The　case　study　was　a　roadside　cut　rock　slope　of　a　provincial　trunk　highway　in　Guangdong　Province.　Based　on　the　geological　investigation　and　joint　analyses,　the　orientation　of　the　maximum　main　stress　was　near　south-north　and　an　anticline　was　generated　by　the　stress　pattern.　The　slope　was　located　in　the　anticline　center.　The　orientation　of　highway　and　the　maximum　main　stress　was　almost　in　parallel,　so　the　maximum　main　stress　almost　had　no　effect　on　the　slope　stability.　However　the　structural　discontinuities　generated　by　the　anticline　intersected　with　each　other,　as　a　result,　the　large　unstable　wedges　maybe　formed.　The　strata　on　the　top　of　the　slope　dipped　out　of　slope,　whereas　the　strata　at　the　bottom　reversely　dipped　into　slope.　The　range　of　the　out-dip　strata　was　small,　it　is　therefore　inferred　that　out-dip　strata　were　caused　by　gravity　creep.　There　were　three　failures　modes,　namely　the　plane　failure,　circle　failure　and　compound　slip　failure　caused　by　out-dip　structural　planes　and　water　infiltration.　The　failure　mechanism　and　the　process　were　analyzed　by　distinct　element　method.　It　was　demonstrated　that　the　final　failure　mode　was　slip-tensile-shear,　that　is,　the　rock　at　the　bottom　slipped　along　the　gentle　structural　plane　dipping　out　of　the　slope,　tensile　cracks　appeared　on　slope　crest　and　the　rock　bridge　in　the　middle　of　the　slope　was　sheared.　The　slope　was　designed　to　be　reinforced　with　anchor　bars　and　reinforced　cables　and　the　slope　surface　was　protected　with　special　designed　shotcrete　compatible　with　plants　for　ecological　and　aesthetic　concerns.　Based　on　analysis　with　Bishop　Method,　the　safety　factor　of　the　design　satisfies　the　requirement　of　the　design　code.　It　is　concluded　that　when　slope　is　located　near　the　geological　structure,　the　geomechanical　mechanism　and　its　effect　to　the　slope　stability　should　be　analyzed　in　details,　and　the　slope　stability　should　be　evaluated　including　all　possible　situations,　only　based　on　detailed　study　may　the　reinforced　scheme　be　decided.　©　2008　Taylor　&　Francis　Group.