THE GEOTECHNICAL MONITORING METHOD OF TASHTUN-FAULTROCKS OF THE SOUTH-WEST WALL IN THE QAJARAN QUARRY

Abstract

A method has been suggested for geotechnical monitoring of  tectonic fault rock mass of the south-west wall in Qajaran open-pit mine by applying the pseudo-static method of CPTu (Cone Penetration Test with in-situ pore water pressure measurements) which gives an opportunity to define the root parameters of soils such as: pore water pressure, unit weight, drained and undrained shear strength. The versatile in-situ CPTu methods allow to profile simultaneously the geotechnical properties of each soil strata with permanent penetrating speed, and also while using the SCPTu  (Seismic Cone Penetration Test with in-situ pore water pressure measurements) method, as well as determine horizontal and shear seismic wave velocities from the given geomechanical environment. At that, it also becomes possible to pull out independently intact samples from tectonic-fault-soils for future laboratory testing. Two different approaches for geomechanical proposition of the south-west wall stability of Qajaran open-pit mine based on the limit equilibrium theory and outputs from the proposed in-situ geotechnical seismic monitoring (SCPTu) have been analysed. The difference of the results from the two analyzed approaches (USA vs ESA) was about 8 to 10% in estimating the slope stability. Based on the analyzed results of the stability of the south-west wall of  Qajaran open-pit mine, it is recommended to apply undrained strength analysis for undrained tectonic-fault soils (USA – Undrained Strength Analysis) instead of the effective drained strength analysis (ESA – Effective Strength Analysis) for drained rocks by taking into account the developed excess pore water pressure when saturated clayey soils sheared in undrained conditions.