Influence of Fracture Geometric Characteristics on Fractured Rock Slope Stability
Analysis of the stability of slopes in fractured rock masses is not trivial and is fraught with uncertainty and risk. A DFN-DEC model (Discrete Fracture Network-Distinct Element Code) based on the MATLAB platform is developed to evaluate the stability of rock slopes with random fractures. Then, the...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/236 |
| _version_ | 1797626314041065472 |
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| author | Lin Jia Jingsen Cai Li Wu Tiange Qin Kun Song |
| author_facet | Lin Jia Jingsen Cai Li Wu Tiange Qin Kun Song |
| author_sort | Lin Jia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Analysis of the stability of slopes in fractured rock masses is not trivial and is fraught with uncertainty and risk. A DFN-DEC model (Discrete Fracture Network-Distinct Element Code) based on the MATLAB platform is developed to evaluate the stability of rock slopes with random fractures. Then, the influences of mean values of geometric characteristics (i.e., the trace length <i>T</i>, the dip <i>D</i>, and the spacing <i>S</i>) for both the horizontal (denoted with 1) and inclined (denoted with 2) fractures on the mean slope stability are investigated. The results indicate that the proposed DFN-DEC model based on the MATLAB platform is adequate, robust, and can generate more realistic fracture networks. By means of probabilistic analysis (i.e., Monte Carlo simulation), we can obtain a more accurate stability assessment result of fractured rock slopes. In addition, it is found that the <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><mi>F</mi><mi>s</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the mean of <i>Fs</i>) of slopes decreases with the increase in <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>T</mi><mn>1</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>T</mi><mn>2</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the mean trace length of horizontal and inclined fractures, respectively) and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mn>1</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the mean dip of horizontal fractures), and increases gradually with the increase in <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mn>2</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the mean dip of inclined fractures), <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>S</mi><mn>1</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>S</mi><mn>2</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the mean spacing of horizontal and inclined fractures, respectively). Furthermore, the geometric characteristics related to inclined fractures have a much greater influence on <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><mi>F</mi><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> than that related to horizontal fractures. This study can be well applied in engineering practice, e.g., preliminary evaluation of the slope stability according to the statistics of fracture geometric characteristics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:08:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2954cc77e0ff4d4abe68b93e36eda604 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:08:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-2954cc77e0ff4d4abe68b93e36eda6042023-11-16T14:52:33ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-12-0113123610.3390/app13010236Influence of Fracture Geometric Characteristics on Fractured Rock Slope StabilityLin Jia0Jingsen Cai1Li Wu2Tiange Qin3Kun Song4Faculty of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaFaculty of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaFaculty of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaFaculty of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaKey Laboratory of Geological Hazards on Three Gorges Reservoir Area, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, ChinaAnalysis of the stability of slopes in fractured rock masses is not trivial and is fraught with uncertainty and risk. A DFN-DEC model (Discrete Fracture Network-Distinct Element Code) based on the MATLAB platform is developed to evaluate the stability of rock slopes with random fractures. Then, the influences of mean values of geometric characteristics (i.e., the trace length <i>T</i>, the dip <i>D</i>, and the spacing <i>S</i>) for both the horizontal (denoted with 1) and inclined (denoted with 2) fractures on the mean slope stability are investigated. The results indicate that the proposed DFN-DEC model based on the MATLAB platform is adequate, robust, and can generate more realistic fracture networks. By means of probabilistic analysis (i.e., Monte Carlo simulation), we can obtain a more accurate stability assessment result of fractured rock slopes. In addition, it is found that the <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><mi>F</mi><mi>s</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the mean of <i>Fs</i>) of slopes decreases with the increase in <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>T</mi><mn>1</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>T</mi><mn>2</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the mean trace length of horizontal and inclined fractures, respectively) and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mn>1</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the mean dip of horizontal fractures), and increases gradually with the increase in <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mn>2</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the mean dip of inclined fractures), <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>S</mi><mn>1</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><msub><mi>S</mi><mn>2</mn></msub></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> (the mean spacing of horizontal and inclined fractures, respectively). Furthermore, the geometric characteristics related to inclined fractures have a much greater influence on <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>μ</mi><mrow><mi>F</mi><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> than that related to horizontal fractures. This study can be well applied in engineering practice, e.g., preliminary evaluation of the slope stability according to the statistics of fracture geometric characteristics.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/236fractured rock slopestability analysisfracture geometryDFN-DEC modelMonte Carlo simulation |
| spellingShingle | Lin Jia Jingsen Cai Li Wu Tiange Qin Kun Song Influence of Fracture Geometric Characteristics on Fractured Rock Slope Stability Applied Sciences fractured rock slope stability analysis fracture geometry DFN-DEC model Monte Carlo simulation |
| title | Influence of Fracture Geometric Characteristics on Fractured Rock Slope Stability |
| title_full | Influence of Fracture Geometric Characteristics on Fractured Rock Slope Stability |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Fracture Geometric Characteristics on Fractured Rock Slope Stability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Fracture Geometric Characteristics on Fractured Rock Slope Stability |
| title_short | Influence of Fracture Geometric Characteristics on Fractured Rock Slope Stability |
| title_sort | influence of fracture geometric characteristics on fractured rock slope stability |
| topic | fractured rock slope stability analysis fracture geometry DFN-DEC model Monte Carlo simulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/236 |
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