Ensuring the stability of slopes is critical to the safe operation of geotechnical engineering. Evaluating slope stability to minimize geologic risks induced by destabilization is significant in reducing casualties and property damage. A conventional, single-coefficient strength reduction method is widely applied in slope stability analyses, but this method ignores the attenuation degree of different parameters in the slope destabilization. A new double-strength reduction method considering different contributions of the mechanics' parameters is proposed in this study for evaluating the stability of nonhomogeneous slope. First, the role of each mechanic's parameters in the slope destabilization was investigated theoretically and numerically using ABAQUS software 2022. The results indicate that the effect of elasticity (E), Poisson's ratio (v), and soil gravity (gamma) on the evolution of factor of safety (FOS) are insignificant and can be neglected compared with cohesive force (c), and angle of internal friction (phi). Next, an improved method was constructed to correlate the FOS with cohesive force (c) and the angle of internal friction (phi). Then, a numerical method was constructed based on the computation of the mathematical-mechanical relationship between FOS and the mechanical parameters, and the stability of slope is estimation based on the Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion. Finally, the double-strength reduction coefficient method proposed in this study, the limit equilibrium method, and the traditional finite element strength reduction coefficient method were applied to nonhomogeneous slopes and slopes containing a soft underlying layer for comparison, and the difference between them was within the range of +/- 5%. The results indicate that both the limit equilibrium method and the traditional finite element strength reduction method tend to overestimate the FOS of intricate slopes compared with the evaluated method proposed in this study. This parallel comparison serves to validate the accuracy of the double-strength reduction method proposed in the present study. Further, based on the proposed method, the relationship between slope stability and slope displacement is established, which provides a theoretical basis for the safety assessment of slope engineering.

Numerous rock fall events in the European Alps suggest an increasing occurrence of mass movements due to rising temperatures. In recent years particularly during extensive hot periods large numbers of rock fall events have been reported (e.g. hot summers of 2003, 2005 and 2012). Governed by climate change two major changes can be observed at the summit region of the Kitzsteinhorn, Austria: Intensive glacier retreat and changes of permafrost conditions. The combination of these two major changes leads to an increasing exposure of potentially hazardous areas and higher risks for man and infrastructure. Close to the summit, infrastructure was built in the 1960s, including a cable car station at 3029 m on a north exposed rock face w under permafrost conditions. Due to the decreasing surface area of the glacier and the deepening of the annual active layer, meter thick slabs of the slope became unstable and started sliding down slope parallel to bedding planes. In order to avoid a continuous and deep-reaching destabilization of the entire slope, an intensive rehabilitation program has been established. This program consists of short-, mid- and long-term measures with technical installations (drainage, rock support, etc.) and an intensive monitoring program (including laser scanning, continuous geophysical, geotechnical and temperature monitoring).