Module 8 : Rock slope stability

LECTURE 28
8.3 WEDGE FAILURE

When two or more weak planes in the slope intersect to from a wedge, the slope may fail as
wedge failure. The basic condition at which wedge mode of slope failure happens are as
follows,

1. Two planes will always intersect in a line

2. Plunge of the line of intersection must be flatter than the dip of the face and steeper
that the average friction angle of the two slide planes, i.e (ψ fi > ψ i > ϕ)
3. The line of intersection must dip in a direction out of the face for sliding to be feasible.

(a) (b)

Figure 8.7: Wedge failure in rock a) actual field b) line diagram with tension crack

235
 Module 8 : Rock slope stability

β
ξ/2
ξ/2

RA
RB

ξ = included angle

β = angle of tilt
W cos ψi

Figure 8.8: Analysis of wedge failure in rock

Factor of safety of the wedge is defined by assuming sliding is resisted only by friction and
the friction angle ϕ is same for both the surface.

(𝑅𝑅 + 𝑅𝑅 ) tan 𝜙𝜙
Factor of safety (FS) = 𝑊𝑊 𝐴𝐴tan 𝜓𝜓𝐵𝐵 cos 𝜓𝜓
𝑖𝑖 𝑖𝑖

R A and R B are the normal reactions provided by plane A and B. The component of weight
acting down the line of intersection is w sin ψ i . The forces R A and R B are found by reducing
them into components normal and parallel to the direction along the line of intersection.

ξ ξ
𝑅𝑅𝐴𝐴 sin(β − 2) = 𝑅𝑅𝐵𝐵 sin(β + 2)

ξ ξ
𝑅𝑅𝐴𝐴 cos(β − 2) + 𝑅𝑅𝐵𝐵 cos(β + 2) = W cos ψi

W cos 𝜓𝜓𝑖𝑖 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠β

𝑅𝑅𝐴𝐴 + 𝑅𝑅𝐵𝐵 = ξ
sin
2

𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠β tan 𝜙𝜙
Hence, FS = ξ .tan ψ
sin i
2

In other words, FS w = K. FS P

where FS w is the factor of safety of a wedge supported by friction only. FS p is the factor of a
plane failure in which the slide plane with friction angle ϕ dips at the same angle as the line
of intersection ψ i . K is the wedge factor depends upon the included angle of the wedge ξ and
the angle of tilt β of the wedge.

236
 Module 8 : Rock slope stability

Figure 8.9: Wedge factor K as a function of wedge geometry (Duncan and Wiley, 1999),

237
 Module 8 : Rock slope stability

8.4 CIRCULAR FAILURE

It is understood that, the slope failure in rocks largely controlled by the weak planes. But
when the fractures are too many and closely spaced, the slope automatically finds the least
resistance path to failure. The failure surface in such highly fractured cased is mostly circular.

The conditions under which circular failure (Duncan and Wiley, 1999),
• Occurs when the individual particles in soil or rock mass are very small compared
with the size of the slope.
• Broken rock in a fill will tend to behave as “soil” and fail in a circular mode when the
slope dimensions are substantially greater than the dimensions of the rock fragments.
• When soil consisting of sand, silt and smaller particle sizes will exhibit circular slide
surfaces, even in small slopes.
• Highly altered and weathered rocks, as well as rock with closely spaced, randomly
oriented discontinuities such as some rapidly cooled basalts, will also tend to fail in
this manner.

Deep seated / base failure

Face failure

Toe failure

Figure 8.10: Different modes of circular slope failure

238
 Module 8 : Rock slope stability

(a)

(b)

Figure 8.11: The shape of typical sliding surfaces: (a) large radius circular surface in
homogeneous, weak material, (b) non-circular surface in weak, surfacial material with
stronger rock at base.

239
 Module 8 : Rock slope stability

8.4.1 Limit equilibrium stability analysis

The factor of safety of the circular failure is performed based on limit equilibrium analysis.
Procedure involves comparing the available shear strength along the sliding surface with the
force required to maintain the slope in equilibrium. The application of this procedure to
circular failures involves division of the slope into a series of slices that are usually vertical,
but may be inclined to coincide with certain geological features. The base of each slice is
inclined at angle ψ b and has an area A. In the simplest case, the forces acting on the base of
each slice are the shear resistance S due to the shear strength of the rock (cohesion c; friction
angle φ), and forces E (dip angle ψ; height h above base) acting on the sides of the slice (see
detail in figure XXX). The analysis procedure is to consider equilibrium conditions slice by
slice, and if a condition of equilibrium is satisfied for each slice, then it is also satisfied for
the entire sliding mass.

Figure 8.12: Forces acting on a slice in the limit equilibrium analysis

240
 Module 8 : Rock slope stability

The analyses are statically indeterminate and assumptions are required to make up the
imbalance between equations and unknowns (Duncan, 1996). The various limit equilibrium
analysis procedures either make assumptions to make up the balance between known and
unknowns, or
they do not satisfy all the conditions of equilibrium. For example, the Spencer Method
assumes that the inclination of the side forces is the same for every slice, while the Fellenius
and Bishop methods do not satisfy all conditions of equilibrium. Later, computers made it
possible to more readily handle the iterative procedures inherent in the limit equilibrium
method, and this lead to mathematically more rigorous formulations which include all
interslice forces and satisfy all equations of statics.

Table 8.1: Equations of statics to be satisfied

Figure 8.13: Software generated analysis with method of slices

241