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Application of the SSPC method in the stability assessment of highway rock slopes in the Yunnan province of China

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Abstract

Assessing the stability of rock slopes is an important and difficult problem. Rock mass classification systems have become a suitable tool for fast assessment of rock slope stability. In contrast to other slope stability classification systems, the slope stability probability classification (SSPC) method has made obvious progress. In this study, numerous excavation slopes were surveyed along the Wentian and Xiaolan highways in the Yunnan province, China and their basic data were collected in the field. From the slopes, we choose some typical excavation slopes with different structure types, such as cataclastic, granular, layered and blocked structures. According to the three-step analysis method in the SSPC system, failure probability of the excavation slopes were assessed based on the possible failure mechanisms and modes of the slopes. The results show that the SSPC method exhibited an accuracy of 70 % in the stability assessment of the highway slopes in the Yunnan province.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the open foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (SKLGP2013K023), National Key Basic Research Program of China (Nos. 2015CB452704 and 2013CB733205), and the Key Research Program of Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process, CAS (No.Y3K2040040). Special thanks are given to two anonymous referees for their constructive comments and advice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China

    X. Z. Li

  2. State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, Sichuan, China

    Q. Xu

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  1. X. Z. Li
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  2. Q. Xu
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Correspondence to X. Z. Li.

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Li, X.Z., Xu, Q. Application of the SSPC method in the stability assessment of highway rock slopes in the Yunnan province of China. Bull Eng Geol Environ 75, 551–562 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-015-0792-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-015-0792-z

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