In previous studies, linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) combined with the extended finite element method (XFEM) was used to predict crack propagation paths in rockeries and to calculate the associated risk thresholds. However, when rockeries develop through-cracks—the most structurally critical cracks that propagate linearly and directly contribute to overall instability—LEFM alone cannot fully capture the complete evolution of structural stability. Therefore, this study introduces an elastoplastic constitutive model and conducts numerical simulations in Abaqus to analyze the full process of instability in traditional garden rockeries within stone cultural heritage. The objective is to determine the instability risk threshold from the crack-level stage to the structural-level stage, thereby providing garden managers with quantitative data on the staged evolution of overall instability in rockery structures.
He et al. (2026) studied this question.