Fracture Analysis of Rocks for Slope Stability Assessment in SiriKot Area, District Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

The landslides are common and hazardous the Northern Gandghar Ranges, Pakistan. The slope failures have affected road sections between Ghazi to Sari area (~65 Km) along the Sirikot road in district Haripur, Pakistan. The objectives consist of failure mechanisms, slope sensitivity and remedial measures in potentially unstable. To analyze slope stability and understand failure mechanisms, Inventory Circle Method (ICM) has been employed at six locations. Most of the landslides have been found in the Precambrian metamorphic Manki Formation, consisting of slate, phyllite and schists. The data acquired through ICM technique have been used to measure the density of fractures and hydraulic properties (porosity and permeability). The fracture analysis revealed two episodes of deformation. Rose and pole diagrams were plotted for stress analysis and fracture orientation to determine the direction of principal stress σ¹. Geological Strength Index (GSI) also provided details about the interlocking pattern of the rocks. Topple and rock fall were found in the limestone and quartzite. Moreover, the fractures also provided channels for the water to flow through and penetrate the foliation planes, decreasing the friction and causing a landslide.