Structural geology and data interpretation 37

a wedge failure in which sliding takes place along (a) N !f

the line of intersection of two planar discontinu-
ities as illustrated in Figure 2.16(b). Plane failure !i
Plane A
shown in Figure 2.16(a) is also covered by this
test since it is a special case of wedge failure. For
a wedge failure, contact is maintained on both
planes and sliding occurs along the line of inter- Plane B Direction of sliding,
section between the two planes. For either plane i, s

or wedge failure to take place, it is fundamental

Dip direction of face, f
that the dip of the sliding plane in the case of plane Face
failure, or the plunge of the line of intersection in
the case of wedge failure, be less than the dip of
the slope face (i.e. i < f ) (Figure 2.17(a)). That (b) N
A
is, the sliding surface daylights in the slope face.
The test can also differentiate between sliding Plane A
of a wedge on two planes along the line of inter-
section, or along only one of the planes such
that a plane failure occurs. If the dip directions
of the two planes lie outside the included angle i
between i (trend of intersection line) and f (dip Plane B
f
direction of face), the wedge will slide on both
planes (Figure 2.17(b)). If the dip direction of one Face
plane (A) lies within the included angle between B
i and f , the wedge will slide on only that plane
(Figure 2.17(c)). (c) N
Face

2.6.1 Kinematic analysis Plane A

Once the type of block failure has been identified

on the stereonet, the same diagram can also be
used to examine the direction in which a block i
A
will slide and give an indication of stability con-
ditions. This procedure is known as kinematic Plane B f

analysis. An application of kinematic analysis

is the rock face shown in Figure 2.1(b) where
two joint planes form a wedge which has slid
out of the face and towards the photographer.
If the slope face had been less steep than the
line of intersection between the two planes, or
had a strike at 90 to the actual strike, then
although the two planes form a wedge, it would
not have been able to slide from the face. This
relationship between the direction in which the
block of rock will slide and the orientation of
the face is readily apparent on the stereonet.
However, while analysis of the stereonet gives a
good indication of stability conditions, it does
B
Figure 2.17 Identification of plane and wedge failures
on stereonet: (a) sliding along line of intersection of
planes A and B is possible where the plunge of this
line is less than the dip of the slope face, measured in
the direction of sliding, that is, i < f ; (b) wedge
failure occurs along line of intersection (dip direction
i ) on slope with dip direction f because dip
directions of planes A and B (A and B ) lie outside
included angle between i and f ; (c) plane failure
occurs on plane A (dip direction A ) on slope with
dip direction f because dip direction of planes A lies
inside included angle between i and f .