Benched slope in rock with a weak vertical band

Modeling Procedure

Step 1 Generate 3D pit bench slope in the Extrusion Pane. Group names are assigned to
gridpoints along the bench slope to assist with changing the slope angle automatically
during the factor-of-safety calculations.
Step 2 Execute a FISH function, bench_xpos, that is used to move the gridpoints as the slope
angle is reduced from 60o. A new grid is then created using the Extrusion tool.
Step 3 Assign Mohr-Coulomb material, set boundary and initial conditions and perform a factor-
of-safety calculation for the grid.
Step 4 Repeat Steps 2 and 3 as the slope angle is reduced in increments. Save the calculated
FOS and slope angle to a table.
Step 5 Plot the FOS versus slope angle table and determine the slope angle that provides a safety
factor of 1.3.
Step 1-1 Launch FLAC3D and create a new project, pitslope.f3prj, in a selected working directory
Step 1-2 Open the Extrusion Pane , and create an extrusion set named pitslope.
Step 1-3 Import a backgrounf image, bench.dxf, using the [Import Background Image] tool.
Step 1-4 Use the [Point[Edge] tool to create and connect nodes to follow the boundary of the background image.
Step 1-5 Add additional edges to divide the slope shape into quadrilateral blocks.
Step 1-6 Use the [Blocking] tool to create the structured grid within the slope shape.
Step 1-7 Use the [Autozone] tool and specify a model extent of 30 zones.
Step 1-8 Assign the group name strongrock to all the blocks in the construction view.
Step 1-9 Assign the group name pt1 to the gridpoint at the front of of the berm above the lower bench.
Step 1-10 Assign the group name pt2 to the gridpoint at the back of the berm and the two gridpoints below this gridpoint.
Step 1-11 Assign the group name pt3 to the gridpoint at the top of the upper bench.
Step 1-12 The model depth is set in the extrusion view to be 40 m. The weak rock extends 8 m at the center of this view. The zones within
this center region are assigned the group name weakrock.
Step 1-13 The extruded FLAC3D model shown above is created when the [Extrude] button is pressed.
Step 1-14 The list of commands from the extrusion pane are saved by using the [Panes]/[State Record] menu item. Right-click in the State
Record to save the commands to a data file, named pit_extrude.f3dat.
Step 1-15 Note that a NEW command and SYS “del *.f3sav” command are added at the start of the file to clear the folder for a factor-of-safety
caclulation. The model state is saved as pit_extrude.f3sav.
Step 2 FISH function bench_xpos translates gridpoints with group names “pt1”, “pt2” and “pt3” as the angles of the benches are reduced from
60o. The slope angle is reduced in 2.5o increments. The input parameters to bench_xpos are the initial slope angle of the two benches,
_theta1=_theta2=60o, the width of the middle bench _w=10 m , and the initial x-coordinates of the middle bench and upper bench _xa=25.547,
_xb=31.547 and _xc=43.094. At each angle reduction, EXTRUDE transform translate commands are used to translate the selected gridpoints to
new positions corresponding to the new slope angle.
Step 3 A factor-of-safety calculation is performed at each bench slope angle by executing the commands in cal_fos.f3dat. A new grid is created
from the extrusion tool (GENERATE zone extrude), Mohr-Coulomb material and properties are assigned (MODEL mech mohr and PROPERTY
commands), boundary conditions are specified (FIX coammnds), gravity is turned on (SET gravity), and the factor of safety is calculated (SOLVE
fos).
Step 4 A total of 11 factor-of-safety calculations are performed by first using bench_xpos to create a new grid in the extrusion tool, and then
calling calc_fos.f3dat to perform the calculation. The FOS result and corresponding slope angle are written to table 1 when each calculation is
complete.
Step 5-1 The factor of safety calculated for the initial slope angle (60o) is 0.81. Failure is shown on both benches.
Step 5-2 When the analysis for all 11 calculations is complete, the final inclination of the bench slope is 35o, and the factor of safety is 1.32.
Failure occurs along the upper bench.
Step 5-3 The table plot of factor of safety versus slope angle is shown. The plot indicates that a factor of safety of 1.3 is reached at a slope
angle of 36o.