Assessment of rock slope stability with the effects of weathering and excavation by comparing deterministic methods and slope stability probability classification (SSPC)

Cut slopes are prone to fail due to the disturbance on original geometry and strength. In addition, because of these disturbances and stress relief, natural apertures which increase the weathering effects widen in engineering time. Owing to these reasons, slope stability assessment has a prominent role on these road cuts. Generally, slope stabilities are assessed by deterministic approaches with a significant engineering judgment. Because of this reason the reputation of probabilistic approaches is increasing. In this study, 20 road cuts located in North West Black Sea region of Turkey were evaluated using slope stability probability classification (SSPC). Considering this probabilistic approach, rock strength parameters and failure mechanisms were determined. Furthermore, slope mass rating (SMR) classification was applied for each road cut in order to compare with the results obtained from SSPC. These overall results were then evaluated with the field observations considering rockslope deterioration assessment (RDA) and Falling Rock Hazard Index (FRHI) for the disturbed/weathered zones, and failure mechanisms. According to these, SSPC is found to be more accurate for surficial degradations (raveling and fall) using samples taken from the disturbed/weathered zones rather than using relatively fresh samples beyond the disturbed zone. Moreover, despite strength differences between weathered and relatively fresh zones, SMR classification is identified to reveal the same stable probabilities. It is found that SSPC shows more detailed probabilistic results than SMR. Lastly, rockfall and raveling mechanisms determined by RDA and rockfall risk by FRHI were found to be coherent with SSPC and field observations.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112001569

The southeastern Anatolia comprises numbers of tectono-magmatic/stratigraphic units such as the metamorphic massifs,the ophiolites,the volcanic arc units and the granitoid rocks.All of them play important role for the late Cretaceous evolution of the southern Neotethys.The spatial and temporal relations of these units suggest the progressive development of coeval magmatism and thrusting during the late Cretaceous northward subduction/accretion.Our new U-Pb zircon data from the rhyolitic rocks of the wide-spread volcanic arc unit show ages of(83.1±2.2)-(74.6±4.4) Ma. Comparison of the ophiolites,the volcanic arc units and the granitoids suggest following late Cretaceous geological evolution.The ophiolites formed in a suprasubduction zone(SSZ) setting as a result of northward intra-oceanic subduction.A wide-spread island-arc tholeiitic volcanic unit developed on the top of the SSZ-type crust during 83-75 Ma.Related to regional plate convergence, northward under-thrusting of SSZ-type ophiolites and volcanic arc units was initiated beneath the Tauride platform(Malatya-Keban) and followed by the intrusion of l-type calc-alkaline volcanic arc granitoids during 84-82 Ma.New U-Pb ages from the arc-related volcanic-sedimentary unit and granitoids indicate that under-thrusting of ophiolites together with the arc-related units beneath the Malatya-Keban platform took place soon after the initiation of the volcanic arc on the top of the SSZtype crust.Then the arc-related volcanic-sedimentary unit continued its development and lasted at～75 Ma until the deposition of the late Campanian—Maastrichtian shallow marine limestone.The subduction trench eventually collided with the Bitlis-Ptrge massif giving rise to HP-IT metamorphism of the Bitlis massif.Although the development of the volcanic arc units and the granitoids were coeval at the initial stage of the subduction/accretion both tectono-magmatic units were genetically different from each other.     

Evaluation of liquefaction in Karasu River floodplain after the October 23, 2011, Van (Turkey) earthquake

Natural Hazards - The eastern shore of Lake Van was shaken by a powerful earthquake (M w 7.2) on October 23, 2011. The epicenter of the earthquake was located at about 30 km north of the...     

The Manyas fault zone (southern Marmara region,NW Turkey): active tectonics and paleoseismology

The Manyas fault zone (MFZ) is a splay fault of the Yenice Gönen Fault, which is located on the southern branch of the North Anatolian Fault System. The MFZ is a 38 km long, WNW–ESE-trending and normal fault zone comprised of three en-echelon segments. On 6 October 1964, an earthquake (Ms = 6.9) occurred on the Salur segment. In this study, paleoseismic trench studies were performed along the Salur segment. Based on these paleoseismic trench studies, at least three earthquakes resulting in a surface rupture within the last 4000 years, including the 1964 earthquake have been identified and dated. The penultimate event can be correlated with the AD 1323 earthquake. There is no archaeological and/or historical record that can be associated with the oldest earthquake dated between BP 3800 ± 600 and BP 2300 ± 200 years. Additionally, the trench study performed to the north of the Salur segment demonstrates paleoliquefaction structures crossing each other. The surface deformation that occurred during the 1964 earthquake is determined primarily to be the consequence of liquefaction. According to the fault plane slip data, the MFZ is a purely normal fault demonstrating a listric geometry with a dip of 64°–74° to the NNE.     

Evaluation of andesite source as armourstone for a rubble mound breakwater (Hisarönü, Turkey)

Black Sea coast line is a hazardous region especially in winter due to the dominant wave action. Therefore, rubble mound breakwaters protected with armourstone used as ship shelters are vital structures especially for the fishermen. The deterioration of the armourstone with time in the form of abrasion and disintegration may result in the failure of the breakwater. In this study, the properties of the armourstone taken from an andesite quarry and used in the Hisarönü rubble mound breakwater were studied both in field and laboratory in order to assess their qualities and long-term durabilities. Based on the in situ observations and laboratory tests, the andesite is found to be generally marginal rock. CIRIA/CUR, RDI_s, RERS and Wet-Dry strength ratio classifications are in good agreement with the in situ observations and the results of the laboratory tests. However, RDI_d, Average Pore Diameter and Saturation Coefficient classifications cannot correctly predict long-term durability of the armourstone. Field studies reveal that block size of the andesite in the quarry increases with depth due to the increase in spacing of the cooling joints of the rock.     

Quantification of weathering depths in slightly weathered tuffs

Slightly weathered white and pink tuffs of Midas monument have deterioration problems. In this study, depths of the weathering zones developed in the tuffs are investigated through optical microscopy, XRD, chemical analyses, SEM and some index parameters. By examining quantitative weathering indices and comparing them with thin section studies, it is found that thin section analyses of the phenocrysts, LoI and WPI are good indicators to quantify the depth of weathering for the tuffs. However, thin section studies have limited value for fine-grained tuffaceous matrix. The chemical weathering of the tuffs produces weathered zones that are 4.5 cm thick within the white tuff and 2.5 cm thick within the pink tuff. Physical weathering causes fracturing of feldspars along their cleavage planes. Variations of the index properties of the tuffs caused by weathering are not significant enough to quantify the weathering depths in the tuffs.     

The Bekten Fault: the palaeoseismic behaviour and kinematic characteristics of an intervening segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone,Southern Marmara Region,Turkey

The Bekten Fault is 20-km long N55°E trending and oblique-slip fault in the dextral strike-slip fault zone. The fault is extending sub-parallel between Yenice-Gönen and Sar?köy faults, which forms the southern branch of North Anatolian Fault Zone in Southern Marmara Region. Tectonomorphological structures indicative of the recent fault displacements such as elongated ridges and offset creeks observed along the fault. In this study, we investigated palaeoseismic activities of the Bekten Fault by trenching surveys, which were carried out over a topographic saddle. The trench exposed the fault and the trench stratigraphy revealed repeated earthquake surface rupture events which resulted in displacements of late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits. According to radiocarbon ages obtained from samples taken from the event horizons in the stratigraphy, it was determined that at least three earthquakes resulting in surface rupture generated from the Bekten Fault within last ~1300 years. Based on the palaeoseismological data, the Bekten Fault displays non-characteristic earthquake behaviour and has not produced any earthquake associated with surface rupture for about the last 400 years. Additionally, the data will provide information for the role of small fault segments play except for the major structures in strike-slip fault systems.