Abstract
Stability assessment of potential wedge failures in rock slopes is usually carried out based on stereographic projection techniques and limit equilibrium analyses. Nevertheless, this methodology presents several limitations (i.e., lack of information on joint mechanical properties, oversimplification of the structure, etc.) that could lead to poorly accurate conclusions. In line with this idea, the main objective of this work is to evaluate the effect of joint spacing in the estimation of the factor of safety of rock slopes affected by potential wedge failures. For this purpose, a 3D numerical distinct element code (3DEC) was selected to carry out a substantial number of simulations in which the factor of safety of two types of slopes, affected by different discontinuity sets, was studied by using the shear strength reduction (SSR) method. Different values of joint spacing, cohesion, and friction angles were considered, combined with two angles of the slope face under study. A discrete fracture network (DFN) model was also implemented, with the aim of benchmarking results with those obtained from the original models. The joint spacing has been found to relevantly affect the values of the factor of safety of the slope, which showed variations of up to 40% in comparison with those obtained from limit equilibrium methods. This work provides an insight to a more realistic interpretation of rock slope analyses against wedge failures, particularly to better estimations of the factor of safety.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
