A Genetic Algorithm for Locating the Multiscale Critical Slip Surface in Jointed Rock Mass Slopes

Qiang Xu,Jian-Yun Chen,Hong-Yuan Yue,Jing Li

doi:10.1155/2014/543081

Qiang Xu, Jian-Yun Chen + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/543081

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Abstract

The joints have great influence on the strength of jointed rock mass and lead to the multiscale, nonhomogeneous, and anisotropic characteristics. In order to consider these effects, a new model based on a genetic algorithm is proposed for locating the critical slip surface (CSS) in jointed rock mass slope (JRMS) from its stress field. A finite element method (FEM) was employed to analyze the stress field. A method of calculating the mechanical persistence ratio (MPR) was used. The calculated multiscale and anisotropic characteristics of the MPR were used in the fitness function of genetic algorithm (GA) to calculate the factor of safety. The GA was used to solve optimization problems of JRMS stability. Some numerical examples were given. The results show that the multiscale and anisotropic characteristics of the MPR played an important role in locating the CSS in JRMS. The proposed model calculated the CSS and the factor of safety of the slope with satisfactory precision.

Highlights

Slope stability analysis is important for assessing the safety of earth dams and natural slopes
A model based on a genetic algorithm (GA) for locating the multiscale critical slip surface (CSS) in a statistical jointed rock mass slope (JRMS) from the stress field was proposed
The proposed model could consider the influence of different sets of joints on the material strength of a jointed rock mass and the multiscale characteristics of the mechanical persistence ratio (MPR) k

Summary

Introduction

Slope stability analysis is important for assessing the safety of earth dams and natural slopes. Because the rock masses consist of a large number of joints, they have the multiscale, nonhomogeneous, and anisotropic material characteristics. These reasons lead to the complex of deformation and stress distributions in JRMS and make the analysis of JRMS difficult. Zolfaghari et al [3] proposed a simple GA to locate the critical noncircular failure surface of a homogeneous layered slope. Li et al [6] used a real coded GA to search for the noncircular CSS of a homogeneous layered slope. These methods cannot solve such problems in nonhomogeneous and anisotropic material. The numerical examples were analyzed to verify the proposed model

The Algorithm for Locating the Multiscale CSS

Numerical Results and Discussions

Numerical Example

Conclusion