Seismic displacement analysis of homogeneous slopes: a review of existing simplified methods with reference to italian seismicity

The simplified displacement-based procedures for seismic slope stability represent a good-working balance between simplicity and reliability, since both slope ductility (i.e. the capacity of sustain permanent displacements) and deformability (basically affecting the asynchronous slope motion) are accounted for. In this paper the procedure proposed by Bray & Rathje (1998) is reviewed with particular reference to Italian seismicity on a set of subsoil models, representative of the different soil classes specified by Italian and European codes. The relationship expressing the decrease of the equivalent acceleration with increasing earthquake/soil frequency ratio is then obtained by means of dynamic 1D site response analyses. Statistical correlations between calculated Newmark displacements, significant ground motion parameters and the ratio of seismic load resistance to peak demand are then derived and compared to similar relationships proposed in literature.