TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of Spatial Variability in the Geometry of Fractures on Granite Slope Stability
AU - Jia, Lin
AU - Cai, Jing Sen
AU - Wu, Li
AU - Yeh, Tian Chyi Jim
AU - Yan, E. Chuan
AU - Du, Yi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, Part of Springer Nature 2025.
PY - 2025/10
Y1 - 2025/10
N2 - A DFN-DEC (discrete fracture network-distinct element code) method based on the MATLAB platform is developed to generate heterogeneous DFN. Subsequently, the effects of the spatial variability (the mean μ and the standard deviation σ) of the geometric properties (i.e., the fracture dip D, the trace length T and the spacing S) of both the gently-dipping (denoted with 1) and the steeply-dipping (denoted with 2) fractures on the stability of granite slope are investigated. Results indicate that the proposed DFN-DEC method is robust, generating fracture networks that resemble reality. In addition, the spatial variability of fracture geometry, influencing the structure of granite slope, plays a significant role in slope stability. The mean stability of the slope decreases with the increase of μD1 (the mean of gently-dipping fracture dip), σD2 (the mean of steeply-dipping fracture dip), μT1 (the mean of gently-dipping fracture trace length), μT2 (the mean of steeply-dipping fracture trace length), σT1 (the standard deviation of gently-dipping fracture trace length), σT2 (the standard deviation of steeply-dipping fracture trace length), and the decrease of σD1 (the standard deviation of gently-dipping fracture dip), μD2 (the standard deviation of steeply-dipping fracture dip), μS1 (the mean of gently-dipping fracture spacing) and μS2 (the mean of steeply-dipping fracture spacing). Among them, μT1,μD1 and μS1, have the major impact. When the fracture spacing is large, the variability in the fracture geometry becomes less relevant to slope stability. When within some ranges of the fracture spacing, the spatial varying of dips can increase the slope stability by forming an interlaced structure. The results also show that the effects of the variability of trace length on slope stability depend on the variability of dip. These findings highlight the importance of spatial variability in the geometry of fractures to rock slope stability analysis.
AB - A DFN-DEC (discrete fracture network-distinct element code) method based on the MATLAB platform is developed to generate heterogeneous DFN. Subsequently, the effects of the spatial variability (the mean μ and the standard deviation σ) of the geometric properties (i.e., the fracture dip D, the trace length T and the spacing S) of both the gently-dipping (denoted with 1) and the steeply-dipping (denoted with 2) fractures on the stability of granite slope are investigated. Results indicate that the proposed DFN-DEC method is robust, generating fracture networks that resemble reality. In addition, the spatial variability of fracture geometry, influencing the structure of granite slope, plays a significant role in slope stability. The mean stability of the slope decreases with the increase of μD1 (the mean of gently-dipping fracture dip), σD2 (the mean of steeply-dipping fracture dip), μT1 (the mean of gently-dipping fracture trace length), μT2 (the mean of steeply-dipping fracture trace length), σT1 (the standard deviation of gently-dipping fracture trace length), σT2 (the standard deviation of steeply-dipping fracture trace length), and the decrease of σD1 (the standard deviation of gently-dipping fracture dip), μD2 (the standard deviation of steeply-dipping fracture dip), μS1 (the mean of gently-dipping fracture spacing) and μS2 (the mean of steeply-dipping fracture spacing). Among them, μT1,μD1 and μS1, have the major impact. When the fracture spacing is large, the variability in the fracture geometry becomes less relevant to slope stability. When within some ranges of the fracture spacing, the spatial varying of dips can increase the slope stability by forming an interlaced structure. The results also show that the effects of the variability of trace length on slope stability depend on the variability of dip. These findings highlight the importance of spatial variability in the geometry of fractures to rock slope stability analysis.
KW - DFN-DEC method
KW - engineering geology
KW - geometry of fractures
KW - slope stability
KW - spatial variability
KW - steep-gentle combined fracture model
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105018685583
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105018685583#tab=citedBy
U2 - 10.1007/s12583-023-1825-3
DO - 10.1007/s12583-023-1825-3
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105018685583
SN - 1674-487X
VL - 36
SP - 1923
EP - 1935
JO - Journal of Earth Science
JF - Journal of Earth Science
IS - 5
ER -