The Importance of Rock Mass Damage in the Kinematics of Landslides
The stability and kinematics of rock slopes are widely considered to be functions of lithological, structural, and environmental features. Conversely, slope damage features are often overlooked and considered as byproducts of slope deformation. This paper analyzes and discusses the potential role of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Geosciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/13/2/52 |
| _version_ | 1797620736703070208 |
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| author | Davide Donati Doug Stead Lisa Borgatti |
| author_facet | Davide Donati Doug Stead Lisa Borgatti |
| author_sort | Davide Donati |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The stability and kinematics of rock slopes are widely considered to be functions of lithological, structural, and environmental features. Conversely, slope damage features are often overlooked and considered as byproducts of slope deformation. This paper analyzes and discusses the potential role of slope damage, its time-dependent nature, and its control on both the stability of rock slopes and their kinematics. The analysis of several major landslides and unstable slopes, combined with a literature survey, shows that slope damage can play an important role in controlling short- and long-term slope stability. Seasonal and continuously active events cause permanent deformation within the slope due to the accumulation of slope damage features, including rock mass dilation and intact rock fracturing. Rock mass quality, lithology, and scale control the characteristics and complexity of slope damage, as well as the failure mechanism. The authors propose that the role of slope damage in slope kinematics should always be considered in slope stability analysis, and that an integrated characterization–monitoring–numerical modelling approach can enhance our understanding of slope damage, its evolution, and the controlling factors. Finally, it is emphasized that there is currently a lack of guidelines or frameworks for the quantitative assessment and classification of slope damage, which requires a multidisciplinary approach combining rock mechanics, geomorphology, engineering geology, remote sensing, and geophysics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:46:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-698ecae7a4ef42368012268906f8ae90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:46:53Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-698ecae7a4ef42368012268906f8ae902023-11-16T20:44:54ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632023-02-011325210.3390/geosciences13020052The Importance of Rock Mass Damage in the Kinematics of LandslidesDavide Donati0Doug Stead1Lisa Borgatti2Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Material Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, 40136 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Earth Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaDepartment of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Material Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, 40136 Bologna, ItalyThe stability and kinematics of rock slopes are widely considered to be functions of lithological, structural, and environmental features. Conversely, slope damage features are often overlooked and considered as byproducts of slope deformation. This paper analyzes and discusses the potential role of slope damage, its time-dependent nature, and its control on both the stability of rock slopes and their kinematics. The analysis of several major landslides and unstable slopes, combined with a literature survey, shows that slope damage can play an important role in controlling short- and long-term slope stability. Seasonal and continuously active events cause permanent deformation within the slope due to the accumulation of slope damage features, including rock mass dilation and intact rock fracturing. Rock mass quality, lithology, and scale control the characteristics and complexity of slope damage, as well as the failure mechanism. The authors propose that the role of slope damage in slope kinematics should always be considered in slope stability analysis, and that an integrated characterization–monitoring–numerical modelling approach can enhance our understanding of slope damage, its evolution, and the controlling factors. Finally, it is emphasized that there is currently a lack of guidelines or frameworks for the quantitative assessment and classification of slope damage, which requires a multidisciplinary approach combining rock mechanics, geomorphology, engineering geology, remote sensing, and geophysics.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/13/2/52slope damageslope kinematicslandslidesslope stabilityrock slopesrock mass quality |
| spellingShingle | Davide Donati Doug Stead Lisa Borgatti The Importance of Rock Mass Damage in the Kinematics of Landslides Geosciences slope damage slope kinematics landslides slope stability rock slopes rock mass quality |
| title | The Importance of Rock Mass Damage in the Kinematics of Landslides |
| title_full | The Importance of Rock Mass Damage in the Kinematics of Landslides |
| title_fullStr | The Importance of Rock Mass Damage in the Kinematics of Landslides |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Importance of Rock Mass Damage in the Kinematics of Landslides |
| title_short | The Importance of Rock Mass Damage in the Kinematics of Landslides |
| title_sort | importance of rock mass damage in the kinematics of landslides |
| topic | slope damage slope kinematics landslides slope stability rock slopes rock mass quality |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/13/2/52 |
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