Nonlinear failure criteria for the stability of slopes in rock masses with planar sliding

Studies on the strength of rock masses have revealed that the envelope of the Mohr circles forms a flat curve, with the position of the tangent changing based on the stress range. This research aims to investigate the stability of rock masses using two nonlinear failure criteria: Ucar's criterion and Hoek-Brown's criterion. The analysis focuses on comparing and evaluating results in rock slopes, specifically considering planar failure, where the potential failure surface is solely due to sliding. Taking into account these aspects, the safety factor has been minimized, thereby identifying the critical inclination of the potential sliding plane. This analysis considers various factors, such as overburden, upper slope inclination, seismic effects, and interstitial pressures.