Effect of uncertainty geological structures on stability of reservoir slope: a case study of a reservoir slope in Sichuan, China

Purpose In order to analyze the influence of uncertainty geological structures on the stability of reservoir slope. Design/methodology/approach An uncertainty analysis method of reservoir slopes, accounting for uncertain geological structures, is proposed. This approach employs an unsaturated constitutive relation for unsaturated mechanical simulations and uses geostatistical simulation to generate maps of uncertain geological structures. The proposed method is applied to analyze the stability of the Zhoujia landslide, concluding that the slope becomes unstable when the water level rises from the original to the design normal level. Additionally, the effects of the weak layer's inclination and the rock block content on slope stability are examined using this method. Findings It was found that weak layer inclination may not significantly influence slope stability. And the simulations show that higher rock block content leads to decreased slope stability due to increased gravitational loading. Originality/value Findings of this research highlight the importance of considering geological uncertainties and rock block characteristics in slope stability assessments and in designing effective stabilization measures.