Linking weathering and rock slope instability: Non-linear perspectives

摘要

Weathering is linked complexly to the erosion and evolution of rock slopes. Weathering influences both the strength of rock slopes and the stresses that act upon them. While weathering has often been portrayed in an over-simplified way by those studying rock slope instability, in reality it consists of multiple processes, acting over different spatial and temporal scales, with many complex inter-linkages. Through a demonstration of the sources of non-linearities in rock slope weathering systems and their implications for rock slope instability, this paper proposes five key linkages worthy of further study.