A comprehensive look at the hydrogeological procedures that should be followed when performing open pit slope stability design studies. Guidelines for Evaluating Water in Pit Slope Stability offers slope design practitioners a road map that will help them decide how to investigate and treat water pressures in pit slopes.

It provides guidance and essential information for mining and civil engineers, geotechnical engineers, engineering geologists, and hydrogeologists involved in the investigation, design, and construction of stable rock slopes.

The book contains six sections that outline the latest technology and best practice procedures for hydrogeological investigations. The sections cover the framework used to assess the effect of water in slope stability; how water pressures are measured and tested in the field; how a conceptual hydrogeological model is prepared; how water pressures are modelled numerically; how slope depressurization systems are implemented; and how the performance of a slope depressurization program is monitored and reconciled with the design.

CONTENTS

• Introduction
• Framework: assessing water in slope stability
• Site characterization
• Preparing a conceptual hydrogeological model
• Numerical model
• Implementation of slope depressurization systems
• Monitoring and design reconciliation
• Appendix 1 Hydrogeological background to pit slope depressurization
• Appendix 2 Guidelines for field data collection and interpretation
• Appendix 3 Case study: Diavik North-west wall
• Appendix 4 Case studies: Escondida East wall; Chuquicamata; Radomiro Tomic; Antamina West wall; Jwaneng; Cowal; Whaleback South wall; La Quinua (Yanacocha)
• Appendix 5 Case studies for numerical modelling
• Appendix 6 The lattice formulation and the Slope Model code
• Appendix 7 Lessons learned and basic guidelines to monitoring for general dewatering