Assessing ground stability of a vertical backfilled stope considering creep behaviors of surrounding rocks

Backfill is often employed in mining operations for ground support,with its positive impact on ground stability acknowledged in many underground mines.However,existing studies have predominantly focused only on the stress development within the backfill material,leaving the influence of stope backfilling on stress distribution in surrounding rock mass and ground stability largely unexplored.Therefore,this paper presents numerical models in FLAC3D to investigate,for the first time,the time-dependent stress redistribution around a vertical backfilled stope and its implications on ground stability,considering the creep of surrounding rock mass.Using the Soft Soil constitutive model,the compressibility of backfill under large pressure was captured.It is found that the creep deformation of rock mass exercises compression on backfill and results in a less void ratio and increased modulus for fill material.The compacted backfill conversely influenced the stress distribution and ground stability of rock mass which was a combined effect of wall creep and compressibility of backfill.With the increase of time or/and creep deformation,the minimum principal stress in the rocks surrounding the backfilled stope increased towards the pre-mining stress state,while the deviatoric stress reduces leading to an increased factor of safety and improved ground stability.This improvement effect of backfill on ground stability increased with the increase of mine depth and stope height,while it is also more pronounced for the narrow stope,the backfill with a smaller compression index,and the soft rocks with a smaller viscosity coefficient.Furthermore,the results emphasize the importance of minimizing empty time and backfilling extracted stope as soon as possible for ground control.Reduction of filling gap height enhances the local stability around the roof of stope.

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.

Probabilistic analysis of tunnel face seismic stability in layered rock masses using Polynomial Chaos Kriging metamodel

Face stability is an essential issue in tunnel design and construction.Layered rock masses are typical and ubiquitous;uncertainties in rock properties always exist.In view of this,a comprehensive method,which combines the Upper bound Limit analysis of Tunnel face stability,the Polynomial Chaos Kriging,the Monte-Carlo Simulation and Analysis of Covariance method(ULT-PCK-MA),is proposed to investigate the seismic stability of tunnel faces.A two-dimensional analytical model of ULT is developed to evaluate the virtual support force based on the upper bound limit analysis.An efficient probabilistic analysis method PCK-MA based on the adaptive Polynomial Chaos Kriging metamodel is then implemented to investigate the parameter uncertainty effects.Ten input parameters,including geological strength indices,uniaxial compressive strengths and constants for three rock formations,and the horizontal seismic coefficients,are treated as random variables.The effects of these parameter uncertainties on the failure probability and sensitivity indices are discussed.In addition,the effects of weak layer position,the middle layer thickness and quality,the tunnel diameter,the parameters correlation,and the seismic loadings are investigated,respectively.The results show that the layer distributions significantly influence the tunnel face probabilistic stability,particularly when the weak rock is present in the bottom layer.The efficiency of the proposed ULT-PCK-MA is validated,which is expected to facilitate the engineering design and construction.

Influence of joint spacing and rock characteristics on the toppling stability of cut rock slope through a simplified limit equilibrium method

Toppling failure of rock mass/soil slope is an important geological and environmental problem.Clarifying its failure mechanism under different conditions has great significance in engineering.The toppling failure of a cutting slope occurred in a hydropower station in Kyushu,Japan illustrates that the joint characteristic played a significant role in the occurrence of rock slope tipping failure.Thus,in order to consider the mechanical properties of jointed rock mass and the influence of geometric conditions,a simplified analytical approach based on the limit equilibrium method for modeling the flexural toppling of cut rock slopes is proposed to consider the influence of the mechanical properties and geometry condition of jointed rock mass.The theoretical solution is compared with the numerical solution taking Kyushu Hydropower Station in Japan as one case,and it is found that the theoretical solution obtained by the simplified analysis method is consistent with the numerical analytical solution,thus verifying the accuracy of the simplified method.Meanwhile,the Goodman-Bray approach conventionally used in engineering practice is improved according to the analytical results.The results show that the allowable slope angle may be obtained by the improved Goodman-Bray approach considering the joint spacing,the joint frictional angle and the tensile strength of rock mass together.

Borehole stability in naturally fractured rocks with drilling mud intrusion and associated fracture strength weakening:A coupled DFN-DEM approach

Borehole instability in naturally fractured rocks poses significant challenges to drilling.Drilling mud invades the surrounding formations through natural fractures under the difference between the wellbore pressure(P w)and pore pressure(P p)during drilling,which may cause wellbore instability.However,the weakening of fracture strength due to mud intrusion is not considered in most existing borehole stability analyses,which may yield significant errors and misleading predictions.In addition,only limited factors were analyzed,and the fracture distribution was oversimplified.In this paper,the impacts of mud intrusion and associated fracture strength weakening on borehole stability in fractured rocks under both isotropic and anisotropic stress states are investigated using a coupled DEM(distinct element method)and DFN(discrete fracture network)method.It provides estimates of the effect of fracture strength weakening,wellbore pressure,in situ stresses,and sealing efficiency on borehole stability.The results show that mud intrusion and weakening of fracture strength can damage the borehole.This is demonstrated by the large displacement around the borehole,shear displacement on natural fractures,and the generation of fracture at shear limit.Mud intrusion reduces the shear strength of the fracture surface and leads to shear failure,which explains that the increase in mud weight may worsen borehole stability during overbalanced drilling in fractured formations.A higher in situ stress anisotropy exerts a significant influence on the mechanism of shear failure distribution around the wellbore.Moreover,the effect of sealing natural fractures on maintaining borehole stability is verified in this study,and the increase in sealing efficiency reduces the radial invasion distance of drilling mud.This study provides a directly quantitative prediction method of borehole instability in naturally fractured formations,which can consider the discrete fracture network,mud intrusion,and associated weakening of fracture strength.The information provided by the numerical approach(e.g.displacement around the borehole,shear displacement on fracture,and fracture at shear limit)is helpful for managing wellbore stability and designing wellbore-strengthening operations.

Heterogeneous information phase space reconstruction and stability prediction of filling body–surrounding rock combination

Traditional research believes that the filling body can effectively control stress concentration while ignoring the problems of unknown stability and the complex and changeable stress distribution of the filling body–surrounding rock combination under high-stress conditions.Current monitoring data processing methods cannot fully consider the complexity of monitoring objects,the diversity of monitoring methods,and the dynamics of monitoring data.To solve this problem,this paper proposes a phase space reconstruction and stability prediction method to process heterogeneous information of backfill–surrounding rock combinations.The three-dimensional monitoring system of a large-area filling body–surrounding rock combination in Longshou Mine was constructed by using drilling stress,multipoint displacement meter,and inclinometer.Varied information,such as the stress and displacement of the filling body–surrounding rock combination,was continuously obtained.Combined with the average mutual information method and the false nearest neighbor point method,the phase space of the heterogeneous information of the filling body–surrounding rock combination was then constructed.In this paper,the distance between the phase point and its nearest point was used as the index evaluation distance to evaluate the stability of the filling body–surrounding rock combination.The evaluated distances(ED)revealed a high sensitivity to the stability of the filling body–surrounding rock combination.The new method was then applied to calculate the time series of historically ED for 12 measuring points located at Longshou Mine.The moments of mutation in these time series were at least 3 months ahead of the roadway return dates.In the ED prediction experiments,the autoregressive integrated moving average model showed a higher prediction accuracy than the deep learning models(long short-term memory and Transformer).Furthermore,the root-mean-square error distribution of the prediction results peaked at 0.26,thus outperforming the no-prediction method in 70%of the cases.

A 2D stability analysis of the rock surrounding underground liquified natural gas storage cavern based on COMSOL Multiphysics

Underground liquified natural gas(LNG)storage is essential in guaranteeing national energy strategic reserves,and its construction is being accelerated.The stability of surrounding rock of underground LNG storage caverns under stress-low temperature coupling effect is the key factor determining the feasibility of LNG storage.First,a mathematical model used for controlling the stress-low temperature coupling and the processes of rock damage evolution is given,followed by a 2-D numerical execution process of the mathematical model mentioned above described based on Comsol Multiphysics and Matlab code.Finally,a series of 2-D simulations are performed to study the influence of LNG storage cavern layout,burial depth,temperature and internal pressure on the stability of surrounding rocks of these underground storage caverns.The results indicate that all the factors mentioned above affect the evolution of deformation and plastic zone of surrounding rocks.The research results contribute to the engineering design of underground LNG storage caverns.

A three-dimensional numerical study on the stability of layered rock spillway tunnels in alpine canyon areas

Rock masses in alpine canyon areas exhibit strong heterogeneity,discontinuity,and are subject to strong tectonic effects and stress unloading,leading to extremely complex distribution of in-situ stress.In addition,the occurrence of layered rock masses makes it more complex,with obvious anisotropic mechanical properties.This study proposes a comprehensive method for evaluating the stability of layered rock spillway tunnels in a hydropower station in an alpine canyon.First,the failure criterion and mechanical model of layered rock masses considering the anisotropy induced by the bedding plane and the true triaxial stress regime were established;an inversion theory and calculation procedure for in-situ stress in alpine canyon areas were then introduced.Finally,by using a self-developed numerical tool,i.e.CASRock,the stability of the layered rock spillway tunnel in a hydropower station was numerically analyzed.The results show that,affected by geological structure and stratigraphic lithology,there is significant differentiation in the in-situ stress in alpine canyons,with horizontal tectonic stress as the main factor.The occurrence of layered rock masses in the region has a significant impact on the stability of surrounding rock,and the angle between the bedding strike and the tunnel axis as well as the bedding dip both exert a significant influence on the failure characteristics of the surrounding rock.

Probabilistic assessment of rock slopes stability using the response surface approach——A case study

This paper examines the stability condition of a jointed rock slope in the south western region of Saudi Arabia using deterministic and probabilistic approaches,under both dry and wet conditions.The study area is characterized by complex geology in rugged terrains.The stability analysis is carried out using the code FLAC3D to generate a 3-dimensional,ubiquitous joint model,to determine the influence of the dominant,unfavourable discontinuity orientation with respect to the slope face.The deterministic analysis is first implemented using the mean values of the selected random variables,namely the dip,dip direction and friction angle of the dominant discontinuity set,and the stability condition is assessed with a factor of safety based on the classical frictional joint constitutive model.A Box-Behnken design(BBD)approach is then adopted to create the surface response function as a second order polynomial for the factor of safety.To do so,fifteen FLAC3D models are generated in accordance with the BBD.Based on this,10,000 simulations of different slope realizations are carried out using Monte-Carlo simulation technique,and the probability of unsatisfactory of performance of the rock slope is assessed.It is shown that the probabilistic approach provides more insight and confidence in the stability condition of the rock slope,both under dry and steady state heavy rainfall conditions.A discussion is presented on the significance of accepting lower safety factors when heavy rainfall conditions are encountered.

Microseismic monitoring and numerical simulation on the stability of high-steep rock slopes in hydropower engineering

For high-steep slopes in hydropower engineering, damage can be induced or accumulated due to a seriesof human or natural activities, including excavation, dam construction, earthquake, rainstorm, rapid riseor drop of water level in the service lifetime of slopes. According to the concept that the progressivedamage （microseismicity） of rock slope is the essence of the precursor of slope instability, a microseismicmonitoring system for high-steep rock slopes is established. Positioning accuracy of the monitoringsystem is tested by fixed-position blasting method. Based on waveform and cluster analyses of microseismicevents recorded during test, the tempo-spatial distribution of microseismic events is analyzed.The deformation zone in the deep rock masses induced by the microseismic events is preliminarilydelimited. Based on the physical information measured by in situ microseismic monitoring, an evaluationmethod for the dynamic stability of rock slopes is proposed and preliminarily implemented bycombining microseismic monitoring and numerical modeling. Based on the rock mass damage modelobtained by back analysis of microseismic information, the rock mass elements within the microseismicdamage zone are automatically searched by finite element program. Then the stiffness and strengthreductions are performed on these damaged elements accordingly. Attempts are made to establish thecorrelation between microseismic event, strength deterioration and slope dynamic instability, so as toquantitatively evaluate the dynamic stability of slope. The case studies about two practical slopes indicatethat the proposed method can reflect the factor of safety of rock slope more objectively. Numericalanalysis can help to understand the characteristics and modes of the monitored microseismic events inrock slopes. Microseismic monitoring data and simulation results can be used to mutually modify thesensitive rock parameters and calibrate the model. Combination of microseismic monitoring and numericalsimulation provides a more objective basis for the numerical model and parameters and a solidmechanical foundation for the microseismic monitoring.

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.

Deformation Mechanism and Stability of a Rocky Slope

A high slope is located on the side of the spillway at a hydropower station in Southwest China, which has some weak inter-layers inclining outwards. Parts of the slope show heavy weathering and unloading. There appeared deformation and tensile crack either on the surface or on the afteredge of the slope during excavation, and under a platform （elev. 488 m）, two levels of slopes collapsed on the downriver side. Based on the investigation in situ and the analysis of the geological structure, the conceptual model of deformation and failure mechanism was erected for this slope. Furthermore, the deformation characteristics were studied with FLAC^3D numerical simulation. Comprehensive analysis shows that the whole deformation of the slope is unloading rebound in certain depth scope and the whole body does not slide along any weak interlayer. In addition, two parts with prominent local deformation in the shallow layer of the slope show the models of ＂creep sfiding-tensile cracking＂ and ＂slidlng-tensile cracking＂, respectively. Based on the above analysis, the corresponding project of support and reinforcement is proposed to make the slope more stable.

Model test and numerical simulation on the dynamic stability of the bedding rock slope under frequent microseisms

Shake table testing was performed to investigate the dynamic stability of a mid-dip bedding rock slope under frequent earthquakes. Then, numerical modelling was established to further study the slope dynamic stability under purely microseisms and the influence of five factors, including seismic amplitude, slope height, slope angle, strata inclination and strata thickness, were considered. The experimental results show that the natural frequency of the slope decreases and damping ratio increases as the earthquake loading times increase. The dynamic strength reduction method is adopted for the stability evaluation of the bedding rock slope in numerical simulation, and the slope stability decreases with the increase of seismic amplitude, increase of slope height, reduction of strata thickness and increase of slope angle. The failure mode of a mid-dip bedding rock slope in the shaking table test is integral slipping along the bedding surface with dipping tensile cracks at the slope rear edge going through the bedding surfaces. In the numerical simulation, the long-term stability of a mid-dip bedding slope is worst under frequent microseisms and the slope is at risk of integral sliding instability, whereas the slope rock mass is more broken than shown in the shaking table test. The research results are of practical significance to better understand the formation mechanism of reservoir landslides and prevent future landslide disasters.

Stability classification model of mine-lane surrounding rock based on distance discriminant analysis method

Based on the principle of Mahalanobis distance discriminant analysis (DDA) theory, a stability classification model for mine-lane surrounding rock was established, including six indexes of discriminant factors that reflect the engineering quality of surrounding rock: lane depth below surface, span of lane, ratio of directly top layer thickness to coal thickness, uniaxial comprehensive strength of surrounding rock, development degree coefficient of surrounding rock joint and range of broken surrounding rock zone. A DDA model was obtained through training 15 practical measuring samples. The re-substitution method was introduced to verify the stability of DDA model and the ratio of mis-discrimination is zero. The DDA model was used to discriminate 3 new samples and the results are identical with actual rock kind. Compared with the artificial neural network method and support vector mechanic method, the results show that this model has high prediction accuracy and can be used in practical engineering.

Seismic stability of jointed rock slopes under obliquely incident earthquake waves

Seismic stability of slopes has been traditionally analyzed with vertically propagated earthquake waves.However,for rock slopes,the earthquake waves might approach the outcrop still with a evidently oblique direction.To investigate the impact of obliquely incident earthquake excitations,the input method for SV and P waves with arbitrary incident angles is conducted,respectively,by adopting the equivalent nodal force method together with a viscous-spring boundary.Then,the input method is introduced within the framework of ABAQUS software and verified by a numerical example.Both SV and P waves input are considered herein for a 2 D jointed rock slope.For the jointed rock mass,the jointed material model in ABAQUS software is employed to simulate its behavior as a continuum.Results of the study show that the earthquake incident angles have significance on the seismic stability of jointed rock slopes.The larger the incident angle,the greater the risk of slope instability.Furthermore,the stability of the jointed rock slopes also is affected by wave types of earthquakes heavily.P waves induce weaker responses and SV waves are shown to be more critical.

A stability study of goaf based on mechanical properties degradation of rock caused by rheological and disturbing loads

Based on the classical static theory and static numerical simulation,the static method could not accurately reflect the stability of goaf where the rocks on the pillar and roof are influenced by Theological and blasting disturbance for a long time.According to the test from the site,an experimental study was made in Theological and dynamic disturbance.After that,on the basis of variable rock mechanics parameters from the experimental data,numerical simulation was used to analyze the vertical stress distribution of goaf,vertical displacement and plastic area of roof in the "deterioration" caused by Theological and blasting,which shows that the mechanics properties of the rock were greatly influenced by Theological,and dynamic disturbance.The results of the experimental study and numerical simulation show that the mechanics properties of rock are greatly influenced by Theological and dynamic disturbance.As a result,the stability of goaf is greatly reduced.Finally,by comparing golf monitoring results with the analysis of theoretical calculation,it was found that the results were approximately the same,which testifies the reliability of the method.This method provides a new way of studying the stability of goaf as well as laying a basic foundation for future safety management.

Assessment of rock slope stability by probabilistic-based Slope Stability Probability Classification method along highway cut slopes in Adilcevaz-Bitlis(Turkey)

Rock slope stability is of great concern along highway routes as stability problems on cut slopes may cause fatal events as well as loss of property.In rock slope engineering,stability evaluations are commonly performed by means of analytical or numerical analyses,principally considering the factor of safety concept.As a matter of fact,the probabilistic assessment of slope stability is progressively getting popularity due to difficulties in assigning the most appropriate values to design parameters in analytical or numerical methods.Additionally,the effect of heterogeneities in rock masses and discontinuities on the analysis results is minimized through the probabilistic concept.In this study,slope stability of high and steep sedimentary rock cut slopes along a state highway in AdilcevazBitlis(Turkey) was evaluated on the basis of probabilistic approach using the Slope Stability Probability Classification(SSPC) system.The probabilistic assessment indicates major slope stability problems because of discontinuity controlled and discontinuity orientation independent mass movements.Almost all studied cut slopes suffer from orientation-independent stability problems with very low stability probabilities.Additionally,the probability of planar and toppling failures issignificantly high with respect to the SSPC system.The stability problems along the investigated rock slopes were also verified by field reconnaissance.Remedial measures such as slope re-design and reinforcement at the studied locations should be taken to prevent hazardous events along the highway.On the other hand,the probabilistic approach may be a useful tool during rock slope engineering to overcome numerous uncertainties when probabilistic and analytic results are compared.

3D Identification and Stability Analysis of Key Surface Blocks of Rock Slope

Complicated geological structures make it difficult to analyze the stability of rock slopes, such as faults, weak intercalated layers or joint fissures. Based on 3D geological modeling and surface block identifying methods, an integrated methodology framework was proposed and realized to analyze the stability of surface blocks in rock slopes. The surface blocks cut by geological structures, fissures or free faces could be identified subjected to the four principles of closure, completeness, uniqueness and validity. The factor of safety(FOS)of single key block was calculated by the limit equilibrium method. If there were two or more connected blocks, they were defined as a block-group. The FOS of a block-group was computed by the Sarma method. The proposed approach was applied to an actual rock slope of a hydropower project, and some possible instable blocks were demonstrated and analyzed visually. The obtained results on the key blocks or block-groups provide essential information for determining potential instable region of rock slopes and designing effective support scheme in advance.

Numerical investigations of rock bridge effect on open pit slope stability

In this study,the effect of rock bridges on rock slope stability was investigated by incorporating nonpersistent joint networks in numerical models,and the critical profiles of an open pit mine were analysed.Parallel deterministic networks of infinite and finite lengths,ubiquitous joint network model and Veneziano joint network model were used in order to simulate the rock fractures.Materials were modelled based on the generalised Hoek-Brown and equivalent Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria.The parallel deterministic infinite and the ubiquitous joint network models produced lower safety factors.The introduction of rock bridges along discontinuity planes in the parallel deterministic network and Veneziano joint network models significantly contributed to the stability and strain distribution,which should be considered in stability analysis of rock mass in open pit by rock slope practitioners.The results show the significance of joints in hard rock behaviour and the joints should be included in order to attain practical and realistic simulations.

Face stability analysis of circular tunnels in layered rock masses using the upper bound theorem

An analysis of tunnel face stability generally assumes a single homogeneous rock mass.However,most rock tunnel projects are excavated in stratified rock masses.This paper presents a two-dimensional(2D)analytical model for estimating the face stability of a rock tunnel in the presence of rock mass stratification.The model uses the kinematical limit analysis approach combined with the block calculation technique.A virtual support force is applied to the tunnel face,and then solved using an optimization method based on the upper limit theorem of limit analysis and the nonlinear Hoek-Brown yield criterion.Several design charts are provided to analyze the effects of rock layer thickness on tunnel face stability,tunnel diameter,the arrangement sequence of weak and strong rock layers,and the variation in rock layer parameters at different positions.The results indicate that the thickness of the rock layer,tunnel diameter,and arrangement sequence of weak and strong rock layers significantly affect the tunnel face stability.Variations in the parameters of the lower layer of the tunnel face have a greater effect on tunnel stability than those of the upper layer.