1

COLE POLYTECHNIQUE
FDRALE DE LAUSANNE
LMR
Rock mechanics
LABORATOIRE DE
MCANIQUE DES ROCHES
V. Labiouse, J. Abbruzzese
Stability of rock blocks
EPFL - LMR
Stability of rock blocks
1. Stability of one block
2. Stability of a column
3. Stability of two blocks
4. Stability of several blocks (fauchage)
5. Influence of water on slope stability
EPFL - LMR
Sliding stability
of a block

Wcos
Wsin
W
= N/A = W cos /A
b
h

res
= tan + c*

sol
= T/A = W sin /A
EPFL - LMR

Wcos
Wsin
W
b
h
W sin /A < (W cos /A) tan + c*

sol
<
res
= tan + c*
Stable if
Sliding stability
of a block
2
EPFL - LMR
Safety Factor with respect to sliding :
sol sol
res
s
c tan
F

+
=

W
b
h

=

sin W
A c
tan
tan
F
s

+
=

sin
A
W
c tan cos
A
W
F
s
Sliding stability
of a block
EPFL - LMR

>
<
=
Sliding
Stable
Stability limit

Sliding of a block
on a smooth plane (c* = 0)
EPFL - LMR
Sliding Stable
tan
b
/
h
> <
tan
Sliding of a block
on a smooth plane (c* = 0)
EPFL - LMR

Wcos
Wsin
W
M
destabilizing,0
= W sin
. h
/
2
b
h
Toppling stability of a block
Toppling instability occurs if the
direction line of the weight vector W
intersects the slope surface beyond
the base of the column.

destab,0
<
stab,0
Stable if
0
M
stabilizing,0
= W cos
. b
/
2
tan <
b
/
h
3
EPFL - LMR

Wcos
Wsin
W
b
h
Safety Factor with
respect to toppling :

= =
tan h
b
M
M
F
0 , dstab
0 , stab
s
Toppling stability of a block
EPFL - LMR
b
/
h
< tan
b
/
h
> tan
b
/
h
= tan
Toppling
Stable
Stability limit

b
h

Toppling stability of a block

EPFL - LMR
Toppling
Stable
tan
b
/
h
b
/
h
< tan
b
/
h
> tan
b
/ h
=

t
a
n

Toppling stability of a block

EPFL - LMR
Sliding and toppling stability of
a block on a smooth plane (c* = 0)
Sliding
Stable
tan
tan
b
/
h
b
/ h
=

t
a
n

Sliding
and
Toppling
Toppling
4
EPFL - LMR
Safety Factor with respect to sliding :

=

sin W
A c
tan
tan
F
s

res
= tan + c*
W
CG
Sliding stability of a column
EPFL - LMR

= =
tan h
b
M
M
F
CG
CG
dstab
stab
s
CG
b
CG
h
CG
Toppling instability occurs if the
direction line of the weight vector W
intersects the slope surface beyond
the base of the column.
Toppling stability of a column
Safety Factor with respect to toppling :
EPFL - LMR
Sliding and toppling stability of
rock columns
EPFL - LMR
Stability of two blocks
Toppling of the
two blocks
Toppling and
sliding
Stability of the
two blocks
5
EPFL - LMR
The fauchage
phenomenon
Toppling in layered or
fractured rocks
characterized by a
systemsteeply dipping
into the slope EPFL - LMR

b
h
u
u =
w
h cos
Pressure distributions for allowed seepage
0
Hypotheses:
1. Hydrostatic along the
rear fracture
2. Flow with constant
gradient in the basal
discontinuity
u
0
= 0
V
U
V =
w
h
2
cos
U =
w
h b cos
EPFL - LMR

Wcos
W
b
h

res
= tan + c*
V
U
W
s
i
n

= N/A

sol
= T/A
Sliding stability for allowed seepage
0
N = W cos - U
T = W sin + V
Stable if
sol
<
res
Stability highly endangered
EPFL - LMR

Wcos
W
b
h
V
U
W
s
i
n

Toppling stability for allowed seepage

0
M
destabilizing,0
= W sin
. h
/
2
+ V
. h
/
3
+ U
. 2b
/
3

destab,0
<
stab,0
Stable if
M
stabilizing,0
= W cos
. b
/
2
Stability highly endangered
6
EPFL - LMR
Pressure distributions if no outflow possible

b
h
V
U
u
0
u =
w
h cos
Hypotheses:
1. Hydrostatic along the
rear fracture
2. No outflow at the toe of
the basal discontinuity
u
0
=
w
(h cos + b sin )
V =
w
h
2
cos
U =
w
b (2h cos + b sin )
COLE POLYTECHNIQUE
FDRALE DE LAUSANNE
LMR
Rock mechanics
LABORATOIRE DE
MCANIQUE DES ROCHES
V. Labiouse, J. Abbruzzese
Plane slide
EPFL - LMR
Stability of a plane slide
1. Kinematical conditions
2. Sliding along a plane
3. Sliding along a plane, with a rear tension crack
4. Stabilising measures
Control of water
Pre-tense anchors (active)
Grouted bar bolts (passive)
EPFL - LMR
Plane slide on the D526 road
connecting Mens and Clelles (Isre France)
http://www.irma-grenoble.com/
7
EPFL - LMR
Plane slide in layered rocks
in Sylans (France)
EPFL - LMR
When is a sliding mechanism possible ?
Yes No
No No
automatic detection of potential
sliding planes, based on the use
of DTM25.
example
for plane sliding
EPFL - LMR
Slide on a single plane joint: dry slope
Factor of safety:
max. shear strength
applied shear stress
FS =
- applied shear stress:

sol
= (T/A) = W/A sin
A = L x 1 (m)
= (N/A) = W/A cos
= (T/A) = W/A sin
c*= 0

=
tan
tan
sin W
tan cos W
FS
- max. shear strength:

res
= tan + c*
= (N/A) tan


Wcos
W
Wsin
L
EPFL - LMR
U
H
w
Slide on a single plane joint: role of water
U = resultant of the
pore water pressure
distribution, as a
function of the
hydraulic conditions
( )

=
sin W
tan U cos W
FS

res
= ( - u) tan

res
=[ (Wcos-U)/ ] tan
The maximum shear
strength on the failure
surface is reduced

Wcos
W
Wsin
L
8
EPFL - LMR
Slide on a single joint (with tension crack)
Seepage allowed
Actions due to water presence:
1. Hydrostatic pressure in
the tension crack;
2. Seepage through
the joint at the base.
at the toe of the tension crack:
u =
w
h
w

L
V
U
Wcos
W
Wsin
u
h
w
2
w w
h
2
1
V = L h
2
1
U
w w
=
EPFL - LMR
Slide on a single joint (with tension crack)
Seepage allowed
stability against sliding
: = W cos U V sin
: = W sin + V cos
( )
+
+
=
cos V sin W
A * c tan sin V U cos W
FS
Shear strength reduced and applied forces increased
stability highly endangered.

L
V
U
Wcos
W
Wsin
u
h
w
EPFL - LMR
Slide on a single joint (with tension crack)
No outflow possible (at 0)
Actions due to water presence:
1. Hydrostatic pressure in
the tension crack;
2. No water flow; Hydrostatic
pressure in the failure plane.
at the toe 0 of the basal plane:
u =
w
(h
w
+ L sin)

L
V
U
Wcos
W
Wsin
u
h
w
0
2
w w
h
2
1
V =
( )
2
sin L h 2 L
U
w w
+
=
EPFL - LMR
1. Surface drainage
(cut-off ditch)
2. Pumping from wells
3. Gravity drainage of
the rear tension crack
4. Gravity drainage of
the basal plane
5. Drainage gallery and
radial drains
Methods to control water in jointed rock slopes
1.
2.
3.
4.
9
EPFL - LMR
Support methods: active measures
Pre-tension active anchors
Free length
Spiral winding cables or rods
Grouted zone
Fixed anchor length

EPFL - LMR
: = Wcos - U - Vsin + P
a
sin( + )
: = Wsin + Vcos - P
a
cos( + )

V
U
Wcos
W
Wsin
P
a
P
a
cos( + )
P
a
sin( + )

Support methods: active measures

EPFL - LMR

V
U
Wcos
W
Wsin
P
a
P
a
cos( + )
P
a
sin( + )

Support methods: active measures

( ) ( )
( ) + +
+ +
=
cos P cos V sin W
tan sin P sin V U cos W
FS
a
a
The pre-tension of anchors
both increases N and
decreases T, thus improving
the stability of the slope.
EPFL - LMR
Support methods: passive measures
Grouted bolts
Grouting all along the bars length
Thread bar Grouted zone
Passive anchors increase
the rock mass cohesion
(Bjurstrm, 1974):
f
c
a
a
a
S
S
C

=
S
a
= area of bars transversal section
S = area of the surface reinforced by bolts

a
= shear strength of the bar (
a
0.6
f
)

c
= rocks compressive strength

f
= yielding stress of the bars material (steel)

! Take care that there is also tension in the bolts in addition to bending and shear stresses
10
EPFL - LMR
Support methods: passive measures
: = Wcos - U - Vsin
: = Wsin + Vcos

V
U
Wcos
W
Wsin
T
S c S * c tan N
FS
a
+ +
=
! either c*S or c
a
S
(do not add contributions)
EPFL - LMR
Support methods: passive measures
T
S * c tan N
FS
+
=
( )
+
+
=
cos V sin W
S C tan sin V U cos W
FS
a

V
U
Wcos
W
Wsin
COLE POLYTECHNIQUE
FDRALE DE LAUSANNE
LMR
Rock mechanics
LABORATOIRE DE
MCANIQUE DES ROCHES
V. Labiouse, J. Abbruzzese
Wedge slide
EPFL - LMR
Wedge slide above the
road of Cogne (Italy)
http://www.crealp.ch/
Wedge sliding on
two intersecting
discontinuities
11
EPFL - LMR
Wedge sliding stability
Vertical plane Transverse section to i direction
Sliding failure of a rock
wedge on the S
1
and S
2
planes, which define an
intersection line in i direction.
W
i
n
Wcos
Wsin
S
1
S
2
Wcos
N
1
N
2

1
n
h

2
i
S
1
h
S
2
n
EPFL - LMR
Wedge sliding stability

+ + +
=
sin W
S c S c tan N tan N
FS
2
*
2 1
*
1 2 2 1 1
Solving the equilibrium equations in the h, i and n directions:
( )
2 1
2
1
sin
sin cos W
N
+

=
( )
2 1
1
2
sin
sin cos W
N
+

=
W
i
n
Wcos
Wsin
S
1
S
2
Wcos
N
1
N
2

1
n
h

2
EPFL - LMR
Wedge stability higher than plane failure
For example: if c
1
*=c
2
*=0 (smooth joints)
and
1
=
2
=

=
tan
tan
K FS
( )
2 1
2 1
sin
sin sin
K
+
+
=
with K : wedge factor
W
e
d
g
e

f
a
c
t
o
r

K
Aperture angle of the wedge