Abstract
Based on an extension to a model originally proposed by Zhang (1990), a method for estimating the shear strength of a jointed rock mass containing two joint sets is developed. Compared to the original method in which only a single en-echelon joint set was considered, the new method has the following advantages: (1) it allows a much more realistic joint pattern to be incorporated; (2) the effects of joint connectivity and intersection angle between joint sets on shear strength are included. Use of the new method is demonstrated by application to the calculation of the stability of slopes in jointed rock. The importance of joint connectivity, joint persistence and joint set intersection angle on slope stability, as predicted by the model, is revealed.
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