Stability Analysis of Rock Slopes Against Block-Flexure Toppling Failure

Block-flexure is the most common type of toppling failure in rock slopes. In this case, some rock blocks fail due to tensile bending stresses and some overturn under their own weights. In this paper, first, a literature review of toppling failures is summarized. Then, a theoretical model is proposed for rock slopes with a potential for block-flexure toppling instability. Next, a new analytical approach is presented for the stability analysis of such slopes. Finally, a special computer code is developed for a quick stability assessment of the failures based on the proposed method. This code receives the rock slope parameters from the user as the input data and predicts its stability, along with the corresponding factor of safety against the failure, as the output. In addition, two case studies are used for practical verification of the proposed approach and the corresponding computer code as well.     

Earthquake Stability Analysis of Rock Slopes: a Case Study

Stability analysis of Surabhi landslide in the Dehradun and Tehri districts of Uttaranchal located in Mussoorie, India, has been simulated numerically using the distinct element method focusing on the weak zones (fracture). This is an active landslide on the main road toward the town centre, which was triggered after rainfall in July–August 1998. Understanding the behaviour of this landslide will be helpful for planning and implementing mitigation measures. The first stage of the study includes the total area of the landslide. The area identified as the zone of detachment is considered the most vulnerable part of the landslide. Ingress of water and increased pore pressures result in reduced mobilized effective frictional resistance, causing the top layer of the zone of detachment to start moving. The corresponding total volume of rock mass that is potentially unstable is estimated to 11.58 million m³. The second stage of this study includes a 2D model focussing only on the zone of detachment. The result of the analyses including both static and dynamic loading indicates that most of the total displacement observed in the slide model is due to the zone of detachment. The discontinuum modelling in the present study gives reasonable agreement with actual observations and has improved understanding of the stability of the slide slope.     

A Methodology for Reliability-Based Design of Rock Slopes

Summary A reliability-based methodology for the design of rock slopes, that can easily be implemented by the practicing engineers is proposed. The advanced first-order second-moment (AFOSM) method is adopted as the reliability assessment model and its application is illustrated for the case of plane failure. A model is developed within the framework of first-order second-moment approach to analyze the uncertainties underlying the in situ shear strength properties of rock discontinuities. Here, particular emphasis is given on the assessment of uncertainties related to the shear characteristics of clean, unfilled rock discontinuities under low normal stress levels. An extensive literature survey on the shear characteristics of discontinuities is carried out in order to collect data for the quantification of uncertainties. The data extracted from this literature survey are classified and reprocessed so that they can be utilized in the uncertainty analysis model. A user friendly software called ROCKREL is developed to carry out the numerical computations and to make the proposed design format more practical. Received April 16, 2001; accepted June 10, 2002; Published online November 19, 2002 Authors' address: Prof. Celal Karpuz, Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mining Engineering, 06531 Ankara, Turkey; e-mail: karpuz @metu.edu.tr     

Assessment of the Stability of Rock Slopes by the Slope Stability Rating Classification System

Given the lack of suitable systems in the characterization of slope stability of heavily jointed rock masses, a new rock mass classification system called Slope Stability Rating (SSR) is proposed. In addition to the so-called modified Geological Strength Index, the proposed system considers five additional parameters whose relative effects on the stability of fractured rock slopes were precisely examined based on data retrieved from eight different rock slope sites in Iran. An overall rating for the rock mass is obtained from the summation of the individual ratings of each parameter. A number of design charts are provided as illustration. The new system was then validated based on 46 slope case histories from Iran and Australia. For this, by means of the design charts previously mentioned, a recommended stable angle for each slope was given and compared with the current slope conditions. As a result, SSR design charts for maximum excavation angle (FS = 1.0) and also for other more conservative excavation angles (FS = 1.2, 1.3, 1.5) were presented.     

Dynamic and Static Stability Assessment of Rock Slopes Against Wedge Failures

Summary ?The stability of slopes during and after excavation is always of great concern in the field of rock engineering. One of the structurally controlled modes of failure in jointed rock slopes is wedge failure. The limiting equilibrium methods for slopes under various conditions against wedge failure have been previously proposed by several investigators. However, these methods do not involve dynamic assessments and have not yet been validated by experimental results. In this paper, the tests performed on model wedges under static and dynamic loading conditions are described and the existing limiting equilibrium methods are extended to take into account dynamic effects. The applicability and validity of the presented method are checked through model tests carried out under well controlled conditions and by actual cases studied by the authors, both in Turkey and Japan.     

水电工程中弱风化岩体可利用性探讨

根据水电工程实际，分析了岩体各风化分带的特点，提出在用其它定性与定量相结合的方法对岩体进行风化分带之后，用有序地质量最优分割法对岩体进行弱风化亚带的定量划分．从而为水电工程准确确定建基面高程提供了较为科学的方法。将该法应用于歪头山铁矿边坡工程、岩体风化分带，获得了较好的效果。     

土工织物加筋土坡稳定的塑性极限分析法

在塑性极限分析理论的基础上，本文给出了土工织物加筋土坡稳定数的上限解。与无筋土坡的已有解比较表明，该解是可靠的，从而为土工织物加筋土坡的稳定分析提供了一个有效的方法。此外，本文的计算结果表明，各种因素对土坡稳定性的影响程度随坡角的增大而减小。     

Design Charts for the Stability Analysis of Unsaturated Soil Slopes

Simple limit equilibrium analyses can be performed to determine the Factor of Safety (FOS) against slope failure of unsaturated soil slopes. However, many of the input parameters needed for these analyses are highly variable, and the FOS value obtained is critically dependent on assumptions made by the designer. This paper describes a suite of reliability analyses on unsaturated soil slopes performed using an invariant reliability model. The results are presented in design charts from which a designer can choose the FOS value required to ensure a given target reliability index for a slope. The approach ensures that despite the variability of input parameters the slope will have a probability of failure of 2.23% or less.     

The System Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Rock Slopes

The principal of preferred plane analysis is a new research view and model of rock slope engineering geology. It advocates that the rock slope stability, boundary conditions and failure model are controlled by preferred planes. Therefore, the problem of slope stability evaluation can be converted into the search for preferred planes and determination of preferred separating bodies. The organic combination of the deterministic model and the indeterministic model can be realized by applying the systems engineering principle and the research model and method of reliability analysis in the quantitative evaluation and prediction of rock slope stability. Finally, the paper presents the case studies of slopes of the Yangtze Gorge Project and the Ma'anshan openpit mine.     

The System Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Rock Slopes1

Abstract The principal of preferred plane analysis is a new research view and model of rock slope engineering geology. It advocates that the rock slope stability, boundary conditions and failure model are controlled by preferred planes. Therefore, the problem of slope stability evaluation can be converted into the search for preferred planes and determination of preferred separating bodies. The organic combination of the deterministic model and the indeterministic model can be realized by applying the systems engineering principle and the research model and method of reliability analysis in the quantitative evaluation and prediction of rock slope stability. Finally, the paper presents the case studies of slopes of the Yangtze Gorge Project and the Ma'anshan openpit mine.     

Rheological Characteristics of Weak Rock Mass and Effects on the Long-Term Stability of Slopes

The creep deformation behavior of the northern slope of an open-pit mine is introduced. Direct shear creep tests are then conducted for the samples taken from the northern slope to study the rheological characteristics of the rock mass. The experimental results are analyzed afterwards using an empirical method to develop a rheological model for the rock mass. The proposed rheological model is finally applied to understand the creep behavior of the northern slope, predict the long-term stability, and guide appropriate measures to be taken at suitable times to increase the factor of safety to ensure stability. Through this study, a failure criterion is proposed to predict the long-term stability of the slope based on the rheological characteristics of the rock mass and a critical deformation rate is adopted to determine when appropriate measures should be taken to ensure slope stability. The method has been successfully applied for stability analysis and engineering management of the toppling and slippage of the northern slope of the open-pit mine. This success in application indicates that it is theoretically accurate, practically feasible, and highly cost-effective.     

高边坡稳定性评价、加固措施和监测分析

以某地高边坡为工程实例,根据高边坡的基本特征,分析了其发生局部变形的原因,并对稳定性进行定量评价。经分析最终采用刷坡卸载+微型钢管桩+排水系统+绿化综合治理方案。治理后通过检测和监测成果,得出注浆前后土体抗剪强度指标变化,在此基础上比较加固前后边坡稳定性变化,体现了信息化施工对边坡稳定性的印证,对今后治理类似高陡边坡时具有一定的借鉴作用。     

顺层岩质边坡锚杆拉剪作用力学性能

锚杆能够显著增强顺层岩质边坡的稳定性.基于顺层边坡结构效应,应用锚杆加固顺层边坡的力学模型,根据结构力学理论和变形协调关系,建立拉剪作用下全长粘结型锚杆加固顺层边坡抗剪计算的理论分析方法.与相关试验数据进行了比较验证,结果表明顺层边坡锚固抗力模型计算结果与试验结果比较一致,验证了理论模型的合理性.讨论了锚杆倾角、锚杆直径、灌浆体强度、结构面内摩擦角、剪胀角等对加锚顺层岩体抗剪性能的影响.分析表明:锚杆锚固抗力模型能够较好地反映锚杆轴力及横向剪切力对顺层岩质边坡的抗剪作用.锚杆倾角越大,锚杆总的抗力呈减小趋势,而锚杆抗力随剪胀角增大而增加;当锚杆倾角等于内摩擦角时,锚杆抗力达到最大;锚杆抗力随锚杆直径增加而增大;当锚杆直径不变时,锚杆抗力随灌浆体抗压强度增大而有所减小.      

考虑入渗和蒸发影响的土坡稳定性分析方法

本研究建议的一种分析方法假定斜坡非饱和土体的水分运动参数及剪强度参数与饱和度的依赖关系均可根据实验或经验确定。通过数值计算方法妥任意给定的入渗和蒸发边界条件下斜坡土体的瞬态含水率分布及与其相对应的瞬态抗剪强度参数分布。在此基础上瞬态斜坡安全因数即可通过常规的稳定性分析方法求得。     

Rock Mass Classification and Slope Stability Assessment of Road Cut Slopes in Garhwal Himalaya, India

There are many rock mass classification schemes which are frequently used for different purposes such as estimation of strength and deformability of rock masses, stability assessment of rock slopes, tunneling and underground mining operations etc. The rock mass classification includes some inputs obtained from intact rock and discontinuity properties which have major influence on assessment of engineering behaviour of rock mass. In the present study, detail measurements were employed on road cuts slope faces in Garhwal Himalayas to collect required data to be used for rock mass classification of Rock Mass Rating (RMR) and Geological Strength Index (GSI). The stability assessment of rock slopes were also done by using Slope Mass Rating. In addition the relation between RMR and GSI were also evaluated using 50 data pairs.     

松动岩体边坡稳定性研究

黄河大柳树坝址两岸山体中广泛分布着断层、软弱岩层和松动架空的岩体,且该区地震强度高。本文采用数值模拟的方法,对松动岩体高边坡在天然条件下和地震动作用下的稳定性进行了分析研究。结果表明:在天然条件下,坡体基本稳定,但表层坡体存在岩体卸荷松动现象,沿断层有集中剪切现象;地震动作用下,因岩体强度软硬相间而进一步发生松动,导致边坡失稳。     

岩石边坡稳定的可靠度分析

在岩石边坡稳定可靠度分析中,利用贝叶斯方法对断层带抗剪强度参数进行分析,充分利用滑动面以外的地质信息和现场实践经验,较好地解决了小样本实验数据问题。可靠度分析采用离散化降维解法,以原工程采用的边坡稳定设计分析方法为基础,编制了相应的ＲＳＳＡＰ程序,在该程序中直接调用原设计程序,确保工程结构的可靠度设计和评价与现行工程设计方法的和谐统一。     

裂隙岩体边坡稳定性分析方法

岩石边坡，尤其是裂隙岩体边坡稳定性分析应考虑岩体中结构面的产状、性质和发育程度。对随机发育的岩体结构面，赤平极射投影是确定优势结构面及分析边坡潜在破坏模式的基础。以某电厂高100m以上岩石高边坡为例，介绍了采用赤平投影图解法及极限平衡法，进行岩体边坡稳定性分析的方法。     

地下洞室围岩稳定性分析方法简述

随着可持续发展战略的提出,地下工程的开发和利用显得尤为重要。地下洞室围岩稳定性是整个工程中的关键问题,现今对地下洞室围岩稳定性研究的分析方法有很多,为了明确各种研究方法的优缺点以及适用范围,本文对现有地下洞室围岩稳定性分析方法进行了分类总结,用系统性的方法从定性、定量、可靠度等方面考虑,主要包括洞室的整体稳定性分析和洞室局部块体的稳定性分析,研究结果对地下洞室围岩稳定性设计及计算有重要的意义,最后对相关研究的现状和发展趋势做了简述。