Publications

Rock Slope Engineering (5th Edition, 2017)

by Duncan C. Wyllie

Fully revised and updated, the fifth edition of this classic handbook, based on the original book by Evert Hoek and John Bray, comprehensively addresses the design and excavation of rock slopes, with particular emphasis on civil engineering applications. Significant new material added since the fourth edition (2004) includes:

• Weathered rock – for projects in tropical climates, information is provided on the process of rock weathering, and the properties of weathered rock including shear strength related to weathering grade. Stability analyses of cut slopes in weathered rock in Brazil and Malaysia are included.
• Seismic design of rock slopes – the influence of seismic ground motions on rock slope stability, based on extensive documentation of past events, is reviewed. Recent developments for both pseudo-static stability analysis and Newmark displacement analysis are discussed; the analyses incorporate the effects of site conditions and earthquake magnitude.
• Numerical analysis – the applications of numerical analysis (finite element and finite difference methods) to slope stability analysis are described, including the strength reduction method (SRM) to determine the factor of safety. Special topics discussed include slope reinforcement and methods of modelling rock bridges and brittle fracture of rock.

The book includes design charts that provide a rapid check on the stability of both rock and soil slopes, together with more detailed analytical methods for the study of critical slopes. Methods for the collection and interpretation of geological and groundwater information are discussed, as well as the determination of the shear strength of both discontinuities and fractured rock masses. Special topics include blasting, slope stabilization, rock fall protection and slope movement monitoring. Case studies in civil engineering are included.

Rock Slope Engineering has been written for both practitioners working on projects involving the design, construction and operation of rock slopes, and for undergraduate and graduate courses in rock mechanics. It contains worked examples to assist the reader in relating the techniques described to practical slope design, and provides about 550 references for those who wish to study particular aspects of the subject in greater detail.

Contents:

• Principles of Rock Slope Engineering
• Geology
• Weathered Rock
• Data Collection
• Rock Strength
• Ground Water
• Plane Failure
• Wedge Failure
• Circular Failure
• Toppling Failure
• Seismic Design
• Numerical Analysis
• Blasting
• Slope Stabilization
• Movement Monitoring
• Civil Engineering Applications