## 1 Introduction
The Q-slope index maintains the original RQD and Jn parameters of the Q-index but modifies and proposes adjustments for the Jr, Ja, and Jw factors and SRF:  
On slopes, the relationship of (Jr/Ja) is multiplied by a subfactor \"O\", which considers the impact of discontinuity orientation on slope stability;  
The Jw factor is transformed into a double parameter that analyzes the relationship between the state of the slopes and the environment in which they are located;  
The SRF factor for slopes is divided into three potential lines of analysis depending on the existing field data: (a) physical condition, (b) stress, and (c) major discontinuity. With these modifications, Q-slope values are obtained, spanning six orders of magnitude (from 0.001 to 1000) and thus determining the slope's recommended inclination angle and failure mode [17; 18; 19]. Whether applied to tunnels, open pit mines, or slopes, the success of geomechanical classifications is based on the applicability to different scenarios that benefit from a continuously updated database of real applications. For example, the SMR classification, initially developed in 2015 for limestones, marls, and siltstones along the Spanish east coast, has been applied to many lithologies and countries. In 2015, there was evidence of SMR in over 50 countries and five continents [10]. The first publication of the Q-slope index in 2015 reported its application in Panama, Australia, Laos, and the Dominican Republic [7]. It has been since extended and applied to many other countries such as Papua New Guinea, Turkey, Serbia, Slovenia, and Spain [8]. A scientific literature review was carried out to verify the applicability of the Q-slope. The search encompassed the WOS and SCOPUS databases and included studies published until January 2022. The results detected applications of Q-slope in Australia, Norway, India,Iran, Netherlands, Turkey, China, the United States, Spain, Italy, Algeria, the Republic of Macedonia, Brazil, Hungary, and Malawi. Besides scientific papers, the analysis included conference proceedings. However, when focusing on the Andean slopes of Ecuador, the results confirmed a gap regarding high-impact scientific publications. The number of publications associating Ecuador and the Q-slope method is scarce. This emphasizes the relevance and necessity to validate this method in the Andean region, specifically in Ecuador, to assess its reliability. The overarching aim is to provide greater visibility to the Q-slope both in the scientific world and in applied engineering, thus contributing to regional geotectonics. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the applicability of the Q-slope classification in Ecuador. To this end, slopes were selected to represent the four most common types of failures: planar, wedge, flexural toppling, and block or direct toppling. The outcomes of a conventional slope kinematic analysis are used to obtain the values of some parameters employed in the equations used by the geomechanical classification [20; 21; 22]. This study also evaluates the accuracy and reliability of the Q-slope to predict real failures compared to the recommendations given by the authors of the method [7].