3D simulator for stability analysis of finite slope causing plane activity

• Published in: Multimedia tools and applications Vol. 68; no. 2; pp. 455 - 463
• Main Authors: Kim, Sung-Ho, Chung, Kyung-Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: 3-D graphics; Analysis; Computer & video games; Computer Communication Networks; Computer Science; Computer simulation; Data Structures and Information Theory; Earthquakes; Games; Image processing systems; Landslides; Landslides & mudslides; Mathematical analysis; Multimedia; Multimedia Information Systems; Planes; Rain; Shear strength; Special Purpose and Application-Based Systems; Stability analysis; Studies; Three dimensional; Finite slope; Stability analysis; 3D simulator; Plane activity; Factor of safety
• ISSN: 1380-7501; 1573-7721
• DOI: 10.1007/s11042-013-1356-5

This paper describes the development of a 3D simulator that enables a user to analyze the stability of a finite slope causing plane activity among a range of slopes comprised of a finite slope and infinite slope. Until now, there has been considerable theory and research into slope stability. Nevertheless, few systems can be confirmed directly by simulating the stability analysis of a slope, such as landslides. In other words, virtual experiments, such as the analysis of the slope, cannot be performed due to the absence of a system. For that reason, in this study, a 3D simulator was developed for stability analysis of a finite slope causing plane activity from the landslide phenomena that actually occurred or had very high probability. The Nvidia PhysX, which is utilized to develop computer games and simulators, was used to develop a 3D simulator with physical features. In addition, OpenGL was used to provide a three-dimensional visual effect from the simulator. In this paper, the values of each variable were determined to confirm whether landslides can occur easily when the factor of safety (
F
s
) was within a certain range in the 3D simulator. The 3D simulator developed in this paper was found to be quite useful because it can verify visually whether landslides occur easily in different environments and conditions.