Rock Engineering
CSE40411
Rock Slope
Engineering
Topic 4
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Rock slope stability analysis
The majority of rock masses can
be considered as assemblages
of intact rock blocks delineated
in three dimensions by a system
of discontinuities.
Failure is controlled by the
orientation of discontinuities.
Stead, D., & Wolter, A. (2015). Journal of Structural Geology, 74, 1-23.
[Link]
[Link]
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Sept 30, 2021 Sichuan Province
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
• Yip Kan Street, 12 July 1981
• 1,235 m3 rock and soil slide one
week after heavy rain
Steve Hencher
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
• The 25 June 1985 incident
at King’s Road
• 70 m3 of rock fall due to
heavy rain
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Sept 7 2023 - Hong Kong's heaviest rainfall in 140 years leads to landslides with
'boulders the size of buses
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Rock slope slide/rockfall HK$ 1 billion per year
[Link] [Link]
[Link]
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Modes of rock slope failure
a) c) a)
Plane
failure
b)
Wedge
failure
c)
b) d)
Toppling
failure
d)
Stead, D., & Wolter, A. (2015). A critical review of rock slope failure mechanisms: the importance of structural geology. Journal of Structural Geology, 74, 1-23.
Circular
failure
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Plane failure
Sliding along an inclined
weakness plane.
Condition:
• The upper end of the sliding surface
either intersect the upper slope or
terminates in a tension crack
• There must be release surfaces on
either sides of the sliding mass, i.e., no
lateral resistance to sliding
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Slope face Sliding along an inclined
weakness plane.
Failure plane
Condition:
• The upper end of the sliding surface
δ either intersect the upper slope or
terminates in a tension crack
• There must be release surfaces on
either sides of the sliding mass, i.e., no
lateral resistance to sliding
• Strike of plane parallel or nearly parallel
to the slope face (±15°)
• Failure plane daylight in the slope face
(α >δ)
• Dip angle of failure plane greater than
friction angle of joint (δ >)
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Wedge failure Slide along two intersecting
planes of weakness that
Slope define a tetrahedral block
face
Conditions:
• Two planes intersect in a line (dip
angle δ)
α δ
• The line of intersection daylight in the
slope face (δ < α)
• The dip angle of intersection is
greater than friction angle (δ >)
• The dip direction line must dip in a
direction out of the slope face
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Kinematic Analysis – Great circle method
Slope face dip at α
Joint plane “daylight” in
Stable
the slope face < zone
Unstable
zone
15
Slope orientation N
N270/70
Slope face
STABLE ZONE
Sliding requires >
The gray area is the
Unstable Zone (daylight)
Dip vector of joint, or
intersection vector of
wedge daylight to the
gray area ( <), failure
is possible
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 16
Joint Plane
N D1 N270 /50
Slope orientation
N270/70
Unstable
The dip vector of the
joint daylight to the
slope face ( <), plane
failure is possible
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 17
N Joint Plane
N270 /80
Slope orientation
N270/70
Stable
The dip vector of the
joint does not daylight
( >), no sliding occurs
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 18
Kinematic Analysis (great circle)
friction angle
of the joint
= 30
Dip angle
greater than = 30
friction angle
(δ >)
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 19
Kinematic Analysis (great circle)
friction angle
of the joint
= 30
= 30
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 20
Kinematic Analysis (great circle)
friction angle
of the joint
= 30
= 30
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 21
Kinematic Analysis (great circle)
friction angle
of the joint
= 30
= 30
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 22
Kinematic Analysis (great circle)
friction angle
of the joint
= 30
Unstable zone
for those >
Stable Zone
for <
Friction cone
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 23
Slope orientation
N270/70
Combined the slope
angle and friction angle
of the joint
= 30
Unstable zone
for >>
(sliding failure)
For those intersection
vectors (wedge) fall within
the unstable zone, sliding
failure are possible CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 24
Considering plane failure condition: strike of plane
parallel or nearly parallel to the slope face (±15°)
Unstable zone for
wedge failure
15
15
For those dip Unstable zone
vectors fall within for plane
the plane failure failure
zone, plane
failure is possible
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 25
Slope orientation N120/70 with
joint friction angle = 30
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 26
Slope orientation N120/70 with
joint friction angle = 30
Unstable zone for
wedge failure
= 30
120
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 27
Slope orientation N120/70 with
joint friction angle = 30
Unstable zone for
wedge failure
15
120
15
Unstable zone
for plane
failure
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 28
Slope orientation N120/70 with
joint friction angle = 30
Unstable zone for
wedge failure
D2
+
D1
I1
Unstable zone
for plane
failure
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 29
Slope face
N270/70
Unstable zone for
plane failure
Unstable zone
for wedge failure
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 30
N315 /45
N010 /45
I12 D1
Slope face
D2
N270/70
Unstable zone
for wedge failure
The intersection
vector of I12 falls
within the wedge
failure zone, wedge N2
failure is possible N1 NI12
The dip vector of
D2 out of the
plane failure zone,
plane failure is
not possible
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 31
Slope stability
analysis for
three joint sets
D3 N030 /45
D2 N140 /10
D1 N060 /70
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 32
Slope stability
analysis for
three joint sets
D3 N030 /45
D2 N140 /10
D1 N060 /70
270
Slope face
N270/70
=30
I13 falls within the
unstable, thus wedge
failure is possible
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 33
Slope stability 020
analysis for
three joint sets
D3 N030 /45
D2 N140 /10
D1 N060 /70
Slope face
N020/45
=30
Both I13 and Joint D3
fall within the unstable
zone for wedge and
plane, thus plane
failure and wedge
failure are possible
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 34
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Toppling failure
Overturning of rock layers that are inclined steeply.
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
[Link]
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Toppling failure
Overturning of rock layers that are
inclined steeply.
Condition:
• Block shape – centre of gravity
lies outside the base
• Interlayer slip needs to occur
( +90−)
• The strike direction of joint plane
parallel or nearly parallel to that
of the slope face (±10° to 30°)
In Hong Kong, 10 is used
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Toppling failure
Overturning of rock layers that are
inclined steeply.
Condition:
• Block shape – centre of gravity
lies outside the base
• Interlayer slip needs to occur
( +90−)
• The strike direction of joint plane
parallel or nearly parallel to that
Toppling condition: of the slope face (±10° to 30°)
and b/h < tan In Hong Kong, 10 is used
No sliding
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Condition for Toppling Failure
Region 1: Stable
and b/h tan
ϕ=ψ
Region 2: Sliding
and b/h tan
Region 3: Sliding &
toppling
and b/h tan
Region 4: toppling
and b/h tan
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Toppling failure
Slipping condition:
friction angle Overturning of rock layers that are
inclined steeply.
Condition:
• Block shape – centre of gravity
lies outside the base
• Interlayer slip needs to occur
( +90−)
• The dip direction of joint plane
Normal stress: σ parallel or nearly parallel to that
Angle b/t joint normal and σ: of the slope face (±10° to 30°)
If , slide occur In Hong Kong, 10 is used
= −(90−)
+90−
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Slope face (Dip angle )
Toppling failure
Overturning of rock layers that are
Unstable inclined steeply.
Zone for
Toppling Condition:
90-
10°
• Block shape – centre of gravity
N
lies outside the base
10°
• Interlayer slip needs to occur
( +90−)
• The dip direction of joint plane
parallel or nearly parallel to that
of the slope face (±10° to 30°)
+90-
In Hong Kong, 10 is used
The Normal vector (pole) must be in the
hatched area for toppling to occur.
42
Slope face of N270/70 with Construct the
joint friction angle = 30 toppling failure zone
90− +
90−70+30
50
Unstable Zone for =30
Toppling (pole)
=50
=30
10
10
For poles fall within the
toppling failure zone,
toppling is possible
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 43
Slope face of N120/70 with Construct the
joint friction angle = 30 toppling failure zone
=30
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 44
Slope face of N120/70 with Construct the
joint friction angle = 30 toppling failure zone
90− +
90−70+30
50
=30
10
120
10
Unstable
Zone for
Toppling
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 45
Slope face of N120/70 with Construct the
joint friction angle = 30 toppling failure zone
Unstable
Zone for
Toppling
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 46
Kinematic Analysis - Plane failure
For joint set created N
by pole, the pole of
joint set can be
change to dip victor
by using the great
circle method
Joint set
N262-N290/
42- 68
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 47
Kinematic Analysis - Plane failure
For joint set created N Joint set
by pole, the pole of
joint set can be N262-N290/
change to dip victor 42- 68
by using the great
circle method
Kinematic Analysis
CSE579 Advanced of by
Rock Engineering slopes
Dr Qi Zhao 48
Kinematic Analysis - Plane failure
For joint set created Joint set
by pole, the pole of
joint set can be N262-N290/
change to dip victor 42- 68
by using the great
circle method
90
Draw a great circle to represent the pole of the joint set
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 49
Kinematic Analysis - Plane failure
For joint set created Joint set
by pole, the pole of
joint set can be N262-N290/
change to dip victor 42- 68
by using the great
circle method
Slope orientation
of N270/70 with
= 30
90
The dip vector of the joint falls within the unstable
zone for plane, plane failure is possible.
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 50
Kinematic Analysis - Wedge failure
For joint sets
created by pole, the
poles of joint set can
be change to dip
victors by using the
great circle method
Two Joint sets:
N230/55
N310/68 +
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 51
Kinematic Analysis - Wedge failure
For joint sets
created by pole, the
poles of joint set can
be change to dip
victors by using the
great circle method
Two Joint sets:
N230/55
N310/68 +
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 52
Kinematic Analysis - Wedge failure
For joint sets
created by pole, the
poles of joint set can
be change to dip
victors by using the
great circle method
Two Joint sets:
N230/55
N310/68
Draw a great circle to represent the dip vector of the
joint sets CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 53
Kinematic Analysis - Wedge failure
For joint sets
created by pole, the
poles of joint set can
be change to dip
victors by using the
great circle method
D1
Two Joint sets: I12
N230/55
N310/68 D2
Draw a great circle to represent the dip vector of the
joint sets CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 54
Kinematic Analysis - Wedge failure
For joint sets
created by pole, the
poles of joint set can
be change to dip
victors by using the
great circle method
Two Joint sets:
N230/55
N310/68
Slope orientation
N270/70 with
=30
The intersection
vector falls within
the unstable zone.
Thus, wedge
failure is possible.
No plane failure and toppling failure due to the dip vectors of plane 1 & 2 are
out of plane failure zone and none of pole falls within the
CSE579 toppling
Advanced [Link] Dr Qi Zhao
Rock Engineering 55
Kinematic Analysis - Toppling failure
For joint set N
N088/76 using
pole presentation
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 56
Kinematic Analysis - Toppling failure
N
Joint set N088/76
Slope face of
N270/70
with = 30
The pole of the joint set falls within the
toppling zone. Thus, toppling is possible.
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 57
Kinematic Analysis with Polar net
Slope face of Slope face
N270/70 Unstable zone for
with = 30 poles with >=30
30
Use polar method
to create the
friction cone
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 58
Kinematic Analysis with Polar net
Slope face of Slope face
N270/70
with = 30
Failure/dip 90
vector
Pole
Consider one Daylight Daylight
sliding failure (Dip vector) (Pole)
direction
Use polar method
to create the
sliding failure
envelope of slope CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 59
Kinematic Analysis with Polar net
Slope face of
N270/70
with = 30
Consider sliding
failure in all
possible directions
Use polar method
to create the
sliding failure
envelope of slope CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 60
Kinematic Analysis with Polar net
Slope face of
N270/70
Unstable zone for
with = 30
plane failure
15
15
Unstable zone for
Use polar method >> (wedge failure)
to create the plane
and wedge zone
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 61
Kinematic Analysis with Polar net
Slope face of
N270/70 Unstable zone
with = 30 for plane failure
Unstable
Zone for
Toppling
Use polar method to Unstable zone for
create the friction cone, >> (wedge failure)
plane, wedge, and
toppling failure zones CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 62
Kinematic Analysis with Polar net
Example
Slope face of
N300/70
with = 30 Unstable zone
for wedge failure
Unstable zone
for plane failure
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 63
Kinematic Analysis with Polar net
Example
N015 /45
N287 /69
N115 /70
Slope face of
N300/70
with = 30
+
Check the NI13
slope stability
The pole of intersection I12, N2, and N3 fall within the unstable
zones. Thus, wedge, plane and toppling failure are possible.
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 64
Unstable zones for field slope stability study
Friction Unstable
zone for
angle plane failure
= 30
60 70 80
Unstable
zone for
toppling
failure
Unstable zone
wedge failure
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 65
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Limit-equilibrium stability analysis
Kinematic analysis with stereonet provide only
orientation information. Limit-equilibrium stability
analysis compare the forces resisting failure with the
forces causing failure. The ratio between these two
sets of forces is termed the Factor of Safety (F.S.).
𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒
F. S. =
𝐷𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒
A F.S. value equal to 1 represents limiting condition. A
F.S. value greater than 1 represents a stable slope,
and a value less than 1 indicates an unstable slope.
Reference: Duncan C. Wyllie and Chris Mah (2004) Rock Slope
Engineering Civil and Mining 4th Edition. Chapter 6, 7, and 9
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
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Limiting equilibrium: Plane Failure Analysis
Consider a block weight W resting on a plane surface with
contact area A.
w cos 𝛼
σ=
A
Shear strength
𝜏 = 𝑐 + σ tan
𝑤 cos 𝛼
W 𝜏=𝑐+ tan
𝐴
Causing failure 𝑤 sin 𝛼
Resisting failure 𝜏𝐴 = 𝑐𝐴 + 𝑤 cos 𝛼 tan
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
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Limiting equilibrium: Plane Failure Analysis
c A + W cos tan
F .S . =
W sin
The block will be just on the point of sliding (in a
condition of limiting equilibrium) when the force acting
downward the plane is exactly equal to the resisting
force.
Limiting equilibrium F.S.=1
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
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Plane failure with vertical tension crack
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
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Assumptions
Wyllie & Mah (2004) pg 130-131
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
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Plane failure
where A is the area of the sliding plane
and c is the cohesion.
For tension crack in the inclined upper slope
For tension crack in the inclined slope face
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
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Rock anchor
The tension in the anchor modifies
the normal and shear forces acting
on the sliding plane.
where T is the tension in the anchor inclined at an angle ψT from the horizontal
Geometry of a plane failure can be completely
defined with (H, b, z, and zw) and (ψf, ψp, ψs). When
rock anchor is applied, add T and ψT.
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
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Wedge failure
Sliding can occur along the intersection
between A and B, with plane A having
the shallower dip.
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Assumptions
• No tension crack
• No external forces such as bolting
• Water pressure distribution: the
wedge is impermeable, and water
enters the top of the wedge along
lines of intersection 3 and 4 and leaks
from the slope face along lines of
intersection 1 and 2.
• Sliding of the wedge always takes
place along the line of intersection
numbered 5
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
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CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Wedge failure
Sliding can occur along the intersection
between A and B, with plane A having
the shallower dip.
Plane A N105/45
Plane B N235/75
Slope Face N185/65
Upper slope N195/12
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Wedge failure N
Example
analysis
Plane A N105/45
Plane B N235/75
Slope Face N185/65
Upper slope N195/12
② ①
Sin 24
X=
Sin 45 Cos [Link] ⑤
Sin13 ④
Y=
Sin 35 Cos[Link] ③
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 77
Wedge failure Example
analysis
Plane A N105/45
Plane B N235/75
Slope Face N185/65
Upper slope N195/12
Sin 24
X=
Sin 45 Cos [Link]
Sin13
Y=
Sin 35 Cos[Link]
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 78
Wedge failure Example
analysis
Plane A N105/45
Plane B N235/75
Slope Face N185/65
Upper slope N195/12
Sin 24
X=
Sin 45 Cos [Link]
Sin13
Y=
Sin 35 Cos[Link]
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 79
Wedge failure Example
analysis
Plane A N105/45
Plane B N235/75
Slope Face N185/65
Upper slope N195/12
Cos a − Cos b Cos nanb
A=
Sin 5 Sin 2 nanb CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering by Dr Qi Zhao 80
CSE579 Advanced Rock Engineering
by Dr Qi Zhao
Example
r
r
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End – Topic 4
Questions?
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)