Abstract
Inefficient blasting techniques and poor closure management of the old quarry that existed during the 1970s in the area of the actual General Patrimonial Cemetery of Guayaquil resulted in an almost vertical slope of approximately 50 m in height and an intense induced fracturing that weakened the rock mass. This led to the loss of stability and increased material detachment, which damaged the infrastructure of the graveyard representing a risk to visitors and workers. The aim of this research is to evaluate the slope stability through a geotechnical analysis that allows decision-making to recover and preserve the safety of the area. In this work, we used structural measurements and observations made in the field, as well as a three-dimensional model of the slant generated by photographs taken by a drone. Slope Mass Rating (SMR) and Chinese Slope Mass Rating (CSMR) rankings were used to evaluate stability, susceptibility to rockfall was determined using a theoretical–practical procedure, and the safety factor was calculated using the Morgenstern–Price method. The analysis of the geomechanical classifications yielded a low stability value of the slope, which was in accordance with the high susceptibility to rockfall and with the low safety factor. Based on these results, we recommend the application of systematic bolt and shotcrete for stabilization.
Highlights
A slope is an inclined surface, often present on geological structures of the earth [1]
Considering the unstable conditions of the escarpment located within the cemetery (Gate 1), this study aims at (i) the geomechanical characterization of sedimentary rocks in the studied area (Cemetery of Guayaquil) and (ii) the assessment of the value of data obtained from outcrop samples for the estimation of slope stability
The fine stratification hasthroughout a strike of N the 93° and general approximately, with thicknesses of strata that vary from centimetric to decimetric
Summary
A slope is an inclined surface, often present on geological structures of the earth [1]. The stability of a slope is affected by geological, hydrogeological, and geometric factors; topographic conditions; and the geomechanical behavior of the ground [4,5]. According to [1], stability is a safety parameter that can be explained as the ability of a land mass to maintain its structure without failing or moving. It can be described by a safety factor [7], which is a requirement for stabilization intervention recommendations
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