ARPHA Proceedings 7: 147-153, doi: 10.3897/ap.7.e0147

Effect of Combined Voronoi DFN Model and Finite Element Method in Rock Slope Stability Analysis: A Case Study

Riadh Boukarm, Mohamed Fredj, Abderrazak Saadoun

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Citation: Boukarm R, Fredj M, Saadoun A (2024) Effect of Combined Voronoi DFN Model and Finite Element Method in Rock Slope Stability Analysis: A Case Study. ARPHA Proceedings 7: 147-153. https://doi.org/10.3897/ap.7.e0147

Abstract

This work aims to study the effect of the Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model combined with the finite element method to analyze the stability of the rock slope of our study case: the Kef Essenoun open pit (Northeast of Algeria). At first, an analysis of rock slope stability using the Finite Element Method (FEM) considering a continuous media is carried out, showing a critical strength reduction factor (SRF) value of 1.14. This value reflects a critical state of stability, and results show that the failure surface crosses the marl layer. From the in situ investigations, the Rock Quality Designation (RQD)of the marl layer indicates a value of 40%; therefore, the marl layer is fractured. To take into account the presence of fractures in the model during simulation. The Discrete Fracture network model is combined with the FEM to investigate the effect of the fracturing state of the marl layer. Then, the Voronoi model represents the DFN model. After simulations in these pseudo-continuous conditions, the SRF decreased to 1.04. We can conclude that a DFN model combined with FEM affects rock slope analysis.

Keywords

Rock slope stability, Finite Element Method FEM, Discrete Fracture Network DFN, continuous media