Lecture 10 Slope S bili Cl Sl Stability Classification ifi i

Revision Slide
The strength of rock may be determ ned he determined through several standard laboratory and in-situ tests. Do not confuse data presentation from shear tests with Mohrs circles. From an engineering description of the rock mass we can use the Rock Mass Rating (RMR) to estimate its performance. RMR is a qualitative rather than quantitative system and must be used with some caution.
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Key issues:
How can we describe or classify slope instability? H How can we represent a slope and the l d h angle of friction on a stereonet? g

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Scope of sites involving slopes

Cliffs Hill sides - for roads, houses, etc. Cuttings - road and rail Embankments Quarries Spoil tips, and Dams
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o5cxdQDmCE

Varnes Varnes' landslide classification

I II III IV V VI Falls Topples Slides Slid s A. Rotational Flows A In Bedrock Complex B. In Soils B. Translational Lateral Spreads A & B

(After D.J. Varnes, 'Slope Movements and Types and Processes', in 'Landslides: Analysis and Control', Transportation Res. Board Nat. Ac. Sci., Washington Spec. Rep. 178, pp 11-33, 1978)

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HINT
You will be required to identify slip mechanisms and to perform the analysis detailed here to complete your 6 CATS field course assignment assignment.
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Falls
Mass in motion travels most of the distance through the g air. Includes free fall, movement by leaps and bounds, and rolling of fragments of bedrock or soil.
www.geology.enr.state.nc.us/Lan ndslide%20web%20 0version/Geologic _haza ards_landslide_show w/Landslides_exam mples.htm

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Topples
Movement due to forces that cause an over-turning g moment about a pivot point below the centre of gravity of the unit. If unchecked will result in a fall or slide.

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Slides
Movement involves shear displacement along one or more surfaces, surfaces or within a relatively narrow zone, which are zone visible or may reasonably be inferred. Rotational: M R t ti l Movement due t f t d to forces th t cause a t that turning i moment about a point above the centre of gravity of the unit. unit Surface of rupture concaves upwards upwards. Translational: Movement predominantly along more or less planar or gently undulatory surfaces Movement is surfaces. frequently, structurally controlled by discontinuities and variations in sh ar str ngth between layers of bedded ar at ons n shear strength tw n ay rs deposits, or by the contact between firm bedrock and overlying detritus.
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Animation of slide

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Rotational slides

rotation

double curvature

toe heave
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An excellent example of translational movement is provided by the slab slide in the Lias clay at Uppingham, Rutland. At this location, the landslide resulted from movement on an existing shear surface ascribed to solifluction under periglacial conditions. Th slide occurred on a 9o i l i l di i The lid d Lias clay slope and the sliding surface was located at a depth of 1.2 - 1.8m. The length of the slidi m ss s b t 60m th sliding mass was about 60m.

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Chandler, R.J., 19 970. A shallow slab slide in the Lias cl near Uppingham Rutland. Geotec b lay m, chnique, 20 253-26 60.

Translational slides

Lateral spreads
Disturbed lateral extension movements in a fractured mass. A: Without a well-defined controlling basal shear surface or zone of plastic f f l i flow. B: In which extension of rock or soil results from liquefaction or plastic flow of subjacent material.
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Flows: A In Bedrock
Includes spatially continuous deformation and p y superficial as well as deep creep. Involves extremely slow deep creep. Involves extremely slow and generally non-accelerating differential movements m n n n cc l r tin diff r nti l m v m nts among relatively intact units. Movements may: 1. be l 1 b along shear surfaces that are apparently not h f h l connected, 2. result in folding, bending or bulging, or 3. roughly simulate those of viscous fluids in g y distribution of velocities.

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Flows: B In Soils B.
Movement within displaced mass such that the form p taken by moving material or the apparent distribution of velocities and displacements resemble those f visc us fluids. th s of viscous fluids Slip surfaces within moving material are usually not visible or are short-lived. i ibl h li d Boundary between moving mass and material in places may be sharp surface or differential movement or a zone of distributed shear. Movement ranges from extremely rapid to extremely slow.
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ICE Weat Midland The State of the Nation Briefing Sh ds, e heet : Climate Chang , 2004 ge

Flows

Severn Va;;ey Railway July 2007

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Complex
Movement is by a combination of one or more of the y five principal types of movement described above. Many landslides are complex, although one type of movement n r ll dominates v r the th rs t m v m nt generally d min t s over th others at certain areas within a slide or at a particular time.

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Example: Lagonegro S Italy S.

Lagonegro rotation uplift
Guerricchio, A. and Melidoro, G., 1981, Movimenti di Massa Pseudo-Tettonici NellAppennin 1 no DellItali Meridionale, Geo ia ologia Applicata e Id drogeologia, Vol. 16 pp251-294 6,

Black shales (lower Cretaceous) Carbonatic formations with algae (Upper Triassic)

Alluvial deposits Paleo landslide Paleo-landslide bodies with detritus of siliceous schists

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of the Processes that "Cause" Landslides 1. 1 Weathering 2. Erosion 3. Ground subsidence 4. 4 Deposition 5. Shocks and vibrations 6. Air fall 7. Water regime change 8. Compound

Bransden s Bransden's Classification

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http://www w.youtube.com m/watch?v=mkn nStAMia0Q

1. 1 Weathering
External process group Causal processes Specific effect on stability state of the slope system (examples only) Changes in: Density, unit weight, etc. Strength Permeability Vertical and spatial strength and water pressures Total stress, critical depth, friction, cleft water pressure t ss

Weathering: Physical properties - changes in physical, chemical, particle size, etc. biological Chemical properties - cation exchange, cements; clay minerals, etc. Horizonation - internal layers and basal surface, mature regolith, ripening regolith thickness - often determined by slope shape Weaker discontinuities

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2. 2 Erosion
External process group Causal processes Specific effect on stability state of the slope system (examples only) Changes in: Ch i

Erosion fluvial, l i l fl i l glacial, coastal, t l etc. material removal from face or b f base of slope f l

Geometrical change Total stresses relief, height, length, St relief height length Strength th angle, aspect Permeability Unloading - removal of lateral support support, expansion, swelling, fissuring, strain softening, softening stress concentration

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3. 3 Ground subsidence
External process p group Causal processes p Specific effect on p stability state of the slope system (examples only) Changes in: Strength Physical support Consolidation C lid ti Water concentration Pore pressure change

Ground subsidence

Undermining mechanical eluviation of fines fines, solution, leaching, removal of cement, seepage erosion, erosion backsapping, piping

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4. 4 Deposition
External process p group Causal processes p Specific effect on p stability state of the slope system (examples only) Changes in: Water content Weight, strength Stress

Deposition fluvial, glacial, mass movement, etc. new material added to face or top of slope

Loading solifluction, mudsliding, rock fall, deltaic , addition, talus accumulation Undrained loading

Underconsolidation Pore pressure

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5. 5 Shocks and vibrations

External process group Causal processes Specific effect on stability state of the slope system (examples only) Changes in: Ch i Horizontal stress

Shocks and vibrations seismic activity

Vertical and horizontal movements - varying frequency, magnitude, intensity, duration Disturbance to intergranular bonds and cements m Water table change

Strength

Excess pressures

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6. 6 Air fall
External process g group p Causal processes Specific effect on stability state of the y slope system (examples only) Changes in: New material properties Bedrock shear zone?

Air fall loess, tephra

Mantling with fine regolith (producing a new slope with old surface as possible shear zone) Addition of fine components to soil Perched water tables, piping

Strength

Water content Water pressures

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7. 7 Water regime change

External process group Causal processes Specific effect on stability state of the slope system (examples only) Changes in: Ch i Water content

Water regime change geomorpholog cal geomorphological and meteorological

Surface saturation g flooding, lake bursts, etc. Water table and pressure change "wet" rainfall years, intense precipitation, p p , snow and ice melt, drawdown

Excess pressures pressures, water table, pore pressure, weight

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http://www.youtub be.com/watch?v=H6 6Ma0SVjMHA

8. 8 Compound
External process group Causal processes Specific effect on stability state of the slope system (examples only) Changes in: Ch i Strength Water distribution Consolidation Friction

Compound possible "follow-on" or follow-on run out processes after initial failure, e.g. failure e g after bank collapse, seismic slope failure, rockfall, etc f il kf ll t

Liquefaction Remoulding Fluidisation Air layer lubrication Cohesionless grain flow Heat generation Rate effects Chemical effects

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2D Graphical Representation p p of 3D Discontinuities

Consider a plane representing a discontinuity in 3D. The plane is defined in 3D b its true d by dip, t , and the direction of true dip , (or dip, orientation). z
N

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2D Graphical Representation p p of 3D Discontinuities

Imagine passing the plane through the centre of a sphere. The di Th dip and d orientation of the plane describe a unique great circle on the circumference of the sphere, and

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2D Graphical Representation p p of 3D Discontinuities

the normal vector to the plane exits the sphere at a p unique point the pole of the plane. l
Normal to plane at centre of sphere

Point of exit of normal on surface of sphere is the planes

pole.

Plane cutting through centre of sphere h

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Stereonets

Note: Stereonets are symmetrical orientation

dip

Equatorial

Polar
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How to Plot a Great Circle

1. Using tracing paper placed over the stereonet, pin or g gp p p p mark the centre point and mark the "Northern" point of the stereonet as a datum for future reference. 2. Place a mark at the point on the outer circle, corresponding to the direction of true dip , . 3. Rotate the tracing paper until this mark lies on the "E-W "axis", then counting from the outer circle, find the great circle which corresponds to the true dip, t , and trace it. 4. Rotate back to the original position.

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How to Plot a Pole

1. 1 Follow steps 1 3 from previous slide 3 slide. 2. From the point where the great circle crosses the E-W i E W axis, count 90 along th "E W axis", th t l the "E-W i " through h the centre point. The pole is at this position. 3. Rotate back to the original position.

Poles can also be plotted directly using the polar projection stereonet stereonet.

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What is a great circle?

plane dip 10o direction 270o

answer: a loci of vectors

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So if two planes intersect intersect

dip direction

the line of intersection lies along one such vector

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How to find the angle between two poles

1. 1 Rotate the plot until both poles lie on a common great circle. 2. Count th divisions b t 2 C t the di i i between these poles along this great circle to compute the angle angle.

This also gives the angle between the planes represented by these poles.
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95o
145o (=95+50) 35o

35o

50o
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Representing a slope
If the rock slope is or is assumed to is, be, planar it can be represented by a great circle and p le in just the same reat pole way as any discontinuity. Consider the measurements for four quarry walls walls
Face A Dip 89 220 p Face C Dip 80 020 Face B Dip 75 310 p Face D Dip 70 120
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Representing a planar slope

face A face B face C face D

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Representing friction

angle of friction at limiting equilibrium will slip at this angle in all di ll directions. ti

90

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Today s Todays take away away

Slope instability instability may be categorised by geometry (e.g. Varnes) or cause (e.g. Bransden). r (e Bransden) Any vector or angle can be plotted on y g p the stereonet or extracted from it.

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Read
Barnes, G.E., 2010. Soil Mechanics: Principles and Practice. 3rd ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.417-421. Waltham, A.C., 2009. Foundations of Engineering Geology. 3rd ed. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis, pp.70-77. USGS, 2004 USGS 2004. Landslide Types and Processes Online: Processes. http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2004/3072/pdf/fs2004-3072.pdf Leyshon, P.R. & Lisle, R.J., 1996. Stereographic Projection Techniques: in Structural Geology. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, pp.26-35. QE 601.2.L3 Oversize y e, C a ,C , 00 , oc Slope g ee g Spo ess, Wyllie, D.C. & Mah, C.W., 2004, Rock S ope Engineering. Spon Press, pp.34-35, 39-40. TN 291.W9 Goodman, R.E., 1989. Introduction to Rock Mechanics. 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons pp 483 QC 137 8 G6 Sons, pp.483. 137.8.G6 Goodman, R.E., 1980. Introduction to Rock Mechanics. New York: John Wiley & Sons, pp.425. QC 137.8.G6
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Sources
Barnes, G.E., 2010. Soil Mechanics: Principles and Practice. 3rd ed. London: P l L d Palgrave Macmillan. M ll Craig, R.F., 2004. Craigs Soil Mechanics. 7th ed. London: E & FN Spon. Goodman, R.E., 1980. Introduction to Rock Mechanics. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Hudson, J.A., 1989. Rock Mechanics Principles in Engineering Practice. London: Butterworths. Leyshon, P R Leyshon P.R. & Lisle, R.J., 1996. Stereographic Projection Lisle R J 1996 Techniques: in Structural Geology. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Priest, S.D., 1985. Hemispherical Projection Methods in Rock Mechanics. Mechanics London: George Allen & Unwin Unwin. Waltham, A.C., 2009. Foundations of Engineering Geology. 3rd ed. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis.
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