Deformation characteristics of anti-dip rock slope controlled by discontinuities: a case study

The stability analysis of a rock slope is one of the most important problems in geotechnical engineering. The stability and failure mode are directly affected by the discontinuities in rock mass. Based on the case of an anti-dip slope with multi-group discontinuities at the Diaokanlong Tunnel of Rucheng-Chenzhou Expressway in central China, the deformation characteristics and evolution process of slope failure were analyzed by means of field investigation, deformation monitoring, and numerical simulation. Meanwhile, the failure mechanism was discussed, and suggestions for slope reinforcement were proposed. The results revealed that the failure of a rock slope is mainly controlled by its discontinuities, and the deformation at different scales is determined by different levels of discontinuities. The failure mode of a slope is a combination of sliding and toppling. These results would provide reference resources for the reinforcement design for such anti-dip slopes.