Design of micropiles to increase earth slopes stability

A methodology was proposed for the design of micropiles to increase earth slopes stability. An analytic model based on bearn-colurnn equation and an existing P-y curve method was set up and used to find the shear capacity of the micropile. Then, a step-by-step design procedure for stabilization of earth slope with rnicropiles was introduced, involving six main steps： 1） Choosing a location for the rnicropiles within the existing slope; 2） Selecting micropile cross section; 3） Estimating length of rnicropile; 4） Evaluating shear capacity of mieropiles; 5） Calculating spacing required to provide force to stabilize the slope; 6） Designing the concrete cap beam. The application of the method to an embankment landslide in Qinghai Province was described in detail. In the final design, three rows of rnicropiles were adopted as a group and a total of 126 rnicropiles with 0.23 m in diameter were used. The micropile length ranged between 15 and 18 m, with the spacing 1.5 m at in-row direction. The monitoring data indicate that slope movement has been effectively controlled as a result of the slope stabilization measure, which verifies the reasonability of the design method.

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.

Stability analysis of loose accumulation slopes under rainfall:case study of a high‑speed railway in Southwest China

The high and steep slopes along a high-speed railway in the mountainous area of Southwest China are mostly composed of loose accumulations of debris with large internal pores and poor stability,which can easily induce adverse geological disasters under rainfall conditions.To ensure the smooth construction of the high-speed railway and the subsequent safe operation,it is necessary to master the stability evolution process of the loose accumulation slope under rainfall.This article simulates rainfall using the finite element analysis software’s hydromechanical coupling module.The slope stability under various rainfall situations is calculated and analysed based on the strength reduction method.To validate the simulation results,a field monitoring system is established to study the deformation characteristics of the slope under rainfall.The results show that rainfall duration is the key factor affecting slope stability.Given a constant amount of rainfall,the stability of the slope decreases with increasing duration of rainfall.Moreover,when the amount and duration of rainfall are constant,continuous rainfall has a greater impact on slope stability than intermittent rainfall.The setting of the field retaining structures has a significant role in improving slope stability.The field monitoring data show that the slope is in the initial deformation stage and has good stability,which verifies the rationality of the numerical simulation method.The research results can provide some references for understanding the influence of rainfall on the stability of loose accumulation slopes along high-speed railways and establishing a monitoring system.

Flume experiments to study fine-grain migration and its impact on slope stability

Fine grains migration is a primary cause of landslides and debris flows.This study investigates the effect of fine-grain migration on slope failure through flume experiments,focusing on the spatiotemporal characteristics and mechanisms of slope stability.A series of artificial rainfall flume experiments with varying rainfall intensities and slopes were conducted using soil samples collected from Wei Jia Gully.The experiments monitored pore-water pressure,grain migration,and failure sequences.Grain-size distribution parameters(μand Dc)were analyzed to understand the migration path and accumulation of fine grains.The experiments reveal that fine-grain migration significantly alters soil structure,leading to random blockage and interconnection of internal pore channels.These changes result in fluctuating pore-water pressure distributions and uneven fine-grain accumulation,critical factors in slope stability.Slope failures occur randomly and intermittently,influenced by fine-grain content in runoff and resulting pore-water pressure variations.This study highlights that fine-grain migration plays a vital role in slope stability,with significant implications for predicting and mitigating slope failures.The stochastic nature of fine-grain migration and its impact on soil properties should be incorporated into predictive models to enhance their accuracy and reliability.

Infiltration,runoff,and slope stability behaviors of infinite slope with macropores based on an improved Green–Ampt model

Infiltration–runoff–slope instability mechanism of macropore slope under heavy rainfall is unclear.This paper studied its instability mechanism with an improved Green–Ampt(GA)model considering the dual-porosity(i.e.,matrix and macropore)and ponding condition,and proposed the infiltration equations,infiltration–runoff coupled model,and safety factor calculation method.Results show that the infiltration processes of macropore slope can be divided into three stages,and the proposed model is rational by a comparative analysis.The wetting front depth of the traditional unsaturated slope is 17.2%larger than that of the macropore slope in the early rainfall stage and 27%smaller than that of the macropore slope in the late rainfall stage.Then,macropores benefit the slope stability in the early rainfall but not in the latter.Macropore flow does not occur initially but becomes pronounced with increasing rainfall duration.The equal depth of the wetting front in the two domains is regarded as the onset criteria of macropore flow.Parameter analysis shows that macropore flow is delayed by increasing proportion of macropore domain(ω_(f)),whereas promoted by increasing ratio of saturated permeability coefficients between the two domains(μ).The increasing trend of ponding depth is sharp at first and then grows slowly.Finally,when rainfall duration is less than 3 h,ωf andμhave no significant effect on the safety factor,whereas it decreases with increasingωf and increases with increasingμunder longer duration(≥3 h).With the increase ofω_(f),the slope maximum instability time advances by 10.5 h,and with the increase ofμ,the slope maximum instability time delays by 3.1 h.

Bio-cementation for tidal erosion resistance improvement of foreshore slopes based on microbially induced magnesium and calcium precipitation

In most coastal and estuarine areas,tides easily cause surface erosion and even slope failure,resulting in severe land losses,deterioration of coastal infrastructure,and increased floods.The bio-cementation technique has been previously demonstrated to effectively improve the erosion resistance of slopes.Seawater contains magnesium ions(Mg^(2+))with a higher concentration than calcium ions(Ca^(2+));therefore,Mg^(2+)and Ca^(2+)were used together for bio-cementation in this study at various Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratios as the microbially induced magnesium and calcium precipitation(MIMCP)treatment.Slope angles,surface strengths,precipitation contents,major phases,and microscopic characteristics of precipitation were used to evaluate the treatment effects.Results showed that the MIMCP treatment markedly enhanced the erosion resistance of slopes.Decreased Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratios resulted in a smaller change in angles and fewer soil losses,especially the Mg^(2+)concentration below 0.2 M.The decreased Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratio achieved increased precipitation contents,which contributed to better erosion resistance and higher surface strengths.Additionally,the production of aragonite would benefit from elevated Mg^(2+)concentrations and a higher Ca^(2+)concentration led to more nesquehonite in magnesium precipitation crystals.The slopes with an initial angle of 53°had worse erosion resistance than the slopes with an initial angle of 35°,but the Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratios of 0.2:0.8,0.1:0.9,and 0:1.0 were effective for both slope stabilization and erosion mitigation to a great extent.The results are of great significance for the application of MIMCP to improve erosion resistance of foreshore slopes and the MIMCP technique has promising application potential in marine engineering.

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.

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.

Reliability analysis of slope stability by neural network,principal component analysis,and transfer learning techniques

The prediction of slope stability is considered as one of the critical concerns in geotechnical engineering.Conventional stochastic analysis with spatially variable slopes is time-consuming and highly computation-demanding.To assess the slope stability problems with a more desirable computational effort,many machine learning(ML)algorithms have been proposed.However,most ML-based techniques require that the training data must be in the same feature space and have the same distribution,and the model may need to be rebuilt when the spatial distribution changes.This paper presents a new ML-based algorithm,which combines the principal component analysis(PCA)-based neural network(NN)and transfer learning(TL)techniques(i.e.PCAeNNeTL)to conduct the stability analysis of slopes with different spatial distributions.The Monte Carlo coupled with finite element simulation is first conducted for data acquisition considering the spatial variability of cohesive strength or friction angle of soils from eight slopes with the same geometry.The PCA method is incorporated into the neural network algorithm(i.e.PCA-NN)to increase the computational efficiency by reducing the input variables.It is found that the PCA-NN algorithm performs well in improving the prediction of slope stability for a given slope in terms of the computational accuracy and computational effort when compared with the other two algorithms(i.e.NN and decision trees,DT).Furthermore,the PCAeNNeTL algorithm shows great potential in assessing the stability of slope even with fewer training data.

Probabilistic seismic stability of three-dimensional slopes by pseudo-dynamic approach

Probabilistic analysis is a rational approach for engineering design because it provides more insight than traditional deterministic analysis. Probabilistic evaluation on seismic stability of three dimensional (3D) slopes is studied in this paper. The slope safety factor is computed by combining the kinematic approach of limit analysis using a three-dimensional rotational failure mechanism with the pseudo-dynamic approach. The variability of input parameters, including six pseudo-dynamic parameters and two soil shear strength parameters, are taken into account by means of Monte-Carlo Simulations (MCS) method. The influences of pseudo-dynamic input variables on the computed failure probabilities are investigated and discussed. It is shown that the obtained failure probabilities increase with the pseudo-dynamic input variables and the pseudo-dynamic approach gives more conservative failure probability estimates compared with the pseudo-static approach.

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.

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.

A new design equation for drained stability of conical slopes in cohesive-frictional soils

New plasticity solutions to the drained stability of conical slopes in homogeneous cohesive-frictional soils were investigated by axisymmetric finite element limit analysis. Three parameters were studied,i.e. excavated height ratios, slope inclination angles, and soil friction angles. The influences of these parameters on the stability factor and predicted failure mechanism of conical slopes were discussed. A new design equation developed from a nonlinear regression of the lower bound solution was proposed for drained stability analyses of a conical slope in practice. Numerical examples were given to demonstrate a practical application of the proposed equation to stability evaluations of conical slopes with both associated and non-associated flow rules.

Comparison of seismic stability for slopes with tensile strength cut-off and cracks

The strength of geomaterials is typically predicted by the Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion in slope stability analysis.The tensile strength of soils in this yield criterion,which is an extrapolation of the triaxial compression test results,is usually overestimated.Generally,the influences of tensile stresses in slopes are evaluated by two approaches:1)introducing cracks to eliminate the tensile stresses in slopes,and 2)truncating the strength envelope to reduce the tensile strength of the soils.However,comparative analyses of the two approaches have not been fully implemented,especially under dynamic conditions.In this study,three slope failure mechanisms corresponding to the predictions of slope stability by the mentioned two approaches subjected to seismic loadings are systematically evaluated.The stability factor considering the pre-existing crack,crack formation,and tension cut-off are compared one another.The most unfavorable crack locations corresponding to the different mechanisms are evaluated.The influence of tensile strength on the factor of safety of slopes is estimated as well.Further,the critical acceleration and the permanent displacement of slopes with pre-existing crack,and tension cut-off are derived in the framework of the kinematic theorem of limit analysis.The vertical effects of seismic coefficient on critical acceleration and permanent displacement are discussed.Conclusions can be drawn that the consideration of tension zone effects can sharply reduce the stability factor of slopes,especially for steep slopes and large horizontal seismic loads;different from the static condition,the slope with pre-existing crack is not always the most vulnerable to collapse,the tension cut-off mechanism in steep slopes may predict the lowest stability factor.In addition,the calculation shows that an evidently increase in the slope displacement is induced by the increasing downward vertical loads,while a decrease occurs if the vertical loads are upward.

Limit equilibrium stability analysis of slopes under external loads

Two calculation modes for the effect of external load on slope stability, i.e., mode I in which the external load is thought to act on slope surface, and mode II in which the external load is thought to act on slip surface along the force action line, were considered. Meanwhile, four basic distribution patterns of external load were used, of which complex external loads could be composed. In analysis process, several limit equilibrium methods, such as Swedish method, simplified Bishop method, simplified Janbu method, Spencer method, Morgenstern-Price(M-P) method, Sarma method, and unbalanced thrust method, were also adopted to contrast their differences in slope stability under the external load. According to parametric analysis, some conclusions can be obtained as follows:(1) The external load, with the large magnitude, small inclination angle, and acting position close to the slope toe,has more positive effect on slope stability;(2) The results calculated using modes I and II of external load are similar, indicating that the calculation mode of external load has little influence on slope stability;(3) If different patterns of external loads are equivalent to each other, their slope stability under these external loads are the same, and if not, the external load leads to the better slope stability,as action position of the resultant force for external load is closer to the lower sliding point of slip surface.

A pseudo-coupled numerical approach for stability analysis of frozen soil slopes based on finite element limit analysis method

To simplify the stability analysis of frozen soil slope, a pseudo-coupled numerical approach is developed. In this approach, the coupled heat transfer and water flow in frozen soils are simulated first, and based on the computed thermal-hydro field, the stability of frozen soil slope is evaluated. Although the shear strength for frozen soil is very complicated and is usually represented by a nonlinear MC failure criterion, a simple linear MC yield criterion is utilized. In this method, the internal friction angle is expressed as a function of volumetric ice content and the cohesion is fitted as a simple bilinear expression of Tand volumetric water content. To assess slope stability, the limit analysis is employed in conjunction with the recently developed a-section search algorithm. A frozen soil slope example is used to examine the proposed pseudo-coupled numerical approach, and numerical studies validate its effectiveness. Based on numerical results, it is seen that slope stability may be remarkably influenced by warming air （or grotmd surface） temperature. With increasing ground surface temperature, slope stability indicated by FOS may reduce to 1.0, implying that wanning air temperature could be a trigger of frozen soil slope failure.

Surficial Stability Analysis of Unsaturated Loess Slopes Subjected to Rainfall Infiltration Effects

According to theory of unsaturated soil strength and Green-Ampt model, an analysis method based on limit equilibrium theory is introduced to consider rainfall infiltration effects in loess slope stability analysis. The relationships between wetting band depth and surficial stability of slopes are analyzed. It is found that the infiltration adds to the weight of the soil and at the same time reduces the shear strength provided by matric suction of the soil. The wetting band depth plays a key role in the stability of slopes. The minimum rainfall intensity and the minimum rainfall duration needed to infiltrate to the wetting front depth are calculated based on the Green-Ampt model. The method in this paper will contribute to the predication of slope stability considering rainfall characteristics.

Influences of nonassociated flow rules on three-dimensional seismic stability of loaded slopes

The influences of soil dilatancy angle on three-dimensional （3D） seismic stability of locally-loaded slopes in nonassociated flow rule materials were investigated using a new rotational collapse mechanism and quasi-static coefficient concept. Extended Bishop method and Boussinesq theorem were employed to establish the stress distribution along the rupture surfaces that are required to obtain the rate of internal energy dissipation for the nonassociated flow rule materials in rotational collapse mechanisms. Good agreement was observed by comparing the current results with those obtained using the translational or rotational mechanisms and numerical finite difference method. The results indicate that the seismic stability of slopes reduces by decreasing the dilatancy angle for nonassociated flow rule materials. The amount of the mentioned decrease is more significant in the case of mild slopes in frictional soils. A nearly infinite slope under local loading, whether its critical failure surface is 2D or 3D, not only depends on the magnitude of the external load, but also depends on the dilataney angle of soil and the coefficient of seismic load.

Stability analysis of open-pit gold mine slopes and optimization of mining scheme in Inner Mongolia,China

The geological structure of the Changshanhao open-pit mine in Urad Middle Banner,Inner Mongolia,China is extremely complicated,and slope instability has frequently occurred in various forms,such as wedge sliding,bedding sliding,and toppling failure.In order to study the failure mechanisms of these slopes,the geological structure and mechanical rock properties were investigated based on field investigations and laboratory tests.Numerical models for the present mining area and final mining area of the original scheme were established to analyze slope stability.The results showed that the unique geomorphological characteristics of the mining area were generated by geological tectonism,and the north side of the stope is an anti-dip layered rock slope and the south side is a dip layered rock slope.Slope failure is the consequence of endogenic and exogenic integration,including physical and mechanical properties of the rock mass,geological structures such as faults and joints,and human-caused factors such as blasting and excavation disturbances.Then the original excavation scheme was redesigned mainly by optimizing the slope angle and decreasing the final mining depth to maintain slope stability.Finally,the Monte Carlo method was used to analyze the reliability of the slope angle optimization scheme.The open-pit mine excavation plan that meets the stability requirements was obtained eventually.

Evaluation of the stability of vegetated slopes according to layout and temporal changes

Vegetation in slopes can effectively improve slope stability.However,it is difficult to estimate the effects of vegetation on slope stability because of variations in plant species and environmental conditions.Moreover,influences of plant growth on slope stability change with time,resulting in changes in the safety factor.This study was conducted to evaluate the stability of vegetated slopes with time and investigate the effects of different layouts of plant species on slope stability.Here,we used a plant growth model and slope stability analysis to build an evaluation model.To accomplish this,one species of tree,shrub and grass was chosen to set six layout patterns.A slope with no vegetation served as a control.The safety factors of the seven slopes were then calculated using the developed evaluation model and differences in the safety factors of slopes were compared and discussed.The slope vegetated with Platycladus orientalis reached the most stable state at the age of 60 years.Shrub slope(Vitex negundo)had the maximum safety factor after 20 years.Overall,the safety factor of vegetated slopes increased from 12.1%to 49.6% compared to the slope with no vegetation.When wind force was considered,the safety factor value of the slope changed from 3.5%to 43.5%.Vegetation mixtures of trees and grasses resulted in the best slope stability.Planting grasses on slopes can improve slope stability of trees to a greater degree than that of slopes with shrubs in the early stage of growth.