QUARRY STABILITY ANALYSIS FOR COMPLEX SLIP SURFACES USING THE MATHSLOPE METHOD

Due to the specific characteristics of rock mass compared to other geological materials, the calculation of rock slope stability is very complex. One of the basic characteristics of rock masses is discontinuity, which, to the most degree, is formed by the geological structure and its elements. Because of discontinuities the slip surfaces of complex shapes are formed in rock slopes, mostly of straight and curved segments. The calculation of the stability factor of rock slopes for complex shapes of slip surfaces has been made possible by the development of the MathSlope method. The complex shape of slip surface has been achieved by introduction of planes of discontinuities in the slip surface. Thus, the setting up and searching procedure of critical slip surfaces of complex shapes is very different in the MathSlope method than in other ones. The example of back analysis for the quarry Vukov Dol shows the successfulness in determining the critical slip surface, as well as the calculation factor of stability for the complex shape of slip surface. Apart from calculating the factor of stability for the complex slip surface, the solution for the position of discontinuity on the slope is obtained, which matches with the real position on the quarry