By: Hasabelrasoul Eltahir Abdalla

Lecturer within Khartoum University – Mining Engineering Department

Hasab.mining@gmail.com
+249 901970284
 Introduction
 Cases of mine slope failures
 Rock as an engineering material
 Types of failure associated with mine slope
 Design methods
 Pit Slope monitoring and failure prediction
 Failure management options
 Graduation projects research in slope stability
 Conclusion and recommendations.
Introduction

Surface Mining

2/18/2018
• Typical open pit slope geometry showing relationship between
overall slope angle, inter-ramp angle and bench geometry.
Open Pit

AMC
Open Pit
 Waste Rock

Hassai Site
 Tailing

Hassai Site
Cases of Mines Failure
 South Africa
Lily mine collapse, Sep 16, 2016
• 18m thick and 150m long crown pillar collapse
• 100 workers trapped in the mine
• 1 000 workers jobless
Bench Failure

Drilling machine damage

Drill Bench Failure

28,July 2013, http://www.miningmayhem.com/2013/07/drill-bench-failure.html
 • mine at more than 970 m deep,
• sudden, lasting ~90 seconds,.
• In total, ~65 million cubic meters of material was deposited,

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=24748916&nid=460&page=2
A massive landslide at Kennecott Utah Copper's Bingham Canyon
Mine occurred on April 11, 2013.
 Although there were no victims, the slide may affect the company's full-year copper
guidance, to release its first-quarter production.
 Mine waste dump too close to the mine

Circular Failure

Failure after depletion of the ore, an abandoned mine

Hassai South, Sudan

Failure after depletion of the ore, an abandoned mine

Waste Dump

Hassai South, Sudan

 cloudy and rainy day

About 100m
A vertical Tension Cracks A sliding block
Uncontrolled instability, in effect failure
of a slope, can have :

1. Safety/social factors
2. Economic factors
3. Environmental/regulatory factors

2/18/2018
Rock as an Engineering Material
Rock as an Engineering Material

Homogeneous

Heterogeneous
Rock as an Engineering Material

Continuous

Discontinuous
Rock as an Engineering Material

Isotropic

Anisotropic
Influence of Geological Factors:

1. We have the intact rock which is itself divided by discontinuities

to form the rock mass structure.
Influence of Geological Factors:

2. We find then the rock is already subjected to an in situ stress.

Influence of Geological Factors:

3. Superimposed on this are the influence of pore fluid/water flow,

and time.

 With all these factors, the geological history has played its part,
altering the rock and the applied forces.
Heavy disturbed rock layers
Jointed Rocks
Faulted rocks
Blasting Contribution
Orientation

30
Orientation

31
Heavy Machines
1. Plane Failure
• Limit equilibrium analysis can be applied to a wide range of
conditions and can incorporate forces such as water forces acting on
the sliding surface, as well as external reinforcing forces supplied by
tensioned rock anchors.

ground water and bolting

forces
acting on sliding surface Mohr diagram

Ψ𝑝

Ψ𝑇

2/18/2018
• When using reinforcement, (anchor) the normal and shear
forces acting on the sliding plane due to the anchor tension are
respectively:

Then, the factor of safety would be:

Slope Stability - UofK- Mining Dept

2/18/2018 By Hasabelrsool E.A.Elsadig
2. Wedge Failure:
• Most common mode of failure for rock slopes
• Often, failure is sudden
Slope Stability - BLU- Mining Dept
By Hasabelrsool E.A.Elsadig, MSc - Mining @ UofK
3. Toppling Failure
 toppling, which involves rotation of columns or blocks of rock about
a fixed base.
 Similar to the plane and wedge failures, the stability analysis of
toppling failures involves:

• first, carrying out a kinematic

analysis of the structural geology
to identify potential toppling
conditions.

• Then, if this condition exists,

performing a stability analysis
specific to toppling failures.

J.David Rogers
4. Circular Failure
4. Circular Failure

42
Rock Mass Characterization and Design
Circular Failure Charts

Sequence of steps involved in using circular failure charts to find the factor of safety of a slope.
Circular Failure Charts
Slope Scaling and Controlling Defects

2/18/2018
1. Geology (rock / soil / mixed)
2. Discontinuities (spacing/ persistence)
3. Constitutive criteria
4. Material properties (intact/ discontinuity)
5. Groundwater pressure / seismic loading
6. In Situ stress and external loads
7. Deterministic / Probabilistic analysis
Design Methods:

Design methods for rock slopes fall into two groups:

i. Limit Equilibrium Analysis
ii. Numerical Analysis

• Limit equilibrium analyses calculates the factor of safety of the

slope and different procedures are used for plane, wedge, circular
and toppling failures.
• Numerical analysis examines the stresses and strains developed in
the slope, and stability is assessed by comparing the stresses in the
slope with the rock strength.

2/18/2018
Numerical methods of rock
slope analysis (Coggan et al., 1998)
Limit equilibrium analysis-2D and 3D
 Single Bench Design using:
• Phase2 software
• FLAC2D software

2/18/2018
Numerical Modeling using FLAC3D

https://www.itascacg.com/flac3d-6-see-what-you-have-been-missing
 FLAC3D (Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua in 3
Dimensions) is numerical modeling software for geotechnical
analyses of soil, rock, groundwater, constructs, and ground
support. Such analyses include engineering design, factor of
safety prediction, research and testing, and back-analysis of
failure.
 Continuum analysis can be applied to engineering design of civil,
mining, and geotechnical excavations (e.g., slopes, tunnels, caverns,
stopes, etc.) and constructs (dams, foundations, footings, walls, etc.)
in soil, intact rock, and rock masses (i.e., heavily jointed rock). Using
interfaces, FLAC3D can also simulate discontinuities such as faults,
joints, bedding planes, and engineered boundaries along constructs.
Numerical Modeling using 3DEC
 3DEC is a three-dimensional numerical modeling code for
advanced geotechnical analysis of soil, rock, ground water,
structural support, and masonry. 3DEC simulates the response
of discontinuous media (such as jointed rock or masonry bricks)
that is subject to either static or dynamic loading. The numerical
formulation It is based on the distinct element method (DEM)
for discontinuum modeling.
The stability of a slope can be expressed in one or more of
the following terms:

1. Factor of Safety : (SF >1 stable)

2. Probability of failure : Stability is expressed as probability distribution

 The factor of safety is the most common method of slope

design, and there is wide experience in its application to all
types of geological conditions, for both rock and soil.
A slope failure does not occur
without warning...!!
 what to look for:

1. Overhang rock
2. New geological structure
3. Swell and /or increased rock fall activity
4. Heavy precipitation
5. Signs of stress
6. Movement (acceleration)
7. Increase water levels
Tension crack measurements
Inclinometers :

Measure horizontal deflection of a borehole

They can :
• Locate failure surface
• Determine nature of failure
• Measure movement
Borehole extensometer:
Borehole extensometer:
Slope Stability - UofK- Mining Dept By
Hasabelrsool E.A.Elsadig, MSc - Mining @ UofK
Slope stability radar unit

Leica TCA2300 universal total station

2/18/2018
Failure Date Prediction

Failure Date

Plot of six-day average slope distance inverse velocity and velocity (predicted curves vs
actual values on inset graph) vs time for nine prisms (time 0 was the observed time of
failure), Source: After Rose & Hungr (2007)
“We can’t rely only on monitoring systems. The eyes and ears of a
committed workforce are the most valuable assets mines have for
monitoring hazards.”

ACG, “Unearthing Black Gold”

Slope Stability - UofK- Mining Dept By
Hasabelrsool E.A.Elsadig, MSc - Mining @ UofK
Slope Stability - UofK- Mining Dept By
Hasabelrsool E.A.Elsadig, MSc - Mining @ UofK
1. Reduce slope height by segmenting slope
2. Leave unstable areas untouched
 An abandoned area
 An inactive area
 An area that can be avoided
3. Continue mining
If the displacement rate is low and predictable, living
with displacement while continuing to mine may be the
best action
4. Slope drainage
• Prevent surface water from
entering
• Reduce water pressure
• Providing for gravity flow
Operation of six in-pit wells in a small, ‘out of the way’ area at El Tapado, Peru (Courtesy Minera Yanacocha SRL)
Ground Water Drainage Techniques

Example of louvered well screen designed with vertical play in the threads (Photo: Geoff Beale)
Ground Water Drainage Techniques

Examples of barge pumping in an

active sump with high-solids
water
Ground Water Drainage Techniques

Example of a well-point system to cut off recharge to

the slope at shallow levels
Example of reticulation of horizontal drain flows
5. Partial clean – up
Best choice for a slide blocks a haul road or fails onto a
working area
6. Step – out
7. Support unstable ground
1. Reinforced concrete dowel
2. Tensioned rock anchors
3. Tieback wall to prevent sliding failure on fault zone
4. Shotcrete
5. Drain hole to reduce water pressure
6. Concrete buttress
Mesh and Bolting

Drape mesh protection at the Savage River Mine,

The Drape Mesh installation was preceded by the installation of the anchor system, set approximately 10 m behind the crest. The anchors for the
mesh systems were 18.5 mm diameter, 4 m long wire rope anchors; attached to 22 mm diameter wire top ropes attached to 16 mm diameter wire
top ropes.
8. Contingency planning
 Graduation Projects
Research in Slope Stability
In 2015: Khartoum University, Mining Dept

Slope Stability Analysis for Mining Deep Massive

Sulphide, Using Numerical Modeling2D
Ariab Site, Sudan
Oderuk Pit : Recommended slope angle of 43.5 Degrees with SF of 1.28 (Modeling)
Final Year Project
Blue Nile University, Mining Engineering Dept.
Oderuk Pit
 Hilly region from 570 m down to 450 m pit depth of about 120m
 Green – stone schists :
• 𝜌 = 2.7𝑔/𝑐𝑐3
• ∅ = 30°
• C = 1000𝐾𝐾𝐾
 Recommended overall slope angle of max 50 Degrees , SF 2.7.

 Other soft rocks :

• 𝜌 = 2.7𝑔/𝑐𝑐3
• ∅ = 26 − 30°
• C = 100𝐾𝐾𝐾
 Recommended slope angle of 44Degrees with SF from 1.16 to
1.21
In 2016 : Khartoum University, Mining Dept

Slope Stability Analysis for Mining Deep Massive

Sulphide, Using 3D Numerical Modeling
Ariab Site, Sudan
GTS NX software
In 2017 : Khartoum University, Mining Dept

Design of Underground Ramp using 3D modeling

Hassai South, Sudan
No Start XYZ Pitch Turn Taper Length (m) Slope angle
angle
1 100,0,0 130 4 10 2078.5 18

2 150,0,0 130 4 10 3308.9 12.22

3 125,0,0 130 4 10 2690.5 14.57

4 125,0,0 130 4 12 2592.55 14.57

5 130,0,0 130 4 9 2863.12 14

6 140,0,0 130 4 13 2913.2 13

7 125,0,0 130 3 0 2833.25 14.57

3D Modeling using GTS NX software
We have a lot of work to be done....!!

http://www.ariabmining.net/index.php/en/pages/details/16/6
Ganate (depleted mine) : Hassai site , Sudan
Ganate (depleted mine) : Hassai site , Sudan
Ganate(depleted mine) : Hassai site , Sudan
Ganate ((depleted mine) : Hassai site , Sudan
Conclusion and Recommendations:

1. Importance of stability analysis for both surface

and underground mines in Sudan
2. High speed computer lab is required.
3. Software dealing with rock engineering such as
FLAC3D, 3DEC, Phase3D and Slide2D and 3D.is
necessary.
https://www.itascacg.com
http://www.rocscience.com/
cloudy and rainy day, and they are happy too ...!!
‫ﺷــﻜـﺮﺍ ﺟـــﺰﻳـﻼ‬

Photo from ghazal minerals co. ltd