Parametric study of variable slope design for a multiple layered open pit

Abstract

ABSTRACT A quantitative assessment of the stability of an open pit slope is clearly important when a judgment is needed about whether the slope is stable or not, and decisions are to be made as a consequence. This study describes a deterministic stability analysis together with a sensitivity analysis of variable slopes of an open pit with different layers subjected to planar failure. This approach is a combination of circular failure method and planar failure method, in which the strength parameters are based on Mohr - Coulomb criterion or derived from the rock mass classification (RMR) system and applied to the Hoek and Brown rock failure criterion. A computer program has been developed to analyze the stability of slopes. The results of the analysis are presented as plots of factor of safety (FS) with potential failure angle ai, in which the stability of the slopes can be determined. It is expected that the optimum parameters FS = f(αi βi, γi, Hi Hwi, Ciand φirpar; could be used in the design of a multip...