JRMGE / Vol 16 / Issue 3
Limit load and failure mechanisms of a vertical Hoek-Brown rock slope
Jim Shiau, Warayut Dokduea, Suraparb Keawsawasvong, Pitthaya Jamsawang
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a School of Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, 4350, QLD, Australia
b Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
c Research Unit in Sciences and Innovative Technologies for Civil Engineering Infrastructures, Department of Civil Engineering, Thammasat School of Engineering,
Thammasat University, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand
d Soil Engineering Research Center, Department of Civil Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, Bangkok, 10800, Thailand
2024, 16(3): 1106-1111. doi:10.1016/j.jrmge.2023.05.018
Received: 2023-01-21 / Revised: 2023-03-13 / Accepted: 2023-05-15 / Available online: 2023-09-18
2024, 16(3): 1106-1111.
doi:10.1016/j.jrmge.2023.05.018
Received: 2023-01-21
Revised: 2023-03-13
Accepted: 2023-05-15
Available online: 2023-09-18
The problem considered in this short note is the limit load determination of a vertical rock slope. The classical limit theorem is employed with the use of adaptive finite elements and nonlinear programming to determine upper and lower bound limit loads of a Hoek-Brown vertical rock slope. The objective function of the mathematical programming problem is such as to optimize a boundary load, which is known as the limit load, resembling the ultimate bearing capacity of a strip footing. While focusing on the vertical slope, parametric studies are carried out for several dimensionless ratios such as the dimensionless footing distance ratio, the dimensionless height ratio, and the dimensionless rock strength ratio. A comprehensive set of design charts is presented, and failure envelopes shown with the results explained in terms of three identified failure mechanisms, i.e. the face, the toe, and the Prandtl-type failures. These novel results can be used with great confidence in design practice, in particularly noting that the current industry-based design procedures for the presented problem are rarely found.
Keywords: Bearing capacity, Rock slope, Vertical slope, Finite element limit analysis, Hoek-Brown yield criterion
Article Data
Author(s) Information
Jim Shiau
Jim Shiau is currently Associate Professor at University of Southern Queensland, Australia. He received a PhD from University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia where he continued two years of post-doctorate under the leadership of late Laureate Professor Scott Sloan. His research focuses on deep braced excavation and soft ground tunnelling, sinkhole stability, and finite element limit and shakedown analyses for geotechnical stability problems. Jim Shiau has extensive experience in the design of underground structures. He enjoys the breadth of general practice with interests in geotechnical stability research. He has published more than 20 high-impact Q1 journal articles as being both first and corresponding authors.