Model adaption to reflect reality from design to construction through the example of a quarry.

Abstract: After a landslide in 2007, a quarry face is to be restored. Consequently, models had to be formed of the geological conditions, of the material behaviour and of the failure mechanism, as well as a calculation model to simulate this mechanism. The geological structure and observations during and after the landslide suggested that the failure was a result of the toppling of slab‐shaped rock blocks. The landslide facilitated a back analysis of strength parameters from this large‐scale in‐situ test, thus making laboratory tests, derived from classification systems and estimations of these parameters, unnecessary. A limit equilibrium method and a numerical model available for the simulation of toppling correspondingly showed that flattening of the face up to the mining boundary results in a sufficient factor of safety. However, the transition from weathered material to rock could not yet be considered. Only the first step of the face restoration, and excavation of the weathered cover, managed to shed light on its thickness, which facilitated precision of the calculation model. Only the excavation of the rock mass displaced by the landslide will show whether the quarry face geometry necessary for a sufficient factor of safety is feasible with respect to the actual loosening of the rock mass and to the actual depth of the landslide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]