RocNews Summer 2017
Slide 3
3D Limit Equilibrium Slope Stability
Mining Applications
Weve created a new tool that allows mining engineers
to calculate the Factor of Safety (FS) of complex
geometries (i.e. bullnoses, large open pit excavations,
effects of buttressing, etc.) that 2D models cannot fully
simulate.Slide3packages the features of Rocsciences
industry-leadingSlidesoftware such that the FS can
be calculated rapidly, without the need for additional
material input parameters.
3D open pit model with complex geology
Click here to try Slide3 for free!
Geometry Import
Geometry modeling in Slide3 is fully 3-dimensional and is
based on our 3D finite element program RS3 (version 2). If
you are familiar with RS3 (version 2) then you will be able
to create Slide3 models using the same modeling features.
3D mine geometry can be created entirely within Slide3 or
imported. Since mine or slope geometry is usually saved in
pre-existing file formats, Slide3 can import geometry from
many common formats, including those shown below,
with the Geometry > Import option.
File import options for model geometry
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 RocNews Summer 2017

The RS Geometry Object format allows import of The Generalized Anisotropic Strength option allows you
geometry from RS (3D finite element program available
3
to create virtually any customized anisotropic material
from Rocscience). model incorporating multiple failure criteria applied over
user-defined 3D orientations.

Open pit mine slope

Generalized anisotropic failure criterion in Material Properties dialog
After importing geometry into Slide3, many modeling
options are available to create a Slide3 model from the
imported data, including:
Add Polylines
Create External Volume
Add 3D Primitive Geometry, such as boxes, cylinders
or cones
Create Surfaces From Selected geometry
Reconstruct Surface from Table values entered by the
user
Extract Bounding Curve from surfaces Generalized anisotropic strength function dialog

2D Section Export for Slide to create a Slide file from a Anisotropy can be defined along one or more planes
plane section of your Slide3 model
using the Dip/DipDirection option shown in the above
Planar Section Tool to extract polylines from geometry
figure. For anisotropic bedding layers which are folded
using a cutting plane
(see figure below) you can define an Anisotropic Surface
Extrude/Sweep/Loft operations to add depth
dimensions which follows the bedding layer. The anisotropic strength
Transform operations such as translate and rotate calculation will then use this surface to determine the local
3D Boolean operations to combine, remove or divide bedding plane orientation which determines the strength
geometry parameters to be used at any given location.
Boundary surfaces can be interpolated from borehole
data using the Borehole Manager

Material Models
Slide3 offers a wide variety of strength models for soil and
rock. Of particular interest for rock strength modeling are
Mohr-Coulomb, Shear-Normal Function, Generalized
Hoek-Brown, Anisotropic, and Generalized Anisotropic
Strength options. For a list of all material models options,
click here.

Generalized Anisotropic Strength

Anisotropy defined by user-defined surface
Bedding layers in rock often have anisotropic (directional)
strength properties, which can be modeled using the For more information about anisotropic strength click
Anisotropic or Generalized Anisotropic Strength options. here; also see the Slide3 tutorials page.

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Wedge Type Failure
Wedge type failures caused by the intersection of joint
planes or other discontinuities can be modeled using the
Weak Layer option. The weak planes can be assigned a
lower strength, and Slide3 will generate a multi-planar
wedge failure surface and calculate the safety factor.
Wedge failure surface generated by intersecting weak planes
Assign Materials using Cutting Plane
The Assign Materials using Cutting Plane option is very
useful for assigning materials to complex 3D models with
many different material regions. The cutting plane can be
moved or rotated to any position, and materials can be
assigned using the 2D section view. This greatly simplifies
3D material assignments.
RocNews Summer 2017
This option is also adapted for exporting 2D sections of
Slide3 models to Slide for quick 2D analysis of any cross-
section of your 3D model.
Search Methods
Search methods for critical slip surfaces in Slide3 are highly
automated, and require minimal user input. Initial trial
surfaces can be generated using Spheres or Ellipsoids;
then Surface Altering optimization continues to search for
a general failure surface with a lower safety factor. The
3D failure direction is automatically determined during the
analysis; it is not necessary for the user to specify a failure
direction.
3D critical slip surface for two plane anisotropic model
Slip surface and search methods dialog
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 RocNews Summer 2017

Slip surfaces can conform to the shape of bedrock using Data Interpretation
an Infinite Strength material region, as shown in the Data interpretation options include:
following figure. View 3D global minimum slip surface
View all slip surfaces
View contour plots of analysis data on slip surface
(e.g. stress, strength, pore pressure)
View safety maps on the surface of the model or on
cutting plane through your model
Column data viewer

2D view of slip surface sliding on bedrock (infinite strength material)

Slope Limits
The Slope Limits option allows you to narrow the search
area to any region of the slope by defining one or more 3D
bounding boxes. This is particularly useful for large slope
or open pit models, and allows you to analyze individual
portions of slopes, rather than searching the entire model.

Contours of normal stress on 3D slip surface

Slope limits (green box) restricts search to one side of open pit

Column data viewer

License and pricing information for Slide3 is found here!

Click here to try Slide3 for free

for two weeks and let us know
what you think!
Critical surface for pit slope within slope limits

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