Abstract

ERAZO-MARTINEZ, Luis Alejandro  and  SUAREZ-BURGOA, Ludger O.. volteoLab: Computer program for the modeling of toppling instability at slopes in road cuts. Bol. cienc. tierra [online]. 2022, n.51, pp.9-22.  Epub Feb 17, 2022. ISSN 0120-3630.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rbct.n51.96150.

The computer program for 2D toppling modeling, named volteoLab, allows interpret the toppling mode of failure of a set of rock-blocks at road slopes; all of these by analyzing under a continuum frame taking into account the contact and gravitational forces of the blocks. The analysis is done with the limit equilibrium method. In this method, the calculation of forces, such as the weight of each rock-block, where the base frictional force is also taken into account. On the other hand, it is used the concept of transfer coefficient (ψ). Under this concept, there is relation of the gravitational force components with the spatial location of each block, those against a strategic reference block called crest block and with a location index of m, where the physical meaning divides the slope of analysis in two zones: Shear and Crown zones. With the transference coefficient and the location of the crown block, it is possible to identify vulnerable parts in the slope, and especially it is possible to have a numeric value of another variable, which will define the global stability of the slope, this that is a horizontal force at the foot of the slope called here nailing force (P). If this force is negative, the slope is stable, and if the force is positive, the slope is unstable.

Keywords : rock mass; highway; computer program; toppling failure mode.

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