Mechanism for the instability of slopes composed of granular materials

Abstract

The mechanism of instability of slopes composed of granular materials was examined through a tilting‐box experiment using an assembly of aluminium rods and direct shear tests. A detailed observation of the experiment and the simple physical model led to the following conclusion. Avalanching of granular materials is triggered by rotation of rods at the slope surface. The force inducing the rotation was caused by the weight of the particles transmitted through contact points. Therefore, the mechanism of avalanching of granular materials was not comparable to the shear mechanism that has been considered to be responsible for the instability of slopes made of granular materials. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.