Stability Analysis and Reinforcement of a High-Steep Rock Slope with Faults: Numerical Analysis and Field Monitoring

This study presents a stability analysis of a high-steep rock slope with two faults during excavations and evaluates the effectiveness of a proposed reinforcement method using prestressed anchor cables. A 3D finite difference model was established based on the strength reduction method using FLAC3D software. The influence of various fault conditions and the effectiveness of the reinforcement on the slope stability during the excavation process were analyzed and compared to field monitoring data. The numerical analysis and field monitoring results showed that the fault close to the slope surface (f20) was prone to the local instability under external forces caused by the excavation, but a fault further away from the slope surface (f14) had insignificant influence on the stability of the slope. Based on the numerical analysis results, the proposed reinforcement measure can increase the factor of safety (FOS) of the slope by 19.2%. The field monitoring data also showed that the displacement of the monitoring point gradually decreased after the reinforcement, and the deformation of the slope was effectively controlled.