Evaluation of slope stability through rock mass classification and kinematic analysis of some major slopes along NH-1A from Ramban to Banihal, North Western Himalayas

The network of Himalayan roadways and highways connects some remote regions of valleys or hill slopes,which is vital for India’s socio-economic growth.Due to natural and artificial factors,frequency of slope instabilities along the networks has been increasing over last few decades.Assessment of stability of natural and artificial slopes due to construction of these connecting road networks is significant in safely executing these roads throughout the year.Several rock mass classification methods are generally used to assess the strength and deformability of rock mass.This study assesses slope stability along the NH-1A of Ramban district of North Western Himalayas.Various structurally and non-structurally controlled rock mass classification systems have been applied to assess the stability conditions of 14 slopes.For evaluating the stability of these slopes,kinematic analysis was performed along with geological strength index(GSI),rock mass rating(RMR),continuous slope mass rating(CoSMR),slope mass rating(SMR),and Q-slope in the present study.The SMR gives three slopes as completely unstable while CoSMR suggests four slopes as completely unstable.The stability of all slopes was also analyzed using a design chart under dynamic and static conditions by slope stability rating(SSR)for the factor of safety(FoS)of 1.2 and 1 respectively.Q-slope with probability of failure(PoF)1%gives two slopes as stable slopes.Stable slope angle has been determined based on the Q-slope safe angle equation and SSR design chart based on the FoS.The value ranges given by different empirical classifications were RMR(37-74),GSI(27.3-58.5),SMR(11-59),and CoSMR(3.39-74.56).Good relationship was found among RMR&SSR and RMR&GSI with correlation coefficient(R 2)value of 0.815 and 0.6866,respectively.Lastly,a comparative stability of all these slopes based on the above classification has been performed to identify the most critical slope along this road.

Real-time prediction of rock mass classification based on TBM operation big data and stacking technique of ensemble learning

Real-time prediction of the rock mass class in front of the tunnel face is essential for the adaptive adjustment of tunnel boring machines(TBMs).During the TBM tunnelling process,a large number of operation data are generated,reflecting the interaction between the TBM system and surrounding rock,and these data can be used to evaluate the rock mass quality.This study proposed a stacking ensemble classifier for the real-time prediction of the rock mass classification using TBM operation data.Based on the Songhua River water conveyance project,a total of 7538 TBM tunnelling cycles and the corresponding rock mass classes are obtained after data preprocessing.Then,through the tree-based feature selection method,10 key TBM operation parameters are selected,and the mean values of the 10 selected features in the stable phase after removing outliers are calculated as the inputs of classifiers.The preprocessed data are randomly divided into the training set(90%)and test set(10%)using simple random sampling.Besides stacking ensemble classifier,seven individual classifiers are established as the comparison.These classifiers include support vector machine(SVM),k-nearest neighbors(KNN),random forest(RF),gradient boosting decision tree(GBDT),decision tree(DT),logistic regression(LR)and multilayer perceptron(MLP),where the hyper-parameters of each classifier are optimised using the grid search method.The prediction results show that the stacking ensemble classifier has a better performance than individual classifiers,and it shows a more powerful learning and generalisation ability for small and imbalanced samples.Additionally,a relative balance training set is obtained by the synthetic minority oversampling technique(SMOTE),and the influence of sample imbalance on the prediction performance is discussed.

Application of rock mass classification systems to rock slope stability assessment:A case study

The stability of rock slopes is considered crucial to public safety in highways passing through rock cuts, as well as to personnel and equipment safety in open pit mines. Slope instability and failures occur due to many factors such as adverse slope geometries, geological discontinuities, weak or weathered slope materials as well as severe weather conditions. External loads like heavy precipitation and seismicity could play a significant role in slope failure. In this paper, several rock mass classification systems developed for rock slope stability assessment are evaluated against known rock slope conditions in a region of Saudi Arabia, where slopes located in rugged terrains with complex geometry serve as highway road cuts. Selected empirical methods have been applied to 22 rock cuts that are selected based on their failure mechanisms and slope materials. The stability conditions are identified, and the results of each rock slope classification system are compared. The paper also highlights the limitations of the empirical classification methods used in the study and proposes future research directions.

A generic method for rock mass classification

Rock mass classification(RMC) is of critical importance in support design and applications to mining,tunneling and other underground excavations. Although a number of techniques are available, there exists an uncertainty in application to complex underground works. In the present work, a generic rock mass rating(GRMR) system is developed. The proposed GRMR system refers to as most commonly used techniques, and two rock load equations are suggested in terms of GRMR, which are based on the fact that whether all the rock parameters considered by the system have an influence or only few of them are influencing. The GRMR method has been validated with the data obtained from three underground coal mines in India. Then, a semi-empirical model is developed for the GRMR method using artificial neural network(ANN), and it is validated by a comparative analysis of ANN model results with that by analytical GRMR method.

Applying rock mass classifications to carbonate rocks for engineering purposes with a new approach using the rock engineering system

Classical rock mass classification systems are not applicable to carbonate rocks,especially when these are affected by karst processes.Their applications to such settings could therefore result in outcomes not representative of the real stress-strain behavior.In this study,we propose a new classification of carbonate rock masses for engineering purposes,by adapting the rock engineering system(RES) method by Hudson for fractured and karstified rock masses,in order to highlight the problems of implementation of geomechanical models to carbonate rocks.This new approach allows a less rigid classification for carbonate rock masses,taking into account the local properties of the outcrops,the site conditions and the type of engineering work as well.

Kinematic Analysis and Rock Mass Classifications for Rock Slope Failure at USAID Highways

Rock slope kinematic analysis and rock mass classifications has been conducted at the 17^(th) km to 26^(th) km of USAID(United States Agency for International Development)highway in Indonesia.This research aimed to examine the type of rock slope failures and the quality of rock mass as well.The scan-line method was performed in six slopes by using a geological compass to determine rock mass structure on the rock slope,and the condition of joints such as persistence,aperture,roughness,infilling material,weathering and groundwater conditions.Slope kinematic analysis was performed employing a stereographic projection.The rock slope quality and stability were investigated based on RMR(rock mass rating)and SMR(slope mass rating)parameters.The rock slope kinematic analysis revealed that planar failure was likely to occur in Slope 1,3,and 4,the wedge failure in Slope 1 and 6,and toppling failure in Slope 2,5,and 6.The RMR rating is ranging from 57 to 64 and can be categorized as Fair to Good rock.The SMR rating revealed that the failure probability of Slope 3 was 90%,while it was from 40%to 60%for others.Despite the uniform RMR for all slopes,the SMR was significantly different.The detailed quantitative consideration of orientation of joint sets and geometry of the slope contributed to such differences in outcomes.

Rock mass quality classification based on deep learning:A feasibility study for stacked autoencoders

Objective and accurate evaluation of rock mass quality classification is the prerequisite for reliable sta-bility assessment.To develop a tool that can deliver quick and accurate evaluation of rock mass quality,a deep learning approach is developed,which uses stacked autoencoders(SAEs)with several autoencoders and a softmax net layer.Ten rock parameters of rock mass rating(RMR)system are calibrated in this model.The model is trained using 75%of the total database for training sample data.The SAEs trained model achieves a nearly 100%prediction accuracy.For comparison,other different models are also trained with the same dataset,using artificial neural network(ANN)and radial basis function(RBF).The results show that the SAEs classify all test samples correctly while the rating accuracies of ANN and RBF are 97.5%and 98.7%,repectively,which are calculated from the confusion matrix.Moreover,this model is further employed to predict the slope risk level of an abandoned quarry.The proposed approach using SAEs,or deep learning in general,is more objective and more accurate and requires less human inter-vention.The findings presented here shall shed light for engineers/researchers interested in analyzing rock mass classification criteria or performing field investigation.

Classification and assessment of rock mass parameters in Choghart iron mine using P-wave velocity

Engineering rock mass classification,based on empirical relations between rock mass parameters and engineering applications,is commonly used in rock engineering and forms the basis for designing rock structures.The basic data required may be obtained from visual observation and laboratory or field tests.However,owing to the discontinuous and variable nature of rock masses,it is difficult for rock engineers to directly obtain the specific design parameters needed.As an alternative,the use of geophysical methods in geomechanics such as seismography may largely address this problem.In this study,25 seismic profiles with the total length of 543 m have been scanned to determine the geomechanical properties of the rock mass in blocks Ⅰ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ-2 of the Choghart iron mine.Moreover,rock joint measurements and sampling for laboratory tests were conducted.The results show that the rock mass rating（RMR） and Q values have a close relation with P-wave velocity parameters,including P-wave velocity in field(V;).P-wave velocity in the laboratory(V;) and the ratio of V;V;(i.e.K;= V;/V;.However,Q value,totally,has greater correlation coefficient and less error than the RMR,In addition,rock mass parameters including rock quality designation（RQD）,uniaxial compressive strength（UCS）,joint roughness coefficient（JRC） and Schmidt number（RN） show close relationship with P-wave velocity.An equation based on these parameters was obtained to estimate the P-wave velocity in the rock mass with a correlation coefficient of 91%.The velocities in two orthogonal directions and the results of joint study show that the wave velocity anisotropy in rock mass may be used as an efficient tool to assess the strong and weak directions in rock mass.

Empirical approach for reliability evaluation of tunnel excavation stability using the Q rock mass classification system

The critical strain concept has been widely used in analytical or numerical approaches to evaluate the stability of underground excavations.Analytical,empirical,and numerical procedures are usually used to determine the critical strain values.This paper presents a reliability assessment procedure for evaluating excavation stability using the empirical approach based on the rock mass classification Q and the first order reliability method(FORM).In contrast to deterministic critical strain values,a probabilistic critical strain,which considers uncertainties in rock mass parameters,was incorporated in a limit state function for reliability analysis.Using the rock mass classification Q,the empirically estimated tunnel stain was included in the limit state function.The critical strain and estimated tunnel strain were probabilistically characterized based on the rock mass classification Q-derived rock mass properties.Monte Carlo simulations were also conducted for comparing the reliability analysis results with those derived from the FORM algorithm.A highway tunnel case study was used to demonstrate the reliability assessment procedure.The effects of the input ground parameter correlations,probability distributions,and coefficients of variation on tunnel reliability were investigated.Results show that uncorrelated and normally distributed input parameters(intact rock strength and elastic modulus)have generated more conservative reliability.The reliability analysis results also show that the tunnel had relatively high reliability(reliability index of 2.78 and probability of failure of 0.27%),indicating the tunnel is not expected to experience instability after excavation.The tunnel excavation stability was assessed using analytical and numerical approaches for comparison.The results were consistent with the reliability analysis using the FORM algorithm’s Q-based empirical method.

A novel approach to structural anisotropy classification for jointed rock masses using theoretical rock quality designation formulation adjusted to joint spacing

Rock quality designation(RQD)has been considered as a one-dimensional jointing degree property since it should be determined by measuring the core lengths obtained from drilling.Anisotropy index of jointing degree(AI_(jd))was formulated by Zheng et al.(2018)by considering maximum and minimum values of RQD for a jointed rock medium in three-dimensional space.In accordance with spacing terminology by ISRM(1981),defining the jointing degree for the rock masses composed of extremely closely spaced joints as well as for the rock masses including widely to extremely widely spaced joints is practically impossible because of the use of 10 cm as a threshold value in the conventional form of RQD.To overcome this limitation,theoretical RQD(TRQD_(t))introduced by Priest and Hudson(1976)can be taken into consideration only when the statistical distribution of discontinuity spacing has a negative exponential distribution.Anisotropy index of the jointing degree was improved using TRQD_(t) which was adjusted to wider joint spacing by considering Priest(1993)’s recommendation on the use of variable threshold value(t)in TRQD_(t) formulation.After applications of the improved anisotropy index of a jointing degree(AI'_(jd))to hypothetical jointed rock mass cases,the effect of persistency of joints on structural anisotropy of rock mass was introduced to the improved AI'_(jd) formulation by considering the ratings of persistency of joints as proposed by Bieniawski(1989)’s rock mass rating(RMR)classification.Two real cases were assessed in the stratified marl and the columnar basalt using the weighted anisotropy index of jointing degree(W_AI'_(jd)).A structural anisotropy classification was developed using the RQD classification proposed by Deere(1963).The proposed methodology is capable of defining the structural anisotropy of a rock mass including joint pattern from extremely closely to extremely widely spaced joints.

Relationship between the Classification of Rock Surrounding Underground Chambers and the Initial Damage Variations in Rock Masses

On the basis of the relationship between each classification index for underground chambers and the elastic wave velocity of rock mass, a corresponding relationship between the classification of rock surrounding underground chambers and the initial damage variable is established by using the wave velocity definition of the initial damage variable of rock masses. Calculation and analysis of relevant data from a hydropower dam located in Southwest China show that the initial damage variable obtained by means of surrounding rock classification has a close relationship with that calculated by wave velocity, which verifies the rationality of the relationship of the two classification indices. This study establishes a foundation for further damage mechanics and stability analysis on the basis of surrounding rock classification.

Classification and rating of disintegrated dolomite strata for slope stability analysis

Although disintegrated dolomite,widely distributed across the globe,has conventionally been a focus of research in underground engineering,the issue of slope stability issues in disintegrated dolomite strata is gaining increasing prominence.This is primarily due to their unique properties,including low strength and loose structure.Current methods for evaluating slope stability,such as basic quality(BQ)and slope stability probability classification(SSPC),do not adequately account for the poor integrity and structural fragmentation characteristic of disintegrated dolomite.To address this challenge,an analysis of the applicability of the limit equilibrium method(LEM),BQ,and SSPC methods was conducted on eight disintegrated dolomite slopes located in Baoshan,Southwest China.However,conflicting results were obtained.Therefore,this paper introduces a novel method,SMRDDS,to provide rapid and accurate assessment of disintegrated dolomite slope stability.This method incorporates parameters such as disintegrated grade,joint state,groundwater conditions,and excavation methods.The findings reveal that six slopes exhibit stability,while two are considered partially unstable.Notably,the proposed method demonstrates a closer match with the actual conditions and is more time-efficient compared with the BQ and SSPC methods.However,due to the limited research on disintegrated dolomite slopes,the results of the SMRDDS method tend to be conservative as a safety precaution.In conclusion,the SMRDDS method can quickly evaluate the current situation of disintegrated dolomite slopes in the field.This contributes significantly to disaster risk reduction for disintegrated dolomite slopes.

Prediction of rock mass rating using fuzzy logic and multi-variable RMR regression model

Rock mass rating system （RMR） is based on the six parameters which was defined by Bieniawski （1989） [1]. Experts frequently relate joint and discontinuities and ground water conditions in linguistic terms with rough calculation. As a result, there is a sharp transition between two modules which create doubts. So, in this paper the proposed weights technique was applied for linguistic criteria. Then by using the fuzzy inference system and the multi-variable regression analysis, the accurate RMR is predicted. Before the performing of regression analysis, sensitivity analysis was applied for each of Bieniawski parameters. In this process, the best function was selected among linear, logarithmic, exponential and inverse func- tions and finally it was applied in the regression analysis for construction of a predictive equation. From the constructed regression equation the relative importance of the input parameters can also be observed. It should be noted that joint condition was identified as the most important effective parameter upon RMR. Finally, fuzzy and regression models were validated with the test datasets and it was found that the fuzzy model predicts more accurately RMR than reression models.

Updating of the hierarchical rock mass rating(HRMR) system and a new subsystem developed for weathered granite formations

The RMR system is still very much applied in rock mechanics engineering context. It is based on the evaluation of six weights to obtain a final rating. To obtain the final rating a considerable amount of information is needed concerning the rock mass which can be difficult to obtain in some projects or project stages at least with accuracy. In 2007 an alternative classification scheme based on the RMR, the Hierarchical Rock Mass Rating(HRMR) was presented. The main feature of this system was the adaptation to the level of knowledge existent about the rock mass to obtain the classification of the rock mass since it followed a decision tree approach. However, the HRMR was only valid for hard rock granites with low fracturing degrees. In this work, the database was enlarged with approximately 40% more cases considering other types of granite rock masses including weathered granites and based on this increased database the system was updated. Granite formations existent in the north of Portugal including Porto city are predominantly granites. Some years ago a light rail infrastructure was built in the city of Porto and surrounding municipalities which involved considerable challenges due to the high heterogeneity levels of the granite formations and the difficulties involved in their geomechanical characterization. In this work it is intended to provide also a contribution to improve the characterization of these formations with special emphasis to the weathered horizons. A specific subsystem applicable to the weathered formations was developed. The results of the validation of these systems are presented and show acceptable performances in identifying the correct class using less information than with the RMR system.

Performance characteristics of tunnel boring machine in basalt and pyroclastic rocks of Deccan traps–A case study

A12.24km long tunnel between Maroshi and Ruparel College is being excavated by tunnel boring machine(TBM)to improve the water supply system of Greater Mumbai,India.In this paper,attempt has been made to establish the relationship between various litho-units of Deccan traps,stability of tunnel and TBM performances during the construction of5.83km long tunnel between Maroshi and Vakola.The Maroshi–Vakola tunnel passes under the Mumbai Airport and crosses both runways with an overburden cover of around70m.The tunneling work was carried out without disturbance to the ground.The rock types encountered during excavation arefine compacted basalt,porphyritic basalt,amygdaloidal basalt pyroclastic rocks with layers of red boles and intertrappean beds consisting of various types of shales Relations between rock mass properties,physico-mechanical properties,TBM specifications and the cor responding TBM performance were established.A number of support systems installed in the tunne during excavation were also discussed.The aim of this paper is to establish,with appropriate accuracy the nature of subsurface rock mass condition and to study how it will react to or behave during under ground excavation by TBM.The experiences gained from this project will increase the ability to cope with unexpected ground conditions during tunneling using TBM.

Rock engineering evaluation of existing and planned Salang Tunnels with high overburden through Hindukush Mountains,Afghanistan

The Kabul-Mazar Highway connects Kabul,the capital of Afghanistan,to northern provinces of the country,and further extends into Central Asian countries through the Hindukush mountains.The Salang Tunnel,which is 2600 m long,was designed by Soviet engineers in 1958 and constructed using conventional techniques in 1964.During its construction,the tunnel ranked the distinction of being the highest-altitude tunnel at 3400 m.The socioeconomic importance of the tunnel is exceptionally high,as the Hindukush Mountain range to the east and south of the country is crossed by it.Since 1964,there has been a significant increase in traffic volume.Due to the narrowness of the existing tunnel,the Ministry of Public Works(MOPW)of Afghanistan has planned the con-struction of new twin-tube tunnels.Although there have been rehabilitation and enlargement efforts for the existing tunnel,none of these renovation works have been proven effective,and challenges persist.In 2008,the MOPW initiated a pre-feasibility study for new tunnels,which was finalized in 2012,presenting various options.Subsequently,in early 2018,the MOPW commenced feasibility and detailed studies,leading to the proposal of new twin-tube tunnels,which are designated as the planned tunnels in this paper.In this study,the available geotechnical and environmental data are used to evaluate the rock engineering aspects of the tunnels,including an assessment of the in-situ stress state.A particular emphasis is placed on the reassessment and design of the support system for both the existing and planned tunnels according to RMQR and another system,respectively.The evaluation of the response and stability of the tunnels is concluded,and the implications are subsequently discussed.

Support pressure assessment for deep buried railway tunnels using BQ-index

Estimation of support pressure is extremely important to the support system design and the construction safety of tunnels.At present,there are many methods for the estimation of support pressure based on different rock mass classification systems,such as Q system,GSI system and RMR system.However,various rock mass classification systems are based on different tunnel geologic conditions in various regions.Therefore,each rock mass classification system has a certain regionality.In China,the BQ-Inex(BQ system)has been widely used in the field of rock engineering ever since its development.Unfortunately,there is still no estimation method of support pressure with BQ-index as parameters.Based on the field test data from 54 tunnels in China,a new empirical method considering BQ-Inex,tunnel span and rock weight is proposed to estimate the support pressure using multiple nonlinear regression analysis methods.And then the significance and necessity of support pressure estimation method for the safety of tunnel construction in China is explained through the comparison and analysis with the existing internationally widely used support pressure estimation methods of RMR system,Q system and GSI system.Finally,the empirical method of estimating the support pressure based on BQ-index was applied to designing the support system in the China’s high-speed railway tunnel—Zhengwan high-speed railway and the rationality of this method has been verified through the data of field test.

Comprehensive analysis of slope stability and determination of stable slopes in the Chador-Malu iron ore mine using numerical and limit equilibrium methods

One of the critical aspects in mine design is slope stability analysis and the determination of stable slopes. In the Chador- Malu iron ore mine, one of the most important iron ore mines in central Iran, it was considered vital to perform a comprehensive slope stability analysis. At first, we divided the existing rock hosting pit into six zones and a geotechnical map was prepared. Then, the value of MRMR （Mining Rock Mass Rating） was determined for each zone. Owing to the fact that the Chador-Malu iron ore mine is located in a highly tectonic area and the rock mass completely crushed, the Hoek-Brown failure criterion was found suitable to estimate geo-mechanical parameters. After that, the value of cohesion （c） and friction angle （tp） were calculated for different geotechnical zones and relative graphs and equations were derived as a function of slope height. The stability analyses using numerical and limit equilibrium methods showed that some instability problems might occur by increasing the slope height. Therefore, stable slopes for each geotechnical zone and prepared sections were calculated and presented as a function of slope height.

Application of the coal mine floor rating(CMFR)to assess the floor stability in a Central Appalachian Coal Mine

Estimating the overall floor stability in a coal mine using deterministic methods which require complex engineering properties of floor strata is desirable,but generally it is impractical due to the difficulty of gathering essential input data.However,applying a quantitative methodology to describe floor quality with a single number provides a practical estimate for preliminary assessment of floor stability.The coal mine floor rating(CMFR)system,developed by the University of New South Wales(UNSW),is a rockmass classification system that provides an indicator for the competence of floor strata.The most significant components of the CMFR are uniaxial compressive strength and discontinuity intensity of floor strata.In addition to the competence of the floor,depth of cover and stress notch angle are input parameters used to assess the preliminary floor stability.In this study,CMFR methodology was applied to a Central Appalachian Coal Mine that intermittently experienced floor heave.Exploratory drill core data,overburden maps,and mine plans were utilized for the study.Additionally,qualitative data(failure/non-failure)on floor conditions of the mine entries near the core holes was collected and analyzed so that the floor quality and its relation to entry stability could be estimated by statistical methods.It was found that the current CMFR classification system is not directly applicable in assessing the floor stability of the Central Appalachian Coal Mine.In order to extend the applicability of the CMFR classification system,the methodology was modified.A calculation procedure of one of the CMFR classification system’s components,the horizontal stress rating(HSR),was changed and new parameters were added to the HSR.

Feedback on a shared big dataset for intelligent TBM Part Ⅱ:Application and forward look

This review discusses the application scenarios of the machine learning-supported performance prediction and the optimization effi-ciency of tunnel boring machines(TBMs).The rock mass quality ratings,which are based on the Chinese code for geological survey,were used to provide"labels"suitable for supervised learning.As a result,the generation of machine prediction for rock mass grades reason-ably agreed with the ground truth documented in geological maps.In contrast,the main operational parameters,i.e.,thrust and torque,can be reasonably predicted based on historical data.Consequently,18 collapse sections of the Yinsong project have been successfully predicted by several researchers.Preliminary studies on the selection of the optimal penetration rate and cost were conducted.This review also presents a summary of the main achievements in response to the initiatives of the Lotus Pool Contest in China.For the first time,large and well-documented TBM performance data has been shared for joint scientific research.Moreover,the review discusses the technical problems that require further study and the perspectives in the future development of intelligent TBM construction based on big data and machine learning.