A statistics-based discrete element modeling method coupled with the strength reduction method for the stability analysis of jointed rock slopes

•DSDM is proposed to analyze the stability of jointed rock slopes by coupling SRM.•A statistics-based criterion for terminating the DEM iterative process was proposed.•A statistics-based criterion for determining the FOS of a rock slope was proposed.•A high-steep bedding rock slope was analyzed using the proposed DSDM method.•Numerical simulation results were consistent with actual field observations. The stability of jointed rock slopes can be effectively analyzed using the discrete element method (DEM). However, the criteria for terminating the DEM iterative calculation process and determining the factor of safety (FOS) are not well defined. In this paper, a displacement-statistics-based discrete element modeling method (DSDM) is proposed to analyze the stability of jointed rock slopes by coupling with the shear strength reduction method (SRM). In the presented DSDM, two important criteria are defined: (1) a statistics-based criterion for terminating the iterative calculation process of the DEM modeling in the stability analysis of jointed rock slopes, and (2) a statistics-based criterion for determining the FOS of a jointed rock slope when coupling DEM and SRM. The novelty of the proposed DSDM is that statistical information of the global displacements around the potential slip surface of the jointed slope, rather than the local displacements of several characteristic points, are utilized to define the criteria for terminating the DEM iterative calculation process and determining the FOS. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed DSDM, the FOS of a simplified jointed rock slope is first calculated using the proposed DSDM, and then compared with the FOS obtained using the finite difference method (FDM). Moreover, the proposed DSDM is applied to analyze the stability of a real high-steep bedding rock slope. The numerical simulation results for the real rock slope are consistent with the in-situ observations. The proposed DSDM is thus capable of effectively analyzing the stability of jointed slopes with potential slip surfaces.