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Sensitivity of the stability assessment of a deep excavation to the material characterisations and analysis methods

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Abstract

Due to the spatial variability of material characterisations in deep and large scale excavations, stability assessment is often a challenging task. Numerous slope stability analysis methods based on a range of assumptions and principles are implemented in commercial software packages to ease the process of stability assessment of non-homogeneous and multi-layered slopes. However, the selection of a suitable method remains crucial as the application of an unrealistic or unsuitable method may lead to catastrophic consequences. Besides material shear strength parameters, and analysis methods, non-strength characterisations such as permeability and creep can affect the result of slope stability analysis significantly. In this study, the sensitivity of the stability assessment of a deep excavation in Australia to material characterisations such as friction angle, cohesion and permeability and creep is investigated by the use of different formulations and assumptions of the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) and the Finite Element Method (FEM) as the two most common slope stability methods. The results show that the stability assessment is highly sensitive to the applied method and assumptions. Moreover, the role of material strength and non-strength parameters and the selection of a suitable constitutive model in slope stability assessment is presented.

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Abbreviations

LEM:

Limit Equilibrium Method

FEM:

Finite Element Method

FOSM:

First Order Second Moment

LE:

Limit Equilibrium

FoS:

Factor of Safety

SSR:

Shear Strength Reduction

SRF:

Strength Reduction Factor

FE:

Finite Element

bgl:

Below ground level

SI:

Scenario 1

SII:

Scenario 2

SIII:

Scenario 3

SIV:

Scenario 4

LEMC:

Linear Elastic model combined with perfectly plastic Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion

HS:

Hardening Soil

SSC:

Soft Soil Creep

NEPWP:

Negative Excess Pore-Water Pressure

E :

Interslice normal force

X:

Interslice shear force

τ :

Shear strength

c’ :

Effective cohesion

ϕ’ :

Effective friction angle

c* :

Reduced cohesion

ϕ* :

Reduced internal friction angle

E′:

Elastic modulus

ν′:

Poisson’s ratio

Eref50 :

Reference stiffness modulus related to the reference stress (here 100 kPa)

Erefoed :

Tangent stiffness for primary oedometer loading

Erefur :

Unloading/reloading stiffness

K0 :

Earth pressure coefficient at rest

λ*:

Modified compression index

К*:

Modified swelling index

μ*:

Modified creep index

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Acknowledgements

Financial support for this research has been provided by Earth Resources Regulation of the Victorian State Government Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources. The first and second authors are funded by the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) and the GHERG scholarship programme. The authors also wish to thank Mr Mojtaba Karami for providing the results of geotechnical laboratory tests on coal and non-coal samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geotechnical and Hydrogeological Engineering Research Group (GHERG), Federation University Australia, Churchill, VIC, Australia

    Mohsen Ghadrdan & Tahereh Shaghaghi

  2. School of Engineering, College of Sciences and Engineering, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia

    Ali Tolooiyan

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  1. Mohsen Ghadrdan
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Ghadrdan, M., Shaghaghi, T. & Tolooiyan, A. Sensitivity of the stability assessment of a deep excavation to the material characterisations and analysis methods. Geomech. Geophys. Geo-energ. Geo-resour. 6, 59 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-020-00186-6

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