ABSTRACT

This chapter provides a synthesis of the application of fracture mechanics to rock slopes, both natural and engineered. The characterization of brittle fracture in rock slopes is described with a focus on the types of damage, stress-path dependency and the evolution of damage during slope failure. The state-of-the-art in the numerical modeling of brittle fracture in rock slopes is presented along with methods of characterizing damage both in numerical models and in the field. The importance of scale effects and the challenges facing numerical modeling of brittle fracture in rock slopes are also discussed. The authors emphasize the need to develop improved methodologies for characterising the factors influencing brittle fracture in rock slopes; it is important to ensure that data collection maintain pace with computing developments, as considerable improvements in both parameter and model uncertainty are still required for the analysis of large scale slopes.