区工具及其应用

对于滑坡敏感性分区目前有三种方法:定性法、统计法和基于岩土定量模型的确定性方法。定性法基于对滑坡敏感性或灾害评估的人为判断;统计法用一个来源于结合了权重因子的预测函数或指标;而确定性法,或者说是物理定量模型法以质量、能量和动量守恒定律为基础。二维确定性模型广泛用于土木工程设计,而无限边坡模型(一维)也用于滑坡灾害分区的确定性模型。文中提出了一个新的基于GIS(地理信息系统)的滑坡敏感性分区系统,这个系统可用于从复杂地形中确认可能的危险三维(3-D)滑坡体。所有与滑坡相关的空间数据(矢量或栅格数据)都被集成到这个系统中。通过把研究区域划分为边坡单元并假定初始滑动面是椭球的下半部分,并使用Monte Carlo随机搜索法,三维滑坡稳定性分析中的三维最危险滑面是三维安全系数最小的地方。使用近似方法假定有效凝聚力、有效摩擦角和三维安全系数服从正态分布,可以计算出滑坡失稳概率。3DSlopeGIS是一个计算机程序,它内嵌了GIS Developer kit(ArcObjects of ESRI)来实现GIS空间分析功能和有效的数据管理。应用此工具可以解决所有的三维边坡空间数据解问题。通过使用空间分析、数据管理和GIS的可视化功能来处理复杂的边坡数据,三维边坡稳定性问题很容易用一个友好的可视化图形界面来解决。将3DSlopeGIS系统应用到3个滑坡敏感性分区的实例中:第一个是一个城市规划项目,第二个是预测以往滑坡灾害对临近区域可能的影响,第三个则是沿着国家主干道的滑坡分区。基于足够次数的Monte Carlo模拟法,可以确认可能的最危险滑坡体。这在以往的传统边坡稳定性分析中是不可能的。     

Modeling regional initiation of rainfall-induced shallow landslides in the eastern Umbria Region of central Italy

We model the rainfall-induced initiation of shallow landslides over a broad region using a deterministic approach, the Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-based Slope-stability (TRIGRS) model that couples an infinite-slope stability analysis with a one-dimensional analytical solution for transient pore pressure response to rainfall infiltration. This model permits the evaluation of regional shallow landslide susceptibility in a Geographic Information System framework, and we use it to analyze susceptibility to shallow landslides in an area in the eastern Umbria Region of central Italy. As shown on a landslide inventory map produced by the Italian National Research Council, the area has been affected in the past by shallow landslides, many of which have transformed into debris flows. Input data for the TRIGRS model include time-varying rainfall, topographic slope, colluvial thickness, initial water table depth, and material strength and hydraulic properties. Because of a paucity of input data, we focus on parametric analyses to calibrate and test the model and show the effect of variation in material properties and initial water table conditions on the distribution of simulated instability in the study area in response to realistic rainfall. Comparing the results with the shallow landslide inventory map, we find more than 80% agreement between predicted shallow landslide susceptibility and the inventory, despite the paucity of input data.     

基于GIS的住宅区周边危险边坡三维稳定性评价

为了评价日本千叶县某住宅区周边大范围边坡的滑坡危险度,探讨了一种基于GIS的三维边坡稳定性评价方法。首先根据已有的CAD格式的地形等高线图及有限的钻孔数据,得到地表、地层、地下水的三维GIS数据。在依据边坡倾角、倾向等地形特性对该大范围边坡划分边坡单元的基础上,采用一种基于GIS栅格数据的边坡稳定三维极限平衡分析模型计算了研究区域各边坡单元的安全系数,进行了滑坡危险性分区评价。本研究对于如何利用有限的现场调查数据来进行高精度的数值计算分析,以及GIS在地质防灾领域的更深层次的应用具有一定的参考价值。     

Shallow landslides in pyroclastic soils: a distributed modelling approach for hazard assessment

An effective assessment of shallow landslide hazard requires spatially distributed modelling of triggering processes. This is possible by using physically based models that allow us to simulate the transient hydrological and geotechnical processes responsible for slope instability. Some simplifications are needed to address the lack of data and the difficulty of calibration over complex terrain at the catchment's scale. We applied two simple hydrological models, coupled with the infinite slope stability analysis, to the May 1998 landslide event in Sarno, Southern Italy. A quasi-dynamic model (Barling et al., 1994) was used to model the contribution to instability of lateral flow by simulating the time-dependent formation of a groundwater table in response to rainfall. A diffusion model [Water Resour. Res. 36 (2000) 1897] was used to model the role of vertical flux by simulating groundwater pressures that develop in response to heavy rainstorms. The quasi-dynamic model overestimated the slope instability over the whole area (more than 16%) but was able to predict correctly slope instability within zero order basins where landslides occurred and developed into large debris flows. The diffusion model simulated correctly the triggering time of more than 70% of landslides within an unstable area amounting to 7.3% of the study area. These results support the hypothesis that both vertical and lateral fluxes were responsible for landslide triggering during the Sarno event, and confirm the utility of such models as tools for hazard planning and land management.     

Towards a rapid assessment of highway slope disasters by using multidisciplinary techniques

Mega-earthquakes and extreme climate events accompanied by intrinsic fragile geology lead to numerous landslides along mountain highways in Taiwan, causing enormous life and economic losses. In this study, a system for rapid slope disaster information integration and assessment is proposed with the aim of providing information on landslide occurrence, failure mechanisms, and subsequent landslide-affected areas to the highway authority rapidly. The functionality of the proposed system is deployed into three units: (1) geohazard rapid report (GeoPORT I), (2) multidisciplinary geological survey report (GeoPORT II), and (3) site-specific landslide simulation report (GeoPORT III). After landslide occurrence, the seismology-based monitoring network rapidly provides the initial slope disaster information, including preliminary location, event magnitude, earthquake activity, and source dynamics, within an hour. Within 3 days of the landslide, a multidisciplinary geological survey is conducted to collect high-precision topographical, geological, and remote-sensing data to determine the possible failure mechanism. After integrating the aforementioned information, a full-scale three-dimensional landslide simulation based on the discrete element method is performed within 10 days to reveal the failure process and to identify the areas potentially affected by subsequent disasters through scenario modeling. Overall, the proposed system can promptly provide comprehensive and objective information to relevant authorities after the event occurrence for hazard assessment. The proposed system was validated using a landslide event in the Central Cross-Island Highway of Taiwan.

     

Stability analysis of the 2007 Chehalis lake landslide based on long-range terrestrial photogrammetry and airborne LiDAR data

On December 4th 2007, a 3-Mm³ landslide occurred along the northwestern shore of Chehalis Lake. The initiation zone is located at the intersection of the main valley slope and the northern sidewall of a prominent gully. The slope failure caused a displacement wave that ran up to 38 m on the opposite shore of the lake. The landslide is temporally associated with a rain-on-snow meteorological event which is thought to have triggered it. This paper describes the Chehalis Lake landslide and presents a comparison of discontinuity orientation datasets obtained using three techniques: field measurements, terrestrial photogrammetric 3D models and an airborne LiDAR digital elevation model to describe the orientation and characteristics of the five discontinuity sets present. The discontinuity orientation data are used to perform kinematic, surface wedge limit equilibrium and three-dimensional distinct element analyses. The kinematic and surface wedge analyses suggest that the location of the slope failure (intersection of the valley slope and a gully wall) has facilitated the development of the unstable rock mass which initiated as a planar sliding failure. Results from the three-dimensional distinct element analyses suggest that the presence, orientation and high persistence of a discontinuity set dipping obliquely to the slope were critical to the development of the landslide and led to a failure mechanism dominated by planar sliding. The three-dimensional distinct element modelling also suggests that the presence of a steeply dipping discontinuity set striking perpendicular to the slope and associated with a fault exerted a significant control on the volume and extent of the failed rock mass but not on the overall stability of the slope.     

Does parameterization influence the performance of slope stability model results? A case study in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

We produce factor of safety (FOS) and slope failure susceptibility index (SFSI) maps for a 4.4-km² study area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in order to explore the sensitivity of the geotechnical and geohydraulic parameterization on the model outcomes. Thereby, we consider parameter spaces instead of combinations of discrete values. SFSI is defined as the fraction of tested parameter combinations within a given space yielding FOS <1. We repeat our physically based calculations for various parameter spaces, employing the infinite slope stability model and the sliding surface model of the software r.slope.stability for testing the geotechnical parameters and the Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-Based Regional Slope-Stability Model (TRIGRS) for testing the geohydraulic parameters. Whilst the results vary considerably in terms of their conservativeness, the ability to reproduce the spatial patterns of the observed landslide release areas is relatively insensitive to the variation of the parameterization as long as there is sufficient pattern in the results. We conclude that landslide susceptibility maps yielded by catchment-scale physically based models should not be interpreted in absolute terms and suggest that efforts to develop better strategies for dealing with the uncertainties in the spatial variation of the key parameters should be given priority in future slope stability modelling efforts.     

Groundwater flow modeling for effective implementation of landslide stability enhancement measures

This paper deals with groundwater hydrology at a prominent fracture zone landslide slope (Nuta–Yone landslides) in Japan with an objective to explore an efficient method for the application of landslide stability enhancement measures. The correlation analyses between the hydrological parameters and ground surface movement data at this landslide resulted in low correlation values indicating that the geological formation of the area is extremely complex. For the purpose of understanding the groundwater flow behavior in the landslide area, a three-dimensional transient groundwater flow model was prepared for a part of the landslide slope, where the levels of effectiveness of applied landslide stability enhancement measures (in the form of multilayered deep horizontal drains) are different, and was calibrated against the measured water surface elevations at different piezometer locations. The parameter distributions in the calibrated model and the general directions of the groundwater flow in terms of flow vectors and the results of particle tracking at the model site were interpreted to understand the reasons for variations in effectiveness of existing landslide stability enhancement measures and to find potentially better locations for the implementation of future landslide stability enhancement measures. From the modeling results, it was also understood that groundwater flow model can be effectively used in better planning and locating the landslide stability enhancement measures.     

Physically-based landslide susceptibility analysis using Monte Carlo simulation in a tropical mountain basin

ABSTRACT

Physically-based distributed models are implemented for landslide susceptibility and hazard assessment around the world. Probabilistic methodologies are considered appropriate to study and quantify the uncertainties derived from the input parameters of these models. In this paper, three sets of Monte Carlo simulations, each one with 10,000 iterations, were applied for a slope stability analysis in a small basin of Envigado (Colombia), using the TRIGRS model, to characterise the uncertainty in the landslide assessment. Different parameters to determine the minimum number of realizations required to ensure a small variation in the failure probability were proposed and analyzed. The quality of the landslide susceptibility assessment was studied. Unexpected and probably erroneous results that may be common in the maps generated using this and other similar methodologies were identified and explained. Additionally, the distribution of the factor of safety was calculated for different grid cells of the basin, showing that the probability density function with the best adjustment to the frequency histogram of the factor of safety can vary between grid cells. The assumption of a normal distribution for the factor of safety would be inappropriate and would lead to miscalculations in this case study.     

SARETL: an expert system for probabilistic displacement-based dynamic 3-D slope stability analysis and remediation of earthquake triggered landslides

 Different models were developed for evaluating the probabilistic three-dimensional (3-D) stability analysis of earth slopes and embankments under earthquake loading using both the safety factor and the displacement criteria of slope failure. In the 3-D analysis, the critical and total slope widths become two new and important parameters. The probabilistic models evaluate the probability of failure under seismic loading and consider the different sources of uncertainties involved in the problem, i.e. uncertainties stemming from the discrepancies between laboratory-measured and in situ values of shear strength parameters, randomness of earthquake occurrence, and earthquake-induced acceleration. The models also take into consideration the spatial variabilities and correlations of soil properties. The developed models are incorporated in a computer program, PTDDSSA (probabilistic three-dimensional dynamic slope stability analysis). These developed analysis/design procedures are incorporated within a code named SARETL (stability analysis and remediation of earthquake-triggered landslides) that was developed in this study for stability analysis and remediation of earthquake-triggered landslides. In addition to the dynamic inertia forces; the developed system takes into consideration the local site effects. The code is capable of: 1. Prediction of permanent deformations that result from landslides under seismic loading using both probabilistic and deterministic approaches. 2. The assessment of landslide hazard that affects major transportation routes in the event of earthquakes, and the preparation of earthquake-induced landslide hazard maps (i.e. maps that show expected displacements and probability of slope/embankments failure) for different earthquakes magnitudes and environmental conditions. 3. Proposing a mitigation strategy against landslides and suggesting guidelines for remedial measures. The developed expert system is applied to a major highway case study. Design maps are developed for the highway under seismic loading. Received: 18 March 1999 · Accepted: 11 October 1999     

Spatio-temporal estimation of shallow landslide hazard triggered by rainfall using a three-dimensional model

A shallow landslide triggered by rainfall can be forecast in real-time by modeling the relationship between rainfall infiltration and decrease of slope stability. This paper describes a promising approach that combines an improved three-dimensional slope stability model with an approximate method based on the Green and Ampt model, to estimate the time–space distribution of shallow landslide hazards. Once a forecast of rainfall intensity and slope stability-related data, e.g., terrain and geology data, are acquired, this approach is shown to have the ability to estimate the variation of slope stability of a wide natural area during rainfall and to identify the location of potential failure surfaces. The effectiveness of the estimation procedures described has been tested by comparison with a one-dimensional method and by application to a landslide-prone area in Japan.     

Deterministic Landslide Risk Assessment at a Past Landslide Site

The slope failure and landslide hazard will possess the same properties within a range including the same engineering geological conditions. To assess the landslide risk of a mountainous area, the study of landslides previously having occurred is very important to evaluate the landslide risk around the area in which they took place. Based on the study of the mechanism of a previous landslide recorded in Kumamoto, Japan, this study initially proposes mechanical parameters for evaluating the landslide hazard using a 3D slope stability method. For each slope unit in the study area, the critical slip surface, which reveals the minimum safety factor of a slope, can be obtained. The affected streams and range of possible landslide masses are analyzed based on the debris flow simulation. This is initially applied to simulate the past landslide event and the result shows the landslide-deduced debris flow effectively re-displayed. Overlayered with layers of infrastructure in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this risk map indicates which houses and road sections remain in dangerous areas.     

Effects of soil heterogeneity on susceptibility of shallow landslides

Uncertainties in parameters of landslide susceptibility models often hinder them from providing accurate spatial and temporal predictions of landslide occurrences. Substantial contribution to the uncertainties in landslide assessment originates from spatially variable geotechnical and hydrological parameters. These input parameters may often vary significantly through space, even within the same geological deposit, and there is a need to quantify the effects of the uncertainties in these parameters. This study addresses this issue with a new three-dimensional probabilistic landslide susceptibility model. The spatial variability of the model parameters is modeled with the random field approach and coupled with the Monte Carlo method to propagate uncertainties from the model parameters to landslide predictions (i.e., factor of safety). The resulting uncertainties in landslide predictions allow the effects of spatial variability in the input parameters to be quantified. The performance of the proposed model in capturing the effect of spatial variability and predicting landslide occurrence has been compared with a conventional physical-based landslide susceptibility model that does not account for three-dimensional effects on slope stability. The results indicate that the proposed model has better performance in landslide prediction with higher accuracy and precision than the conventional model. The novelty of this study is illustrating the effects of the soil heterogeneity on the susceptibility of shallow landslides, which was made possible by the development of a three-dimensional slope stability model that was coupled with random field model and the Monte Carlo method.

     

Are real-world shallow landslides reproducible by physically-based models? Four test cases in the Laternser valley,Vorarlberg (Austria)

In contrast to the complex nature of slope failures, physically-based slope stability models rely on simplified representations of landslide geometry. Depending on the modelling approach, landslide geometry is reduced to a slope-parallel layer of infinite length and width (e.g., the infinite slope stability model), a concatenation of rigid bodies (e.g., Janbu’s model), or a 3D representation of the slope failure (e.g., Hovland’s model). In this paper, the applicability of four slope stability models is tested at four shallow landslide sites where information on soil material and landslide geometry is available. Soil samples were collected in the field for conducting respective laboratory tests. Landslide geometry was extracted from pre- and post-event digital terrain models derived from airborne laser scanning. Results for fully saturated conditions suggest that a more complex representation of landslide geometry leads to increasingly stable conditions as predicted by the respective models. Using the maximum landslide depth and the median slope angle of the sliding surfaces, the infinite slope stability model correctly predicts slope failures for all test sites. Applying a 2D model for the slope failures, only two test sites are predicted to fail while the two other remain stable. Based on 3D models, none of the slope failures are predicted correctly. The differing results may be explained by the stabilizing effects of cohesion in shallower parts of the landslides. These parts are better represented in models which include a more detailed landslide geometry. Hence, comparing the results of the applied models, the infinite slope stability model generally yields a lower factor of safety due to the overestimation of landslide depth and volume. This simple approach is considered feasible for computing a regional overview of slope stability. For the local scale, more detailed studies including comprehensive material sampling and testing as well as regolith depth measurements are necessary.     

复杂应力状态下土质高边坡稳定性分析

结合现有的实际滑坡场地,开展了关中盆地黄土塬边的高边坡稳定性研究。基于弹塑性理论和非关联流动法则,根据双剪统一强度理论,建立了双剪统一弹塑性本构模型的显式有限差分格式。针对陕西省泾阳县南塬高边坡滑坡的现场勘测和室内试验,分析了滑坡的规模和滑坡前后的地形特征。在此基础上,还原了滑坡前的边坡地形概状,建立三维计算模型并运用三维拉格朗日有限差分方法分析了中间主应力对高边坡稳定性的影响;然后考虑中间主应力的影响对不同地下水埋深和渗流时边坡的稳定性进行分析。结果表明,考虑中间主应力情况下,随着地下水位升高,坡顶水平向位移增大;当不考虑渗流时,坡顶水平位移增大到一定值后边坡达到稳定状态,而考虑渗流时坡顶水平位移持续增大,并且容易发生突然的破坏失稳。期望对泾阳南塬滑坡群的破坏机制研究提供一定参考。