Abstract
Red beds are Meso–Cenozoic continental sedimentary strata that are mainly composed of gravel stone, sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, and shale and occasionally have interlayers of limestone, halite, and gypsum. As a typical rock mass, red beds are widely distributed throughout South China. In a typical tropical and subtropical continental environment, red beds are the product of multiple sedimentary cycles, which have resulted in complicated rock mass structures that play an important role in rock mass stability. It is thus of great significance to investigate the influence of different rock mass structures on the stability of red-bed slopes. In this paper, the geological formation history of red beds in South China is described. The main features of red-bed rock mass slopes in South China are discussed. The main combinations of inner geomechanical structures comprise: (1) mega-thick soft rock structures; (2) mega-thick hard rock structures; (3) thick hard rock structures with weak intercalation; and (4) soft–hard interbedded structures. In addition, the features of slope failure are analyzed, and four common failure modes are identified from the statistical data: (a) weathering spalling and scouring; (b) rock falls; (c) landslides; and (d) tensile dumping.
Highlights
The term red beds refers to red clastic rocks weathered in laterite from the Mesozoic–Cenozoic era
The red beds in South China are the result of a long geological process
This paper discusses the geological background of the formation of the red beds in South China
Summary
The term red beds refers to red clastic rocks weathered in laterite from the Mesozoic–Cenozoic era. The mechanical properties of red-bed soft rock containing weak interlayers can be studied by laboratory and field analyses of the mineralogical composition of the weak interlayer [24,25] Structural features such as faults, joints, interlayer slippage zones, and pelletization. The examination of the structures of a red-bed rock follows: mass isasessential for investigating the characteristics of structural planes, such as internal bedding (1) A progressive failure is prone to occur on a slope with structures controlled by steep dip joints planes, joints, cracks, and weak interlayers. A classification of the red-bed rock structures in South China was conducted, and the main failure modes of the red-bed slopes were identified on the basis of an extensive analysis of red beds in the north of Guangdong Province.
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