Rock fall analysis of slope along state highway in Uttarakhand Himalaya, India using numerical simulation

Abstract:

With almost 1% of the reported accidents being associated with slope stability problems, landslides and rock fall have been responsible for nearly 25% of fatalities in hill slopes and surface mines over past few decades. Morpho-dynamic terrain of Himalaya is continually facing challenges in stability of rock/slopes, which are aggravated due to increased disturbance level in rock/soil mass due to human intervention. The lithological and structural variations, orientations and patterns of different water bodies and vegetation are varied along the slopes which indicate site-specific studies of rock fall prone areas in Uttarakhand. Lack of sufficient knowledge and understanding of the phenomenon, frequent occurrences of rock fall along state and national highways, the consequent inconveniences and loss of lives highlight the importance of addressing the subject on a priority basis.

Rock fall simulation of the hill cut face along state highway in India was performed to replicate the effects of the falling rock blocks in the valley. The energy, velocity, bounce height and the trajectory of possible rock failures were determined. The slopes were optimised with respect to the intermediate benches to reduce the impact of falling rock blocks on the adjoining road. It was observed that introducing benches near the top did not reduce the impact of falling boulders much, however, the number of rocks crossing the ditch was less. On the contrary, benches at intermediate height reduced the energy of falling blocks but could not restrict the blocks to cross over the ditch on to the road. An optimisation of the angle of inclination of the ditch angle was also carried out. A ditch angle of 15^o could restrict the passage of boulders from ditch over to the adjoining road. The study will be very useful for safe design of structures for prevention and mitigation of hazards due to rock failures along these slopes.