Slope stability assessment for block-in-matrix composite-materials by the tortuous surface method

Abstract

This thesis deals with the general problem of slope stability analysis in bimsoils/bimrocks and tortuous failure surfaces in slopes. The problem was handled by means of developing an application software named pyBIMstab that is capable of randomly generating bimsoil/bimrock structures inside a slope; defining automatically the surfaces that pass around the blocks by applying a pathfinding algorithm named A*; and evaluating the factor of safety of those tortuous surfaces with limit equilibrium methods. The application software pyBIMstab was used to perform thousands of analysis for different conditions and conclusion were obtained from that work. Finally, a methodology is proposed to properly perform analysis in slopes made of bimsoils/bimrocks in a stochastic way to deal with the uncertainties related to the wide range of factors of safety that can occur even with bimsoils/bimrocks having the same block proportions.

Abstract: Esta tesis aborda el problema general del análisis de estabilidad de taludes compuestos de bimsoil/bimrock y las superficies de falla tortuosas. El problema se resolvió mediante el desarrollo de un software de aplicación llamado pyBIMstab que puede generar aleatoriamente estructuras de bimsoils/bimrocks dentro de un talud, definir automáticamente las superficies que pasan rodeando los bloques aplicando un algoritmo de búsqueda de trayectorias llamado A* y evaluar el factor de seguridad de dichas superficies mediante el método de equilibrio límite. pyBIMstab se usó para realizar miles de análisis para diferentes condiciones y se obtuvieron algunas conclusiones a partir de eso. Finalmente, se propone una metodología para realizar correctamente el análisis de estabilidad de taludes compuestos por bimsoils/bimrocks mediante un enfoque estocástico para lidiar con las incertidumbres sobre la dispersión del factor de seguridad para bimsoils/bimrocks con la misma proporción de bloques.