Abstract
There is global concern about the stability of rock slopes in open pit mines while the limit equilibrium technique used for modeling complex geometries and forces fails to provide a complete understanding of the behavior of rock slopes due to its inherent shortcomings. However, numerical approaches to modeling complex rock structures have improved the general understanding of these slope structures. In this study, geological and geotechnical data were obtained from both exploration drill holes and laboratory tests using face mapping and scanline surveys to reveal three major joint sets related to the regional tectonic history at the Cham-Shir dam power plant pit in Iran. The joints play an important role in the slope stability of the open pit, notably in terms of planar and wedge failures. Moreover, both the limit equilibrium technique and the discrete element method were employed to analyze the stability of the Cham-Shir dam power plant pit in an attempt to evaluate its behavior under both supported and unsupported conditions in the three modes of continuous rock mass, rock mass with two joint sets, and rock mass with three joint sets. Results show that the rock mass is stable in the continuous mode. The possible failure must, therefore, be due to the structure type and the joint sets at the site. To address the requirements and to resolve the problem, a simulation study was conducted. Based on the findings, stage by stage excavations are recommended for the study site.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alade SM, Abdulazeez SS (2014) Kinematic assessment of rock slope stability at Obajana and Ewekoro quarries. Earth Sci 3:34–41
Brown ET (1981) Rock characterization, testing and monitoring. ISRM Suggested Methods. Pergamon, Oxford
Bye AR, Bell FG (2001a) Stability assessment and slope design at Sandsloot open pit, South Africa. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 38:449–466
Bye AR, Bell FG (2001b) Geotechnical applications in open pit mining. Geotech Geol Eng 19:97–117
Cundall PA, Strack ODL (1979) A discrete numerical model for granular assemblies. Geotechnique 29(1):47–65
Donzé FV, Harthong B, Scholtès L (2013) A DEM analysis of step-path failure in jointed rock slopes. 47th US Rock mechanics/geomechanics symposium, ARMA
Duncan JM (1996) State of the art: limit equilibrium and finite-element analysis of slopes. J Geotech Eng ASCE 122(7):577–596
Eberhardt E (2003) Rock slope stability analysis utilization of advanced numerical techniques. Earth and Ocean Sciences at UBC
Engineering Geology and Rock Mechanics Report of Chame-Shir dam and hydroelectric power project (2011)
Gen-hua Shi, Goodman RE (1985) Two dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis. Int J Numer Anal Meth Geomech 9(6):541–556
Griffiths DV, Lane PA (1999) Slope stability analysis by finite elements. Geotechnique 49(3):387–403
Griffiths DV, Marquez RM (2007) Three-dimensional slope stability analysis by elasto-plastic finite elements. Géotechnique 57(6):537–546
He MC, Feng JL, Sun XM (2008) Stability evaluation and optimal excavated design of rock slope at Antaibao open pit coal mine, China. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 45:289–302
Hoek E, Bray JW (1981) Rock slope engineering. The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London
Itasca (2004) UDEC-Universal Distinct Element Code, Version 4.0. Itasca Consulting Group, Inc., Minneapolis
Itasca (2007) 3DEC-3-dimensional Distinct Element Code, Version 4.1. Itasca Consulting Group, Inc., Minneapolis
Jiang Q, Qi Z, Wei W, Zhou C (2015) Stability assessment of a high rock slope by strength reduction finite element method. Bull Eng Geol Environ 74:1153–1162
Kıncal C (2014) Application of two new stereographic projection techniques to slope stability problems. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 66:136–150
Lin P, Liu XL, Zhou WY, Wang RK, Wang SY (2015) Cracking, stability and slope reinforcement analysis relating to the Jinping dam based on a geomechanical model test. Arab J Geosci 8(7):4393–4410
Lin P, Liu XL, Hu SY, Li PJ (2016) Large deformation analysis on a high slope relating to the Laxiwa reservoir, China. Rock Mech Rock Eng. doi: 10.1007/s00603-016-0925-0
Liu Y, Wu Z, Chang Q, Li B, Yang Q (2015) Stability and reinforcement analysis of rock slope based on elasto-plastic finite element method. J Cent South Univ 22:2739–2751
Ma GW (2012) Discontinuous deformation analysis: advances and challenges. 12th ISRM International Congress on Rock Mechanics Beijing, China. Taylor & Francis Group, London, pp 99–108
Porathur JL, Srikrishnan S, Chandrani PV, Jhanwar JC, Roy PP (2014) Slope stability assessment approach for multiple seams highwall mining extractions. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 70:444–449
Sainsbury DP, Pierce ME, Lorig LJ (2003) Two and three-dimensional numerical analysis of the interaction between open pit slope stability and remnant underground voids. Proceedings of the 5th Large open pit conference, Western Australia, November, pp 251–257
Scavia C (2015) The displacement discontinuity method in the analysis of open cracks. Meccanica 26(1):27–32
Shi G, Goodman RE (1989) Generalization of two-dimensional dis-continuous deformation analysis for forward modeling. Int J Numer Anal Meth Geomech 13(4):359–380
Soren K, Budi G, Sen P (2014) Stability analysis of open pit slope by finite difference method. Int J Res Eng Technol 3:326–334
Tang L, Tang K, Nie D, Wang J, Liu D (2013) High slope stability of diversion power system intake of Jinchuan Hydropower Station. J Mt Sci 10(6):1109–1117
Yoon WS, Jeong UJ, Kim JH (2002) Kinematic analyses for sliding failure of multi-faced rock slopes. Eng Geol 67:51–61
Acknowledgments
The authors express their thanks to the Iran Water and Power Resources Development. The authors would also like to acknowledge the assistance of Mr. Fazel for his assistance and his colleagues for their support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Faramarzi, L., Zare, M., Azhari, A. et al. Assessment of rock slope stability at Cham-Shir Dam Power Plant pit using the limit equilibrium method and numerical modeling. Bull Eng Geol Environ 76, 783–794 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-016-0870-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-016-0870-x