Abstract
Rock slopes require geo-engineering evaluation to assess the instability of critical slopes leading to landslides particularly in Himalayan terrain where rocks are highly jointed, fractured and weathering prone. Interplay of discontinuities in the rocks coupled with other parameters is one of the prime causes of failure of slopes. Engineering rock mass classification, such as, rock mass rating (RMR) and slope mass rating (SMR) along with geological strength index (GSI) have widely been used for stability assessment of rock slopes above tunnel portals, and these classifications are employed here for assessment of stability of slopes of critical nature along Rampur-Powari highway in Himachal Pradesh. In the present study, out of 154 numbers of slopes, a total of 29 have been selected for assessment of their criticality by employing RMR, SMR and GSI.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bhargava, O.N. and Bassi, U.K. (1998) Tectonic map of Spiti-Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. Geol. Surv. India Mem., v.124, fig no. 4.27.
Bieniawski, Z.T. (1973) Engineering classification of jointed rock masses. Trans. S. Afr. Inst. Civ. Eng., v.15, pp.335–344.
Bieniawski, Z.T. (1974) Geomechanics classification of rock masses and its application in tunnelling. In: Proceedings of 3rd International Congress of Rock Mechanics, ISRM, Denver, VIIA, pp.27–32.
Bieniawski, Z.T. (1976) Rock mass classification in rock engineering. In Exploration of rock engineering. Proceedings of Symposium (ed. Z.T. Bieniawski), Cape Town, Balkema, v. 1, 97–106.
Bieniawski, Z.T. (1979) The Geomechanical classification in rock engineering application. In: Proceedings of 4th International Congress of Rock Mechanics, ISRM Montreux, Balkema, Rotterdam, v. 2, pp. 41–48.
Bieniawski, Z.T. (1989) Engineering Rock Mass Classification. Wiley- Interscience, New York, pp.251.
Gupta, V., Sah, M. P., Virdi, N.S. and Bartarya, S.K. (1993) Landslide Hazard Zonation in the Upper Satluj Valley, District Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. Jour Him Geol, v. 4(1), pp.81–93.
Singh, B. and Goel, R.K. (1999) Rock Mass Classification: a practical approach in civil engineering. Elsevier, pp.34.
Hoek, E. (1994) Strength of rock and rock masses. ISRM News Journal, v. 2(2), pp.4–16.
Hoek, E., Marinos, P. and Benissi, P. (1998) Applicability of the geological strength index (GSI) classification for very weak and sheared rock masses. The case of the Athens Schist Formation. Bull. Eng. Geol. Env., v. 57, pp. 151–160.
Hoek, E. and Brown, E.T. (1980) Underground excavations in rock. The Institution of Mining Metallurgy, London, pp.527.
Hoek, E., Carranza-Torres, C.T. and Corkum, B. (2002) Hoek-Brown failure criterion: 2002 edition. Proc. N. Am. Roc. Mech. Soc. Meeting. Toronto, Canada, pp.1–6.
Hoek, E., Kaiser, P.K. and Bawden, W.F. (1995) Support of underground excavations in hard rock. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp.214.
Hoek, E. and Brown, E.T. (1997) Practical estimates of rock mass strength. Int. Jour. Roc. Mech. Min. Sci., v.34 (8), pp. 1165–1186.
Hoek, E., Wood, D. and Shah, S. (1992) A modified Hoek-Brown criterion for jointed rock masses. Proc. Rock Characterisation, Symposium of International Society of Rock Mechanics: Eurock’92, (ed. J.A. Hudson), British Geotechnical Society, London, pp.209–214.
Hoek, E. and Marinos, P. (2000) Predicting Tunnel Squeezing. Tunnels and Tunnelling International. Part 1-November, 2000, Part 2-December, 2000.
Marinos, P. and Hoek, E. (2000) A geologically friendly tool for rock mass strength estimation. In: International conference on geotechnical and geological engineering (GeoEng2000), Melbourne, Australia, Technical Publishing Co. Inc., pp.1422–1440.
Marinos, P. and Hoek, E. (2001) Estimating the geotechnical properties of heterogeneous rock masses such as flysch. Bull. Eng. Geol. Env., v. 60, pp. 85–92.
Palmstrom, A. (1982) The volumetric joint count-a useful and simple measure of the degree of jointing. Proceedings of 4th International Congress of IAEG, New Delhi, pp.221–228.
Romana, M. (1985) New adjustment ratings for application of Bieniawski classification to slopes, International Symposium on the role of Rock Mechanics, Zacatecas, pp.49–53.
Singh, S. and Jain, A.K. (2009) SHRIMP U-PB c. 1860 Ma anorogenic magmatic signatures from the NW Himalaya: implications for Palaeoproterozoic assembly of the Columbia Supercontinent. Geol. Soc. London, Spec. Publ., v.323, pp.283–300.
Sonmez, H. and Ulusay, R. (1999) Modifications to the geological strength index (GSI) and their applicability to stability of slopes. Int. Jour. Roc. Mech. Min. Sci., v. 36, pp. 743–760.
Sonmez, H. and Ulusay, R. (2002) A discussion on the Hoek-Brown failure criterion and suggested modification to the criterion verified by slope stability case studies. Yerbilimleri (Earth Sciences), v. 26, pp. 77–99.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kumar, S., Kumar, K. & Dogra, N.N. Rock mass classification and assessment of stability of critical slopes on national highway-22 in Himachal Pradesh. J Geol Soc India 89, 407–412 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-017-0622-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-017-0622-y