Numerical Simulation on the Deformation and Failure of the Slope Treated by Building by Cave Dwellings

There are a large number of cave dwellings existing in the loess area. Building houses at the base of slope by the cave dwellings lead to the instability of numerous slopes, resulting the loss of large number of properties. Building houses by the cave dwellings is quite popular in the loess area, therefore, it is important to conduct stability analysis on this kind of slopes. This article focuses on a typical slope selected in North Shaanxi, the stress and strength variation trend on the critical slip surface for five scenarios such as the natural slope, artificial cut slope, cave dwellings constructed on the foot of the slope, building houses by the cave dwellings for short and long term are studied and the deformation failure mechanism of the slopes are investigated. The result shows that construction by cave dwellings increases the water content of loess, which changes the distribution of stress in the middle and the foot of the slope. And finally the failure of slope occur by the cave dwellings collapse when the sliding force at the bottom of the critical slip surface exceeds the shear resistance.