This　study　improved　two　parts　of　the　virtual　element　method　(VEM)　to　ensure　that　the　stability　of　a　stony　soil　slope,　especially　under　excavation　conditions,　could　be　better　studied.　One　of　the　improvements　was　the　specific　realization　of　the　excavation　algorithm,　including　the　determination　of　how　to　identify　polygonal　elements　that　needed　to　be　excavated,　and　the　＂deactivate　and　reactivate　polygonal　elements＂　used　to　calculate　the　excavation　load　during　the　slope　excavation　process.　The　second　improvement　was　the　calculation　of　the　factor　of　safety　(FOS)　of　a　slope　by　combining　shear　strength　reduction　and　the　phi-nu　inequality　so　that　the　stability　of　the　stony　soil　slope　could　be　better　evaluated.　The　principal　goal　was　to　extend　the　latest　developed　virtual　element　method　to　the　analysis　and　calculation　of　the　excavation　of　a　stony　soil　slope.　Because　the　VEM　was　shape　independent,　it　also　allowed　the　number　of　nodes　in　an　element　to　be　chosen　flexibly　and　fluidly,　so　the　number　of　nodes　could　be　changed　easily　during　a　simulated　procedure.　Two　numerical　examples　of　the　one-step　excavation　of　a　homogeneous　slope　and　the　two-step　excavation　of　a　stony　soil　slope　were　solved　with　the　improved　VEM.　The　numerical　results　showed　that　the　VEM　could　accurately　simulate　the　excavation　process　of　the　slope.