Author(s)

Ali Abdullah M. Alzahrani

Department of Geological Engineering, King Abdullaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The present investigation deals with the engineering geological studies of soil and rock masses in the Wadi Quaz area-Dam No. 2, East of Jeddah. Wadi Quaz area-Dam No. 2, East of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia often faces floods during rainy seasons, so it is so urgent to investigate the area before building any dam or preventing water from flow. Preventing water from flow will produce new dangerous factors such as uplift force which may cause the dam failure. To have a better understanding of the factors that may affect the slope stability, many rock slope locations are observed in detail to assess the effect of discontinuities formed in the rock masses. Fieldwork and Laboratory tests were carried out on soil and rocks. Soils included identification of soil type using unified soil classification system, permeability, water content and field density were done for soils. Rocks include identification of physical and mechanical properties such as: rock type, degree of weathering, rock strength, RQD, joint spacing measurements, and geometric properties (Dip, and Dip direction). Different methods were used to evaluate the potential failure in the studied area depending on rock mass rating and slope stability analysis. The well-known classification of rock masses titled Rock Mass Rating system [1] was used for categorizing the rock masses in the studied area besides slope mass rating [2] which would help to estimate the rock stability. The kinematical analysis was applied to investigate the potential failure mode which might occur in the dam abutments. This paper will provide the stability of dam abutments in both summer season and winter season besides general estimation of the seepage problems related to the soil and according to its permeability.

Jeddah, USC, RMR, Dams, Slope Stability, Discontinuity, Kinematic Approach, SMR, Wadi Quaz-Dam No. 2

Alzahrani, A. (2015) Rock Slope Stability Problems in Wadi Quaz-Dam Site No. 2, Jeddah-Saudi Arabia. World Journal of Engineering and Technology, 3, 251-259. doi: 10.4236/wjet.2015.34026.