Shallow chalk quarry stability using an original shear strength reduction approach

Abstract

Unexploited underground quarries may represent a potential hazard for the surrounding urban environment. In this context, this work presents a stability study of quarries in North France. A shear non-uniform non-homogeneous degradation approach is proposed for the stability study. The presence of joints in the chalk continuum is considered by using an anisotropic plasticity model accounting for the accumulation of permanent strains along these joints. Stability analysis using proposed degradation approach is performed and compared with the conventional shear strength reduction approach. The comparison shows that the proposed degradation approach might be an alternative to conventional shear strength reduction approach.