Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual

Version 1.0 for Android operating systems

(i.e. not for apple iPhone)

The mobile phone application is based on the Q-slope method which was
introduced at the ISRM Regional Symposium – Eurock 2015 in Salzburg,
Austria (7-10 October 2015).

Citation:
Barton, N., & Bar, N. 2015. Introducing the Q-slope Method and its Intended
use Within Civil and Mining Engineering Projects. International Society for
Rock Mechanics.

A copy of the original publication is available on: https://www.onepetro.org

For geotechnical engineering advice, contact:

Gecko Geotechnics Nick Barton & Associates

(Australia) (Norway & Brazil)
www.geckogeotech.com www.nickbarton.com
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

for Android operating systems

(i.e. not for apple iPhone)

The mobile phone application is

based on the Q-slope method
which was introduced at the ISRM
Regional Symposium – Eurock
2015 in Salzburg, Austria (7-10
October 2015).

Citation:
Barton, N., & Bar, N. 2015.
Introducing the Q-slope Method and
its Intended use Within Civil and
Mining Engineering Projects.
International Society for Rock
Mechanics.

A copy of the original publication is

available on:
https://www.onepetro.org
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

The “Read Me” button provides the

user background information on the
Q-slope method as shown below.

Click the “Use-Q-Slope” button to

estimate Q-slope.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

Slope Geometry

Estimate the slope height.

Warning: The Q-slope method
was developed based on case
studies of slopes less than 30m
high.

Estimate the slope angle in degrees

(°). A clinometer or topographic
survey is advised.

Slope stability drop down menu

containing:
- Stable
- Failed
- Quasi-stable (anticipated to
collapse)
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

Project Details

Enter username, project location,

description and country.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

Photograph

If your mobile phone has a camera,

use the “Take Photograph” button to
take a photograph of the slope.

Note: Photograph is for reporting

purposes only.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

RQD

In core logging, RQD is the

borehole core recovery percentage
incorporating only pieces of solid
core that are longer than 100 mm in
length measured along the
centerline of the core (Deere,
1964).

Estimate and enter the RQD (%)

from observations of the rock mass.

The “View input table” button

provides the table below.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

Jn

Joint set number refers to the

number of discontinuity sets in the
rock mass.

Select from the drop-down menu.

The “View input table” button

provides the table below.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

Jr, Ja & O-factor

Check the “Enable Set B” tick box if

two discontinuity sets influence
stability.

Select from the drop-down menus

for joint roughness, joint alteration
and discontinuity orientation factor.

The “View input table” button

provides the table below.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

Jwice

Select from the drop-down menus

for environmental and geological
condition number - Jwice.

Check the tick boxes drainage

measures and/or slope
reinforcement measures were
installed.

The “View input table” button

provides the table below.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

SRFa

Select from the drop-down menu for

physical condition strength
reduction factor - SRFa.

The “View input table” button

provides the table below.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

SRFb

Manually type in SRFb value

SRFb input aid assists in estimating

the ratio of σc/σ1 (i.e. not SRFb
itself), by estimating intact material
strength (σc) and material density &
slope height (previously entered) to
estimate vertical stress (σv). This
assumes that (σv=σ1), which may
not be the case depending on the
in-situ stress conditions.

The “View input table” button

provides the table below. Here the
user can estimate SRFb from σc/σ1
.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

SRFc

Select from the drop-down menus

for major discontinuity strength
reduction factor - SRFc.

The “View input table” button

provides the table below.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

Review input data

The user can review all the input

data.

Corrections or adjustments can be

made by individually selecting a
value. This will take the user back
to the particular input parameter
area.

The “Calculate Q-Slope” button will

estimate Q-slope based on the
input data and estimate the
suggested “steepest reinforcement-
free slope angle”.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone
Application User Manual

Results

Q-slope and the suggested

steepest reinforcement-free slope
angle are estimated based on the
input results.

The user can use the

“Email Report” button to send all of
the entered data and the
photograph.

The entered data can be cleared

and the program restarted by using
the “Reset” button.

Warning: The Q-slope method

was developed based on
case studies of slope angles
ranging from 35° to 85°.
 Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual

Users are encouraged to report any errors or bugs found in the application to
Gecko Geotechnics – info@geckogeotech.com

Gecko Geotechnics acknowledges the efforts of Ermin Sator (software

engineer) for his contributions in developing this application.

For geotechnical engineering advice, contact:

Gecko Geotechnics Nick Barton & Associates

(Australia) (Norway & Brazil)
www.geckogeotech.com www.nickbarton.com