Case study of an instrumented reinforced pit slope

Despite extensive use of reinforcement, slope stability problems have continued to occur in many Western Australia open pit mines. A field investigation was undertaken in which rock and reinforcement were instrumented to determine their interactions. The instruments were monitored for over one year; from the time of reinforcement installation until gross displacement of the slope had occurred and local failure was imminent. Reinforcement was found to control the overall slope behaviour to a limited extent. The major benefit of reinforcement is in preventing local instabilities close to production areas.