Abstract: The cut slope might fail without timely support,and the nearby uncut slope could be also affected.If no measures were taken,partial failure of the slope,might cause large scale failure.Based on the above-mentioned,the transition effect due to slope cutting must be considered.The centrifuge model tests of slope cutting indicated that three transition types might be caused.The first was complete failure with tensile crack under low stability;the second was the arc tensile crack failure under high stability;the third was the shallow collapse failure on the cut face in loose material slope.It was found that the radius of curvature of the arc tensile crack increased with the increase of stability of slope,and the tensile crack was related to the distribution of the tensile stress of the in-situ slope.The measured stress and numerical simulation indicated that the whole tensile crack and the arc tensile crack were correspondent to the distribution of maximum tensile stress,the magnitude of which increased due to transition effect.The result was that the transition effect must be considered in low stability slope,but was not necessary in high stability slopes and integrated rock slopes if the creep deformation was not considered.Finally,the formation of arc crack and whole failure transitions were explained with the theory of fractural mechanics.