The Q-slope method for rock slope engineering / Метод Q-slope для проектирования откосов (бортов)

Q-slope is an empirical rock slope engineering method for assessing the stability of excavated rock slopesin the field. Intended for use in reinforcement-free road or railway cuttings or in opencast mines, Q-slope allows geotechnical engineers to make potential adjustments to slope angles as rock mass conditions become apparent during construction. Through case studies across Asia, Australia, Central America, and Europe, a simple correlation between Q-slope and long-term stable slopes was established. Q-slope is designed such that it suggests stable, maintenance-free bench-face slope angles of, for instance, 40–45, 60–65, and 80–85 with respective Q-slope values of approximately 0.1, 1.0, and 10. Q-slope was developed by supplementing the Q-system which has been extensively used for characterizing rock exposures, drillcore, and tunnels under construction for the last 40 years. The Q0 parameters (RQD, Jn, Ja, and Jr) remain unchanged in Q-slope. However, a new method for applying Jr/Ja ratios to both sides of potential wedges is used, with relative orientation weightings for each side. The term Jw, which is now termed Jwice, takes into account long-term exposure to various climatic and environmental conditions such as intense erosive rainfall and ice-wedging effects. Slope-relevant SRF categories for slope surface conditions, stress-strength ratios, and major discontinuities such as faults, weakness zones, or joint swarms have also been incorporated. This paper discusses the applicability of the Q-slope method to slopes ranging from less than 5 m to more than 250 m in height in both civil and mining engineering projects БюююЮ