This paper is to investigate the failure surface and modes in a soil mass by a excavation of the model ground. To study the failure surface for the excavated slope, centrifugal model tests were performed by changing the angle of the excavated slope(50, 75, $90^{circ}$) and the ground condition($D_r$=60, 90%, dry and submerged ground). Excavation was simulated during the centrifuge tests by operating a valve that allowed the zinc chloride solvent to drain from the excavation. Results of model tests were compared with those obtained with theoretical solutions using limit equilibrium analysis method. The results of model tests show that, there is a failure to create a straight line in the low angle of excavated surface and a create a circle as the angle increases. Also, as the angle of excavated surface is increasing, the angle of the failure surface increases. The failure length in the submerged ground increases approximately 1.10~1.34 times more than that of the dry ground.