A study of the treatment of a dangerous thick submerged rock mass in the three gorges reservoir area

In order to study the treatment of a dangerous thick submerged rock mass, the Jianchuandong dangerous rock mass (JDRM) in the Three Gorges reservoir area is analyzed in this paper. Field investigation, on-site monitoring, and laboratory testing were used to analyze the deformation and failure mode of the dangerous rock mass. The analysis shows that the uneven pressure caused by the weight and deterioration of the base of the rock mass during the dry-wet cycles will eventually lead to slump failure of the JDRM. Preventative methods, including anchoring the upper part of the dangerous rock mass and reinforcement of the base of the rock mass, are proposed to improve the stability of the dangerous rock mass. Based on a numerical simulation, we conclude that anchoring the upper dangerous rock mass can effectively control the deformation of the dangerous rock mass and reinforcement of the base of the rock mass can block the slip zone of the dangerous rock mass. The combination of these two preventative methods significantly improves the stability of the dangerous rock mass. By comparing the stability of the dangerous rock mass before and after the implementation of these preventative methods during the dry-wet cycles, it can be seen that the preventative methods can satisfactorily ensure the long-term stability of the dangerous rock mass.