Learning objectives
The course aims to form the fundamental principles of rock mechanics, by giving complementary topics in respect to those given during the Geotechnics course, in order to solve problems regarding Geotechnical Engineering, with a particular reference to environmental problems, such as slope stability.
Prerequisites
geotechnics
Course unit content
Natural and artificial soil slopes.
A short account of classification systems for landslides. Analysis of water pressure conditions in natural slopes. Water down-flow in natural and artificial slopes. Application of Finite Element Method to solve water-flow problems: case study of the experimental Po River embankment at Viadana (MN)
Earth flowslides.
Slope stability analysis. Methods for the evaluation of the safety factor for a slope. Safety factor of a clay slope. Limit equilibrium methods. General formulation of the method of strips. Methods of fellenius, Bishop, Janbu, Morgestern & Price. Comparison between different methods of analysis. Use of the numerical code SLIDE (Rocscience). Italian regulations about slope stability analysis.
Rainfall-induced shallow landslides. Different approaches to study the triggering mechanism. Hypothesis of infinite slope. Time-varying safety factor of a slope in reference with rainfall pattern. Analysis of some case histories. The physically-based model SLIP. Multi-scale slope stability analysis: from the slope scale to the regional scale. Example of weather built-in platforms for the protection of the natural environment.
Investigations and reinforcement methods for landslides.
Geotechnical investigations and definition of soil strength parameters. Definition of the geotechnical model. General reinforcement works. New profiling of the slope. Gravity draining works. Reinforcement through structural elements such as cantilever walls, anchors, piles. Examples of case studies.
Basic principles of rock mechanics. Stresses, strains and typical behaviour of materials. Methods of description of rock masses and joints. Field investigations on rock masses. Laboratory tests on massive rock and joints. Geotechnical characterization of a rock mass.
Stability analysis of both natural and artificial rock slopes. Planar rock slide and sliding along joint intersections. Rock fall and topple. Limit equilibrium methods for rock slopes.
The role of monitoring systems in the prevention of risk for complex and deep landslides.
Examples of monitoring systems of active or quiescent landslides.
Full programme
- - -
Bibliography
Airò Farulla C. Analisi di stabilità dei pendii. Hevelius Edizioni
M. Barla. Elementi di meccanica e Ingegneria delle rocce. Ed. Celid
Bromhead E.N.. The Stability of Slopes. Blachie and Son ltd
R. Lancellotta. Geotecnica. Zanichelli ed.
Lambe, T. W. & Whitman, R. V. (1990). Soil Mechanics. John Wiley & Sons, pp. 576
Teaching methods
theoretical lessons and exercises.
Laboratory exercises and problems deal with the topics treated during the theory lessons.
Assessment methods and criteria
The examination consists in an oral test.
Other information
- - -
