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Assessment of the Stability of Rock Slopes by the Slope Stability Rating Classification System

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Abstract

Given the lack of suitable systems in the characterization of slope stability of heavily jointed rock masses, a new rock mass classification system called Slope Stability Rating (SSR) is proposed. In addition to the so-called modified Geological Strength Index, the proposed system considers five additional parameters whose relative effects on the stability of fractured rock slopes were precisely examined based on data retrieved from eight different rock slope sites in Iran. An overall rating for the rock mass is obtained from the summation of the individual ratings of each parameter. A number of design charts are provided as illustration. The new system was then validated based on 46 slope case histories from Iran and Australia. For this, by means of the design charts previously mentioned, a recommended stable angle for each slope was given and compared with the current slope conditions. As a result, SSR design charts for maximum excavation angle (FS = 1.0) and also for other more conservative excavation angles (FS = 1.2, 1.3, 1.5) were presented.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. Antoine Duttine for reading the paper and his helpful suggestions to improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan

    Abbas Taheri

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, 240-8501, Japan

    Kazuo Tani

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  1. Abbas Taheri
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  2. Kazuo Tani
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Correspondence to Abbas Taheri.

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Taheri, A., Tani, K. Assessment of the Stability of Rock Slopes by the Slope Stability Rating Classification System. Rock Mech Rock Eng 43, 321–333 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-009-0050-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-009-0050-4

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