scholarly journals Monitoring the Preonzo rock slope instability using resonance mode analysis

Author(s):  
M. Häusler ◽  
C. Michel ◽  
J. Burjánek ◽  
D. Fäh
2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (12) ◽  
pp. 6497-6506 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Häusler ◽  
C. Michel ◽  
J. Burjánek ◽  
D. Fäh

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hossein Taherynia ◽  
Mojtaba Mohammadi ◽  
Rasoul Ajalloeian

Assessment of the stability of natural and artificial rock slopes is an important topic in the rock mechanics sciences. One of the most widely used methods for this purpose is the classification of the slope rock mass. In the recent decades, several rock slope classification systems are presented by many researchers. Each one of these rock mass classification systems uses different parameters and rating systems. These differences are due to the diversity of affecting parameters and the degree of influence on the rock slope stability. Another important point in rock slope stability is appraisal hazard and risk analysis. In the risk analysis, the degree of danger of rock slope instability is determined. The Lashotor pass is located in the Shiraz-Isfahan highway in Iran. Field surveys indicate that there are high potentialities of instability in the road cut slopes of the Lashotor pass. In the current paper, the stability of the rock slopes in the Lashotor pass is studied comprehensively with different classification methods. For risk analyses, we estimated dangerous area by use of the RocFall software. Furthermore, the dangers of falling rocks for the vehicles passing the Lashotor pass are estimated according to rockfall hazard rating system.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Häusler ◽  
Franziska Glüer ◽  
Jan Burjánek ◽  
Donat Fäh

<p>The Preonzo rock slope instability in southern Switzerland partly collapsed in 2012, releasing a volume of ~210’000 m3 and leaving behind an unstable rock mass of about 140’000 m3. Shortly after the collapse, a small-aperture seismic array measurement was performed on the remaining unstable volume. The analysis of these data showed a fundamental resonance frequency of about 3.5 Hz and strong wavefield amplifications with factors of more than 30 in direction perpendicular to open tension cracks. Normal mode analysis by frequency domain decomposition using the fundamental and several higher modes allowed for mapping the fracture network of the instability.<br>However, the observed amplification factors and mode shapes could not be explained solely by the open tension cracks visible at the surface. Strong amplifications, especially at frequencies of higher modes, were observed on the uphill part of the rear fracture, which was supposed to be outside the presumed unstable area. The zone where amplifications rapidly decreased in the uphill direction coincides roughly with a geomorphological lineament in the field, interpreted as an additional, but hidden, rear fracture. <br>We performed active seismic refraction tomography across this lineament and discovered distinct low velocity anomalies in the transition zone from high to low amplifications, supporting the interpretation of an additional fracture. Considering this new finding, the volume of the unstable rock mass increases by about 40 %. </p>


2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 2027-2038 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Gischig ◽  
S. Loew ◽  
A. Kos ◽  
J. R. Moore ◽  
H. Raetzo ◽  
...  

Abstract. Five ground-based differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (GB-DInSAR) surveys were conducted between 2005 and 2007 at the rock slope instability at Randa, Switzerland. Resultant displacement maps revealed, for the first time, the presence of an active basal rupture zone and a lateral release surface daylighting on the exposed 1991 failure scarp. Structures correlated with the boundaries of interferometric displacement domains were confirmed using a helicopter-based LiDAR DTM and oblique aerial photography. Former investigations at the site failed to conclusively detect these active release surfaces essential for kinematic and hazard analysis of the instability, although their existence had been hypothesized. The determination of the basal and lateral release planes also allowed a more accurate estimate of the currently unstable volume of 5.7±1.5 million m3. The displacement patterns reveal that two different kinematic behaviors dominate the instability, i.e. toppling above 2200 m and translational failure below. In the toppling part of the instability the areas with the highest GB-DInSAR displacements correspond to areas of enhanced micro-seismic activity. The observation of only few strongly active discontinuities daylighting on the 1991 failure surface points to a rather uniform movement in the lower portion of the instability, while most of the slip occurs along the basal rupture plane. Comparison of GB-DInSAR displacements with mapped discontinuities revealed correlations between displacement patterns and active structures, although spatial offsets occur as a result of the effective resolution of GB-DInSAR. Similarly, comparisons with measurements from total station surveys generally showed good agreement. Discrepancies arose in several cases due to local movement of blocks, the size of which could not be resolved using GB-DInSAR.


Author(s):  
Valentin S. Gischig ◽  
Jeffrey R. Moore ◽  
Keith F. Evans ◽  
Florian Amann ◽  
Simon Loew

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Mamot ◽  
Samuel Weber ◽  
Saskia Eppinger, ◽  
Michael Krautblatter

Abstract. In the last two decades, permafrost degradation has been observed to be a major driver of enhanced rock slope instability and associated hazards in high mountains. While the thermal regime of permafrost degradation in high mountains has already been intensively investigated, the mechanical consequences on rock slope stability have so far not been reproduced in numerical models. Laboratory studies and conceptual models argue that warming and thawing decrease rock and discontinuity strength and promote deformation. This study presents the first general approach for a temperature-dependent numerical stability model that simulates the mechanical response of a warming and thawing permafrost rock slope. The proposed procedure is applied to a rockslide at the permafrost-affected Zugspitze summit crest. Laboratory tests on frozen and unfrozen rock joint and intact rock properties provide material parameters for the discontinuum model developed with the Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC). Geophysical and geotechnical field surveys deliver information on the permafrost distribution and fracture network. The model demonstrates that warming decreases rock slope stability to a critical level, while thawing initiates failure. A sensitivity analysis of the model with a simplified geometry and warming trajectory below 0 °C shows that progressive warming close to the melting point initiates instability above a critical slope angle of 50–62°, depending on the orientation of the fracture network. The increase in displacements intensifies for warming steps closer to zero degree. The simplified and generalised model can be applied to permafrost rock slopes (i) which warm above −4 °C, (ii), with ice-filled joints, (iii) with fractured limestone or probably most of the rock types relevant for permafrost rock slope failure, (iv) with a wide range of slope angles (30–70°) and orientations of the fracture network (consisting of three joint sets). The presented model is the first one capable of assessing the future destabilisation of degrading permafrost rock slopes.


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