Study of the soil stability theory problems by the simplex method

The questions of linear programming methods application to the main problems of stability theory - problems on slope stability, problems on ultimate pressure of soil on enclosures (case of landslide pressure), and problems on bearing capacity of horizontal base of a die are considered. The problems of stability theory are formulated as linear programming tasks. It is shown that the given systems of equations are linear with respect to the unknowns and may be solved by the Simplex method. The results of soil stability problems calculation by Simplex method are compared with the results of calculations according to the most known classical schemes. It is shown that a great scatter of final results is observed in calculating the stability of slopes by classical methods, and in this case, the results obtained by the Simplex method are the most trustworthy ones. The situation with landslide pressure definition is especially complicated in this sense where classical methods give a scatter of landslide pressure values by several times. It is established that with increasing discretization of the computational domain, the results tend to exact solutions of the limit equilibrium theory, obtained, for example, by the method of characteristics. The latter point is illustrated using the example of the problem of a die pushing into a ground massif with a Hill scheme bulge.

ENSURING THE STABILITY OF INTERNAL DUMPS ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PARAMETERS OF SOILS

Purpose. The paper considers the issues of ensuring the stability of internal dumps consisting of soft rocks. This issue is relevant because the stability of quarry boards and dumps affects the safety of work in quarries. Methodology. When assessing the stability of slopes, the method of determining the minimum coefficient of stability, equal to the ratio of restraining forces to shear forces that arise in the slope array. Findings. The calculation and assessment of the stability of the slopes of the dumps are carried out on the example of Malyshevsky rutile-zircon-ilmenite deposit. The geological structure of the deposit overburden is represented by loess-like loams, red-brown clays, gray-green clays, fine-grained sands. To ensure the stability of internal dumps, the selective formation of dumps is proposed, which is presented in this paper in two ways. In the first variant, the dumping of Sarmatian gray-green clays into the lower part of the heap, which are weakly permeable and have low strength, is considered. In the second variant, a layer of Sarmatian sands is poured into the base of the dump. According to the normative value of the coefficient of stability margin, depending on the physical and mechanical properties of the rocks that make up the array, the optimal height and slope angle of the dump are determined. When assessing the stability of the slopes of the dump, the impact of groundwater and the possibility of location in the developed space of the tailings were also taken into account. Originality and Practical implications. Studies have shown that the most rational option is the formation of internal heaps with embedding in the base of the lower tier of the heap with a height of 40 m layer of Sarmatian sands; in the case of embedding in the lower part of the inner heaps of gray-green clays, it is advisable to form the lower tier of the heap with 2 sub-tiers up to 20 m high; the upper tier of the dump is recommended to be formed by one massif 26 m high. Besides, in the produced space of the quarry, the location of the tailings is possible in case of dumping Sarmatian sands into the base of the dump.

ACTIVITY TO PREVENT EMERGENCY SITUATIONS OF CASCADE TYPE OF SPREADING RELATED TO SOIL LANDSLIDE

Landfills for solid waste with liquidation energy-intensive technological equipment, due to emergencies of the cascade type of distribution associated with the landslide of landfills, pose a man-made environmental hazard. Experimental studies to determine the effect of humidity, density, temperature of landfill soils on the stability of slopes on landslides have shown that with increasing humidity and temperature, the resistance of the array to displacement decreases. The lower the density, the greater the ability to penetrate and saturate with moisture, which creates additional shear load. According to the results of experimental research, a method of prevention of cascade-type emergencies related to landfill landslides at the landfill with liquid energy-intensive technological equipment has been developed to prevent the consequences of danger from escalating from site to higher levels of distribution. The method consists of measures "before" and "after" the fact of moving the landslide.

Terrestrial photogrammetry at the quarry and validating the accuracy of slope models for monitoring their stability

The paper is devoted to the application of photogrammetry in surveying and geomechanical studies of the state of stability of slopes in a quarry. For deep quarries a particularly important task is to ensure the stability of the slopes of the benches. The purpose of this study is to improve the survey techniques of the slopes using terrestrial photogrammetry, the establishment of the values of the basic errors in the positioning of cameras in local geodetic network. The results of photogrammetric measuring data processing, which are the coordinates of the slope points and its elements, point cloud, surface model, volume and area data, improve the quality of geomechanical monitoring at mining enterprises and provide increase safety of mining operations. The proposed method of survey consists in positioning images (projection centres) in the system of the geodetic reference network by measuring with an electronic total station. Established during the study was dependence of the accuracy of the coordinates of the three-dimensional model of the slopes on the distance between the camera and the total station, between the camera positions in a pair of images. The article contains the results of the practical implementation of the proposed survey method, the results of experiments performed for the purpose of comparison with an alternative measurement method, which was a survey by a total station, graphs of dependencies describing the effect of measurement parameters on the accuracy of work performed. The article is also supplemented by a theoretical analysis of the use of UAVs in the use of work to determine of stability of slopes in a quarry, which is based on the authors’ experience with the use of UAVs in open pit mines. In this theoretical comparison, the emphasis is mainly on the operability of the use of UAV, which in the case of open pit mines creating a practically stable wind vortex with a speed higher than the allowed speed of operation rotors UAVs.

Using Ground Microtremor Data in Advanced Rockfall Early Warning Systems and Predicting Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Rockfall Hazards

Identifying cliffs that are prone to fall and providing a sufficient lead time for rockfall warning are crucial steps in disaster risk reduction and preventive maintenance work, especially that led by local governments. However, existing rockfall warning systems provide uncertain rockfall location forecasting and short warning times because the deformation and cracking of unstable slopes are not sufficiently detected by sensors before the rock collapses. Here, we introduce ground microtremor signals for early rockfall forecasting and demonstrate that microtremor characteristics can be used to detect unstable rock wedges on slopes, quantitatively describe the stability of slopes and lengthen the lead time for rockfall warning. We show that the change in the energy of ground microtremors can be an early precursor of rockfall and that the signal frequency decreases with slope instability. This finding indicates that ground microtremor signals are remarkably sensitive to slope stability. We conclude that microtremor characteristics can be used as an appropriate slope stability index for early rockfall warning systems and predicting the spatiotemporal characteristics of rockfall hazards. This early warning method has the advantages of providing a long lead time and on-demand monitoring, while increasing slope stability accessibility and prefailure location detectability.

Effects of block shape and inclination on the stability of melange bimrocks

A wide range of heterogeneous geological units composed of strong rock blocks enclosed in a bonded matrix of fine texture exists worldwide. Such geomaterials belong to geotechnically complex formations and are often referred to as bimrocks (block-in-matrix rocks) or bimsoils (block-in-matrix soils), as a function of their matrix characteristics and the interface strength between the matrix and blocks. Stability problems occurring in such complex geomaterials have been analysed almost exclusively by means of deterministic approaches and with the aim of investigating the effects of variable block contents on their mechanical behaviour. However, bimrocks and bimsoils can present very different internal block-in-matrix arrangements and properties according to their forming process and, consequently, significantly dissimilar mechanical behaviours. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to statistically investigate and compare the stability of theoretical slopes in the most widespread bimrock formations, i.e. sedimentary and tectonic melanges. These formations are characterised by substantial differences in their rock inclusion geometry. To this aim, a great number of 2D slope models were generated to enclose blocks with variable shapes, dimensions, arrangements, inclinations and contents. To obtain statistically based results, fifteen configurations were analysed for each block content and geometrical configuration considered. The results obtained indicate that block shapes and orientations significantly affect the stability of slopes in bimrocks only when the block contents are greater than 40%. Moreover, it is demonstrated that blocks inclined 0° to the horizontal provide the most tortuous and irregular failure surfaces and, consequently, the highest safety factors.

Biological Contribution of Ornamental Plants for Improving Slope Stability along Urban and Suburban Areas

Plants can reduce erosion during heavy raining periods and improve slope stability through their root morphology, development, biomass, and architecture. Heavy rains can increase erosion, becoming a danger for traffic and people who live around slopes. The control of slope stability is often required in urban and peri-urban environments, and for this reason ornamental species can be appropriately selected for a dual use, namely improving the aesthetical value of green areas along the urban and suburban roads and mitigating the erosion effects. The species used must have good tolerance to abiotic stresses, such as high and low temperature, drought, pollution and nutrient deficiency. Otherwise, their limited growth can reduce their beneficial effects. Ornamental plants that can be used for reducing the erosion of slopes must be in full growth during periods with a higher incidence of rains and must also be compatible with the temperature ranges in different seasons. These species can be also selected for their ability to avoid erosion and enhance the stability of slopes. In this review, the biological contribution of plants for improving slope stability has been reported and discussed with a special focus attention on the Mediterranean environment. Particular emphasis has been placed on root biomass changes and root growth parameters, considering their role as potential markers for selecting suitable plants to be used for enhancing slope stability. A brief description of planting on slopes and root growth has been also considered and discussed.

Study on the Stability of Slopes Reinforced by Composite Vegetation Combined with a Geogrid under Rainfall Conditions

The planting of shrubs and trees on geogrid-reinforced slopes is an important ecological slope protection method that is frequently implemented in the rainy areas of southern China. First, this paper analyzes the soil-fixing principle of the geogrid and root system and demonstrates the feasibility of using composite vegetation of shrubs and trees to reinforce the slope with a geogrid. Using the Yushi Expressway project in Guizhou, we conducted a stability analysis of slopes under different working conditions and different reinforcement modes. We determined that the ecological protection method of combining composite vegetation with a geogrid can effectively increase the stability of slopes. The maximum displacement of the ecological slope under rainfall conditions was reduced by 82% compared with the original slope, and the overall stability was improved by 35%. Four factors affect the slope stability: the depth of shrub reinforcement, depth of anchorage of trees, distribution of trees, and spacing of the geogrids. An orthogonal analysis considering these 4 factors with 3 levels was implemented. The following optimal combination was obtained to ensure ecological protection under rainfall conditions: a shrub reinforcement depth of 0.6 m, a tree anchorage depth of 3 m, a grid spacing of 0.4 m, and a top-sparse and bottom-dense tree distribution. The combined slope protection schematic was applied to the Yushi Expressway project in Guizhou, and a strong reinforced slope protection effect was observed.

5G IoT-based geohazard monitoring and early warning system and its application

With the expansion of human production activities, geological disasters caused by slope instability are occurring more frequently. Hence, the research on effective monitoring and forecasting of the geotechnical stability of slopes is of great significance for the prevention and mitigation of slope geological disasters. In this study, a landslide monitoring and early warning system based on 5G Internet of Things (IoT) technology is introduced. The system monitors important indicators such as three-dimensional surface displacement, rainfall, and ground cracks using Global Navigation Satellite System equipment and various IoT sensors deployed on site. The key monitoring data are transmitted and displayed by 5G communication and advanced data visualization technologies. An early warning guideline is established by combining the surface deformation rate–time curve according to a four-level early warning method as well as embedded vector maps such as the topographic and geomorphological remote sensing map of the monitoring area, the geological section map, and the monitoring point distribution map. The system has the functions of accurate acquisition, rapid transmission, automatic search, and comprehensive analysis and is applied to the study of creep slopes of the Lianhe terraces in Youxi County, Fujian Province, with remarkable results.