Analysis of the failure modes and development of landslides using the material point method

Abstract Mass movements are frequent natural phenomena and especially dangerous due to increased population and irregular settlements in mountainous areas. Carrying out studies using methods that allow the numerical evaluation of their behavior is essential to mitigate and prevent these events' possible impacts. The traditional Limit Equilibrium and Finite Element methods fail to reproduce the problem from the beginning of the movement until the end of its development, so it is necessary to use new formulations. In this work the Material Point Method was selected to evaluate these movements in the stages of failure mode formation and development of landslide through an analysis of the soil shear strength and deformability parameters of a slope using the elastoplastic model with Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. Maintaining a geometry and assuming soil mass behaves like a fluid, a single strength parameter and a single deformability parameter are analyzed to understand their influence before and after the failure.