Q-slope Rock Slope Engineering
Application for Mobile Phones and Tablets
using the Android Operating System
Available on the GoogleApp Store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.geckogeotech.q_slope
Written by Neil Bar & Ermin Sator
December 2017
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Version 4.0 for Android operating systems (i.e. not for apple iPhone)
The mobile phone application is based on the Q-slope method which was introduced at the ISRM Regional Symposium – Eurock 2015 in Salzburg, Austria (7-10 October 2015).
References Barton, N., & Bar, N. 2015. Introducing the Q-slope Method and its Intended use Within Civil and Mining Engineering Projects. International Society for Rock Mechanics. Bar, N. & Barton, N. 2017. The Q-slope Method for Rock Slope Engineering. Int. J. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual for Android operating systems (i.e. not for apple iPhone)
The mobile phone application is based on the Q-slope method which was introduced at the ISRM Regional Symposium – Eurock 2015 in Salzburg, Austria (7-10 October 2015). Citation: Barton, N., & Bar, N. 2015. Introducing the Q-slope Method and its Intended use Within Civil and Mining Engineering Projects. International Society for Rock Mechanics. A copy of the original publication is available on: https://www.onepetro.org
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual The “Read Me” button provides the user background information on the Q-slope method as shown below.
Click the “Use-Q-Slope” button to estimate Q-slope.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Slope Geometry
Estimate the slope height. Warning: The Q-slope method was developed based on case studies of slopes less than 30m high. Estimate the slope angle in degrees (°). A clinometer or topographic survey is advised. Slope stability drop down menu containing: - Stable - Failed - Quasi-stable (anticipated to collapse)
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Project Details Enter username, project location, description and country.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Photograph If your mobile phone has a camera, use the “Take Photograph” button to take a photograph of the slope.
Note: Photograph is for reporting purposes only.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual RQD In core logging, RQD is the borehole core recovery percentage incorporating only pieces of solid core that are longer than 100 mm in length measured along the centerline of the core (Deere, 1964). Estimate and enter the RQD (%) from observations of the rock mass.
The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Jn Joint set number refers to the number of discontinuity sets in the rock mass.
Select from the drop-down menu.
The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Jr, Ja & O-factor Check the “Enable Set B” tick box if two discontinuity sets influence stability.
Select from the drop-down menus for joint roughness, joint alteration and discontinuity orientation factor. The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Jwice Select from the drop-down menus for environmental and geological condition number - Jwice.
Check the tick boxes drainage measures and/or slope reinforcement measures were installed. The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual SRFa Select from the drop-down menu for physical condition strength reduction factor - SRFa.
The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual SRFb Manually type in SRFb value SRFb input aid assists in estimating the ratio of σc/σ1 (i.e. not SRFb itself), by estimating intact material strength (σc) and material density & slope height (previously entered) to estimate vertical stress (σv). This assumes that (σv=σ1), which may not be the case depending on the in-situ stress conditions. The “View input table” button provides the table below. Here the user can estimate SRFb from σc/σ1 .
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual SRFc Select from the drop-down menus for major discontinuity strength reduction factor - SRFc.
The “View input table” button provides the table below.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Review input data The user can review all the input data. Corrections or adjustments can be made by individually selecting a value. This will take the user back to the particular input parameter area. The “Calculate Q-Slope” button will estimate Q-slope based on the input data and estimate the suggested “steepest reinforcementfree slope angle”.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Results Q-slope and the suggested steepest reinforcement-free slope angle are estimated based on the input results. The user can use the “Email Report” button to send all of the entered data and the photograph.
The entered data can be cleared and the program restarted by using the “Reset” button.
Warning: The Q-slope method was developed based on case studies of slope angles ranging from 35° to 85°.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Results - Graphical The “View Q-Slope Graph” provides Q-slope vs. Slope Angle chart. Plotted value Input data
NOTE: Check for any discrepancies between values and plot.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Results - Graphical The “View POF Graph” provides Qslope vs. Slope Angle chart with probability of failure isopotential lines. Plotted value Input data
NOTE: Check for any discrepancies between values and plot.
Q-Slope Mobile Phone Application User Manual Users are encouraged to report any errors or bugs found in the application to Gecko Geotechnics –
[email protected] Gecko Geotechnics acknowledges the efforts of Ermin Sator (software engineer) for his contributions in developing this application.
For geotechnical engineering advice, contact: Gecko Geotechnics (Australia) www.geckogeotech.com
Nick Barton & Associates (Norway & Brazil) www.nickbarton.com
