A novel meshless numerical method for modeling progressive failure processes of slopes

•General particle dynamics is proposed.•The Weibull statistical method is used to model the heterogeneity of geomaterials.•The safety factor and slip surface of the slope are determined.•The initiation, growth and coalescence of cracks are simulated.

A novel meshless numerical method, known as general particle dynamics (GPD3D), is proposed to simulate the failure process of slopes as well as the failure process of 2D and 3D samples. An elasto-brittle damage model based on the Mohr–Coulomb criterion is applied to investigate the initiation, growth and coalescence of cracks as well as the macro-failure of slopes. The Weibull statistical approach is applied to model the heterogeneity of geomaterials. Five macro-fracture modes of samples subjected to uniaxial compressive loads are modeled due to the heterogeneity of geomaterials. The safety factor and slip surface of the slope are determined by using the GPD3D approach. The numerical results from the GPD approach are in good agreement with those from the limit equilibrium method and FEM. The present numerical method is demonstrated to predict the complex fracture processes of slopes.