Discrete element modeling of a mining-induced rock slide

Area of Science:

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Geology
• Computational Mechanics

Background:

• Underground mining activities induce stress redistributions in slopes, potentially leading to deformation and landslides.
• The Madaling landslide in Guizhou Province, China, serves as a critical case study for understanding slope failure mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the failure mechanisms of slopes affected by underground mining.
• To analyze the run-out behaviors of the Madaling landslide using numerical simulations.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of slope failure stages: tension crack development, creep crack formation, rupture surface development, and landslide occurrence.
• Quantitative verification of pre-failure deformation using the discrete element method (DEM) with PFC2D.
• Analysis of landslide run-out behaviors using PFC3D.

Main Results:

• The study quantitatively verified the four identified stages of slope failure mechanisms.
• The landslide movement was characterized by four distinct stages: acceleration, constant movement, rapid movement, and deceleration/deposition.

Conclusions:

• Discrete element modeling is effective for simulating and understanding landslide failure mechanisms and run-out behaviors.
• The findings provide valuable insights into the dynamics of mining-induced landslides, aiding in risk assessment and mitigation strategies.