Slope Stability of rock

This project investigates failure mechanisms and consequences in jointed rock slopes due to strength degradation under environmental stressors. The study uses the Finite-Discrete Element Method (FDEM), implemented in Irazu, to evaluate how different dip angles of continuous joints and strength reduction schemes affect slope stability.

Results show that the conventional approach overestimates the factor of safety (F.S.) and underestimates consequences like runout distance and displaced volume. Failure modes transition from planar sliding in slopes with 30° dipping joints to toppling in those with 120°, with consequences varying accordingly. A field application to a limestone quarry in Eastern Ethiopia further validates the model and confirms that reducing all strength parameters yields a more realistic F.S. and displacement behavior.

The dataset includes FDEM model slope failure results, stress-strain plots, and calibration data used for both synthetic and field models. These data are valuable for researchers and engineers working on rock mechanics, landslide risk, and numerical modeling of brittle geosystems.

The project audience includes geotechnical engineers, geologists, slope stability analysts, and research groups working with FDEM or on the mechanics of fractured rock slopes. The data can be reused for benchmarking new numerical techniques, validating limit equilibrium analyses, or teaching progressive failure modeling in rock mechanics courses.