Abstract: Two types of physical models for toppling rock slope with intermittent rock planes alone and with both rock planes and secondary rock joints are built of synthetic material, and tested in the centrifuge machine under different seismic loads. The dynamic response and failure mechanism of the two slope models are then recorded and analyzed. The results of the dynamic centrifuge tests reveal that: (1) the topographic amplification effect of the layered rock slope is related to the frequency and amplitude of the input seismic motion; (2) the secondary rock joints inside the rock slope serve to decrease the dynamic stability of the rock slope significantly; (3) the toppling rock slope without secondary rock joints fails in bending and toppling from the slope foot to the rock layer behind accordingly, while the slope with secondary rock joints fails firstly from the upper rock layer due to the penetration of secondary rock joints inside, and then to the underlying rock layers; () the dip angle of the final penetrating failure plane for the rock slope with secondary rock joints is much higher than the slope without secondary rock joints, and the failure plane forms in an obvious step-path shape.