Stability Analysis of Dangerous Rocks on the Slope of a Hydropower Station

Abstract

Dangerous rocks are among the most significant factors in analyzing the stability of high slopes, and are the main geological hazards on such slopes. These rocks are typical spatial blocks. The unstable failure of dangerous rocks poses evident spatial features. Consequently, their stability should be calculated by considering it as a three-dimensional (3-D) problem. In this research, the general block method of fractured rock mass and 3-D discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) are used to study the stability of dangerous rocks on the slope of a hydropower station. The general block method of fractured rock mass is used to generate dangerous rocks and to assess the geometric mobility of blocks. The progressive unstable failure of dangerous rocks is also analyzed. Moreover, 3-D DDA is implemented to examine the stability of dangerous rocks, including the regularity of their unstable failure. The failure sequence of each batch of blocks estimated by general block theory is the same as that in the results of 3-D DDA. The decrease in the shear parameters of the structural plane shortens the time interval of failures, but increases the number and capacity of blocks.

Stability Assessment of Dangerous Rock Mass of an Overhanging Slope in Puerdu Town, Southwestern China

“…Mithun et al [5] used remote sensing technology to monitor glacier changes on the Bhutanese Himalayan Plateau and evaluate the stability of dangerous rock mass. Li et al [6] also proposed that the unstable failure of dangerous rocks has obvious spatial characteristics. When Wang et al [7] studied the stability of Jianchuandong dangerous rock mass in the ree Gorges Reservoir area, they proposed that the instability mechanism was that the weight of the upper rock mass and the periodic change of the reservoir water level led to the weakening of the foundation rock mass and the increasing damage, which eventually led to the collapse of the bedrock, and carried out stability analysis on it.…”