Factors affecting the slope stability of Kentucky's abandoned mine lands

A large body of geotechnical data has been developed in conjunction with the efforts of the Federal and State Governments to rehabilitate Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) in eastern Kentucky. This data base allowed for the examination of soil profiles and compositions, phreatic levels, and subsurface failures conditions. Soil properties calculated from laboratory procedures were subjected to back-analysis for estimating realistic factors of safety. Several important slope stability factors were noted. This paper examines the difficulties with using laboratory soil properties in AML remediation designs. Shear strength parameters were found to be inadequate due to pre-failure site strain conditions, phreatic levels during failure, and, of particular interest to this paper, rock particle influences.