The effect of tensile strength on the stability of rock slopes

Abstract

The stability of a rock slope is generally considered a function of the shear strength of the rupture surface. In natural slopes the rupture surfaces are often discontinuous and may be composed of fractures and joints separated by blocks of massive rock. In those situations the strength of the rupture surface is composed of three strength components: tensile strength, cohesion and friction. While the effect of the shear strength components, cohesion and friction, on slope stability are well understood, little research has been carried out on the role of tensile strength in rock slope stability