Structural Analysis for Slope Stability Assessment of Selected Sites at ShurShirin Valley, Zurbatiyah Region, Eastern Iraq

Abstract

Shurshirin Valley and surrounding areas are the most wonderful places as tourist areas in the east of Iraq. Many rock slopes appear as dangerous geological locations along this valley. One of the most effective geological structures on the rock slope stability is the orientation of the joints concerning the attitude of the bedding plane and the slope (inclination angle and direction), thus a geometrical analysis for joints has been performed for rock slopes along Shurshirin Valley to assess their instability; Five stations have been studied for both Tertiary rocks and Alluvial fan sediments which exist in three stations only. The main failure types in the study area are rock fall in all stations, toppling in two stations, and (potentially wedge sliding )in one station along the intersection line of the joint sets concerning the lateral slope of station No.2. While the suggested ways to improve the slope stability and protection versus rock failures are re-slope, trimming, ditches, and wire mesh.