Abstract
Stability analysis of rock slopes has always been a critical and challenging task for the geotechnical engineering professionals. The complexities associated with the stability analysis arise due to the heterogeneous, anisotropic and variable nature of the rock mass. Assessment of slope stability becomes further challenging under earthquake motions which are random in nature. Thus, uncertainties in both material and loading parameters are required to be considered for a robust assessment of the vulnerability of slopes in geologically complex and seismically active regions.
In the present study, the influence of variability in geological properties on the slope stability has been considered within the framework of First Order Reliability Method (FORM). Reliability analysis has been performed for a typical slope profile using the Response Surface Method (RSM) and FORM leading to the identification of critical design parameters along with the quantification of the system performance in terms of reliability index. Subsequently, dynamic time history analyses have been performed for generating the seismic fragility curves of the rock slope as a function of increasing earthquake intensity. Thus, the study attempts to present a methodology for assessing the vulnerability of a rock slope with due consideration of the variation in both the material properties and seismic loading.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersen, K.H., Lunne, T., Kvalstad, T. and Forsberg, C.F. (2008) Deep water geotechnical engineering. Proc. of the XXIV National Conference of the Mexican Society of Soil Mechanics: Aguasclientes, 26–29 November.
Argyroudis, S. and Kaynia, A.M. (2015) Analytical seismic fragility functions for highway and railway embankments and cuts. Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, v.44 (3), pp.1863–1879.
Argyroudis, S. and Pitilakis, K. (2012) Seismic fragility curves of shallow tunnels in alluvial deposits. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, v.35, pp.1–12.
Bucher, C.G. and Bourgund, U. (1990) A fast and efficient response-surface approach for structural reliability problems. Structural Safety, v.7 (1), pp.57–66.
Cai, F. and Ugai, K. (2000) Numerical analysis of the stability of a slope reinforced with piles. Soils Found, v.40 (1), pp.73–84.
Cavounidis, S. (1987) On the ratio of factors of safety in slope stability problems. Geotechnique, v.37 (2), pp.207–210.
Chan, C.L. and Low, B.K. (2009) Reliability analysis of laterally loaded piles involving nonlinear soil and pile behavior. Jour. Geotech. Geoenviron. Engg., v.135 (3), pp.431–43.
Cheng, Y.M., Lansivaara, T. and Wei, W.B. (2007) Two-dimensional slope stability analysis by limit equilibrium and strength reduction methods. Computers and Geotechnics, v.34(3), pp.137–150
Dawson, E.M., Roth, W.H. and Drescher, A. (1999) Slope stability analysis by strength reduction. Geotechnique, v.49(6), pp.835–840
Donald, I.B. and Giam, S.K. (1988) Application of the nodal displacement method to slope stability analysis. In: Proceedings of the 5th Australia-New Zealand conference on geomechanics, Sydney, Australia, pp.456–460
Griffiths, D.V. and Lane, P.A. (1999) Slope stability analysis by finite elements. Geotechnique, v.49 (3), pp.387–403.
Griffiths, D.V., Lin, H. and Cao, P. (2010) A comparison of numerical algorithms in the analysis of pile reinforced slopes. Proc GeoFlorida 2010 Conf, West Palm Beach, Florida 1:175–183
Hasofer, A.M. and Lind, N.C. (1974) Exact and invariant second moment code format. Jour. Engg. Mech. Div, v.100 (1), pp.111–121.
HAZUS-MH (2004) User’s Manual and Technical Manuals. National Institute of Building Sciences. report prepared for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington D.C., USA.
Hoek, E. (1970) Estimating the stability of excavated slopes in open cast mines. Inst. Min. and Met., Trans., v.79, pp.109A–132A.
Hoek, E. and Bray, J.W. (1977) Rock Slope Engineering. Revised Second Edition, Inst. of Min. and Met., London, 402.
Kaynia, M.A., Argyroudis, S., Mayoral, J.M., Johansson, J., Pitilakis, K. and Anastasiadis, A. (2011) Systemic Seismic Vulnerability and Risk Analysis for Buildings, Lifeline Networks and Infrastructures Safety Gain. Report for the European Project SYNER-G: (FP7-ENV- 2009-1-244061).
Li, H.Z. and Low, B.K. (2010) Reliability analysis of circular tunnel under hydrostatic stress field. Computers and Geotechnics, v.37 (1–2), pp.50–58.
Low, B.K. and Einstein, H.H. (2013) Reliability analysis of roof wedges and rockbolt forces in tunnels. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, v.38, pp.1–10.
Lu, Q. and Low, B.K. (2011) Probabilistic analysis of underground rock excavations using response surface method and SORM. Computers and Geotechnics, v.38 (8), pp.1008–21.
Low, B.K. and Tang, W.H. (1997) Reliability analysis of reinforced embankments on soft ground. Canadian Geotech. Jour., v.34(5), pp.672–85.
Low, B.K. and Tang, W.H. (2007) Efficient spreadsheet algorithm for first-order reliability method. Jour. Engg. Mechanics ASCE, v.133 (12), pp.1378–87.
Maruyama, Y., Yamazaki, F., Mizuno, K., Tsuchiya, Y. and Yogai, H. (2010) Fragility curves for expressway embankments based on damage datasets after recent earthquakes in Japan. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engg., v.30, pp.1158–67.
Matsui. T. and San, K-C. (1992) Finite element slope stability analysis by shear strength reduction technique. Soils and Foundations, v.32(1), pp.59–70.
Mollon, G., Dias, D. and Soubra, A.H. (2009) Probabilistic analysis of circular tunnels in homogeneous soil using response surface methodology. Jour. Geotech. Geoenviron. Engg., v.135(9), pp.1314–25.
Mostyn, G.R. and Li, K.S. (1993) Probabilistic slope analysis-state of play. Proceedings of Conference on Probabilistic Methods in Geotechnical Engineering. A.A Balkema, Canberra, Australia, pp.89–109.
National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). HAZUS-MH: Users’s Manual and Technical Manuals. Report prepared for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington DC, 2004.
Nilsen B (2000) New trend in rock slope stability analysis. Bull. Engg. Geol. Environ, v.58, pp.173–178.
Pathak, S and Nilsen, B. (2004) Probabilistic rock slope stability analysis for Himalayan condition. Bull. Engg. Geol. Environ, v.63, pp. 25–32.
Phoon, K.K. and Kulhawy, F.H. (1999) Characterization of geotechnical variability. Canadian Geotech. Jour., v.36(4), pp.612–624.
Pitilakis K, Crowley E, Kaynia A (Eds.) (2014) SYNER-G: typology definition and fragility functions for physical elements at seismic risk. Geotechnical, Geological and Earthquake Engineering 27p.
Rajashekhar, M.R. and Ellingwood, B.R. (1993) A new look at the response-surface approach for reliability-analysis. Structural Safety v.12(3), pp.205–20.
Rathod, G.W. and Rao, K.S. (2012) Finite element and reliability analyses for slope stability of Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project: a case study. Geotech. Geol. Engg., v.(30), pp.233–252.
Rocscience Inc., RS 2.0 (2015) Finite Element Analysis for Excavations and Slopes, Toronto, Canada.
Rossetto, T. and Elnashai, A. (2003) Derivation of vulnerability functions for European type RC structures based on observational data. Engineering Structures, v.25, pp.1241–1263.
Shen, Y., Gao, B., Yang, X. and Shuangjiang, T. (2014) Seismic damage mechanism and dynamic deformation characteristic analysis of mountain tunnel after Wenchuan earthquake. Engg. Geol., v.180, pp.85–98.
Song, K.I., Cho, G.C. and Lee, S.W. (2011) Effects of spatially variable weathered rock properties on tunnel behavior. Probabilistic Engineering Mechanics, v.26, pp.413–26.
Tandjiria, V., Teh, C.I. and Low, B.K. (2000) Reliability analysis of laterally loaded piles using response surface methods. Structural Safety, v.22 (4), pp.335–55.
Ugai, K. and Leshchinsky, D. (1995) Three-dimensional limit equilibrium and finite element analysis: a comparison of result. Soils and Foundatons, v.35(4), pp.1–7.
Wei, W.B., Cheng, Y.M. and Li, L.(2009) Three-dimensional slope failure analysis by the strength reduction and limit equilibrium methods. Computers and Geotechnics v.36, pp.70–80.
Wei, W.B. and Cheng, Y.M. (2009) Strength reduction analysis for slope reinforced with one row of piles. Computers and Geotechnics, v.36 (7), pp.1176–1185.
Won, J., You, K., Jeong, S., and Kim, S. (2005) Coupled effects in stability analysis of pile-slope systems. Computers and Geotechnics v.32 (4), pp.304–315.
Wyllie DC, Mah CW (2004) Rock Slope Engineering, 4th Edition, Spon Press, Taylor and Francis Group.
Xu, B. and Low, B.K. (2006) Probabilistic stability analyses of embankments based on finite element method. Jour. Geotech. Geoenviron. Engg. v.132(11), pp.1444–54.
Yang, S., Ren, X. and Zhang, J. (2011) Study on embedded length of piles for slope reinforced with one row of piles. Jour. Rock Mech. Geotech. Engg., v.3(2), pp.167–178.
Zhang, K., Cao, P., Meng, J., Li, K. and Fan, W. (2015) Modeling the progressive failure of jointed rock slope using fracture mechanics and strength reduction method. Rock Mechanics and Rock Enginering v.48, pp.771–785.
Zienkiewicz, O.C., Humpheson, C. and Lewis, R.W. (1975) Associated and non-associated visco-plasticity and plasticity in soil mechanics. Geotechnique, v.25(4), pp.671–689.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roy, N., Sarkar, R., Sarkar, K. et al. Assessment of Vulnerability of Rock Slope Considering Material and Seismic Variability. J Geol Soc India 92, 449–456 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-018-1040-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-018-1040-5