Abstract
Cut slopes of alternating soft and hard layers along roads in Jordan are subject to differential weathering, erosion and human activities. This can result in undercutting, leading to rockfalls that endanger traffic. The factors affecting the rate of undercutting and the influence of this on the stability of ten selected road cuts along the Amman–Irbid highway in Jordan were determined. The depth of undercut was measured at selected points and the mean rate of undercutting found to vary from 10 to 73 mm/year. Grain density, bulk density, slake durability, Atterberg limits, porosity and grain size distribution were determined and correlated with the rate of undercut. A positive relationship was found between undercutting and the sand fraction and porosity values and a negative relationship with the slake durability index.
Résumé
Les talus excavés dans des séries où alternent des niveaux durs et des niveaux tendres, en Jordanie, sont soumis aux processus d’altération différentielle et d’érosion ainsi qu’à des actions anthropiques. Il peut en résulter des sous-cavages, avec pour conséquences des chutes de blocs et des risques pour la circulation routière. Les facteurs contrôlant ces processus de sous-cavage et leurs conséquences sur la stabilité des talus ont été analysés pour dix déblais routiers sélectionnés le long de l’autoroute Amman-Irbid en Jordanie. La profondeur de sous-cavage a été mesurée en des points précis et le taux moyen de sous-cavage apparaît être de 10 à 73 mm/an. Les poids spécifiques des grains et des matériaux, l’indice de résistance à l’usure, les limites d’Atterberg, la porosité et la courbe granulométrique ont été déterminés et mis en rapport avec le taux de sous-cavage. Celui-ci est corrélé positivement avec la fraction sableuse des matériaux et la porosité et négativement avec l’indice de résistance à l’usure.
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Abderahman, N. Evaluating the influence of rate of undercutting on the stability of slopes. Bull Eng Geol Environ 66, 303–309 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-006-0078-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-006-0078-6