An Open-Source Algorithm for 3D ROck Slope Kinematic Analysis (ROKA)

Niccolò Menegoni,Cesare Perotti,Daniele Giordan

doi:10.3390/app11041698

Abstract

The Markland test is one of the most diffused and adopted methods of kinematic analysis for the identification of critical intersections of rock discontinuities that could generate rock failures. Traditionally, the kinematic analysis is based on the use of a stereographic approach that is able to identify the critical combination between the orientations of discontinuities and the rock wall. The recent improvements in the use of Digital Outcrop Models (DOMs) created the conditions for the development of a new automatized approach. We present ROck Slope Kinematic Analysis (ROKA) which is an open-source algorithm aimed at performing the Kinematic Analysis using the discontinuity measures collected onto a 3D DOM. The presented algorithm is able to make a local identification of the possible critical combination between the identified discontinuities and the orientation of the slope. Using this approach, the algorithm is able to identify on the slope the presence of critical combinations according to the traditional kinematic analysis of planar failure, flexural toppling, wedge failure, and direct toppling modes of failures and then visualize them on DOMs. In this way, the traditional approach is more effective and can be adopted for a more detailed analysis of large and complex areas.

Highlights

Discontinuities have a great influence on rock slope stability because, along their surfaces, the cohesion of rock can be very small or null, and they can induce differentModes of Failure (MOFs)
We present an algorithm called ROck slope Kinematic Analysis (ROKA) and written in MATLAB language that is able to overcome these limits performing an ad hoc Kinematic Analysis (KA) of the possible Modes of Failure (MOFs) of each differently oriented part of a rock slope, considering only the discontinuities really measured onto the Digital Outcrop Models (DOMs), even if it is characterized by a complex geometry
(a) To indicate the discontinuity planes and intersections that could activate an Modes of Failures (MOFs) (the (a) To indicate the discontinuity planes and intersections that could activate an MOF, the ROck Slope Kinematic Analysis (ROKA) algorithm exports them as DXF files into specific critical discontinuities), the ROKA algorithm exports them as DXF files into specific directories representing all the different MOFs that could be activated, allowing a further simple 3D visualization of these results

Summary

Introduction

Discontinuities have a great influence on rock slope stability because, along their surfaces, the cohesion of rock can be very small or null, and they can induce differentModes of Failure (MOFs). Discontinuities have a great influence on rock slope stability because, along their surfaces, the cohesion of rock can be very small or null, and they can induce different. Rock slope stability can be analyzed using different approaches, from simple geometrical methods (e.g., kinematic analysis) to complex numerical methods (e.g., Limit Equilibrium (LE); Finite Element Method (FEM); Block Element Method (BEM); Discrete Element Method (DEM; FEM-DEM; etc.)). The Kinematic Analysis (KA) is certainly the simplest and quickest technique because it is purely geometric. It evaluates the possible MOFs, analyzing the angular relationships between slope surface and discontinuities [1] without considering the forces responsible for the MOF [2]. The Markland test [4] and its refinement proposed by Hocking [6] is one of the most used methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion