Fully Rationalized Equations for Incorporating Joint Water Pressure in Rock Slope Stability Analyses at Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park, California
Abstract
Accepted methods for incorporating water pressure in rock slope stability analyses were challenged during litigation in which wastewater was linked to fatal rock falls in Yosemite National Park. Defense experts asserted that "serious misinterpretations of basic equations have found their way into mainstream technical literature" and that the free draining model for estimating water pressure widely used in rock slope engineering is "physically inadmissible." We examined the empirical basis for the model, built a fracture permeameter to simulate water pressures in rock discontinuities, and developed fully rationalized equations for estimating those water pressures. the equations account for the variability of hydraulic conductivity in real discontinuities and the transition from rapid conduit flow to slower Darcian flow through infilling materials. Infillings cause water pressure to develop, adversely influencing stability. for typical conditions—including those reported in Yosemite—the equations predict destabilizing effects similar to Hoek's free draining equations.
Recommended Citation
C. F. Watts et al., "Fully Rationalized Equations for Incorporating Joint Water Pressure in Rock Slope Stability Analyses at Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park, California," Landslides and Engineered Slopes: Protecting Society through Improved Understanding - Proceedings of the 11th International and 2nd North American Symposium on Landslides and Engineered Slopes, 2012, vol. 2, pp. 1173 - 1178, CRC Press, Jan 2012.
Department(s)
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
978-041562123-6
Document Type
Article - Conference proceedings
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2024 CRC Press, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jan 2012
