FEM and XFEM approaches to Investigate the Hydromechanical Interactions within a jointed soft-rock slope

One of the most significant challenges of open-cut mining is to provide stability for the excavated slopes. Unrealistic predictions of the slopes’ behaviour during and after mining operations can lead to the failure of slopes, and this may pose a threat to human lives, the economy, and the environment. By excavating soft rock masses in open-cut mines, pre-existing joints can open and new joints can form behind excavated slopes. This phenomenon is due to the geotechnical character of the materials and stress relief movements of the excavated slopes. The stability of slopes in the rock masses is significantly influenced by the existence of discontinuities such as joints. The water flows in the opened joints can change the pore water pressure distribution in the slopes. The interaction between the joints and the water may impose different loading scenarios on the open-cut mines and put the safety of mining operations at risk. The analysis of slope stability can become more complicated because of the presence of water, discontinuities, and their interaction within the slopes in open-cut mines. This study investigates the hydromechanical interactions in the saturated jointed slopes due to pore water pressure changes. The second-largest open-cut mine in Australia, the Yallourn brown coal open-cut mine located in Victoria, was chosen as the case study for this research. In this study, several coupled pore fluid diffusion and stress-strain analyses are conducted using the extended finite element method (XFEM) in conjunction with the finite element method (FEM). This study firstly examines a joint aperture and pore water pressure changes of the excavated jointed slope due to installing a drainage system and backfilling in front of the slope. Secondly, a series of sensitivity analyses are carried out on the pore water pressure distribution changes to the variation of the permeability magnitude of the material and leakage properties of the joint surfaces. Finally, to control the pore water pressure of the saturated jointed slope, a series of drainage systems is designed. The arrangement and length of the drains are optimised by conducting a series of sensitivity analyses on the leakage properties of the joint and the permeability of the soft rock.Doctor of Philosoph