Dynamic fragmentation analysis of potential rockfall hazards at Zixia hydropower dam, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

作者：Maolin Wu, Gang Luo, Xiewen Hu, Yuzhang Bi, Yufeng Wang, Ning Ma · 发表于：Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.jrmge.2024.12.005 · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Landslides and related hazards、Cryospheric studies and observations、Dam Engineering and Safety

The fragile and intricate geological environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau gives rise to numerous precarious rocks along the riverbanks, posing significant risks for the upcoming construction of hydropower stations. In order to identify potential rockfalls that could endanger the Zixia hydropower project, a comprehensive analysis employing various methods was conducted to investigate the kinematic characteristics and dynamic fragmentation of such precarious rocks. Initially, UAV oblique photography and field survey were used to create a digital elevation model with a resolution of 0.25 m and map the spatial distribution of precarious rocks. Subsequently, the development characteristics of joints within rock masses were analyzed through an adit investigation. Following these preliminary steps, a transportation simulation utilizing RocPro3D, considering stochastic initiation orientation, was employed to predict the trajectories of 18 precarious rocks. As a result, two hazardous rocks that pose a direct threat to the cofferdam were identified. Finally, considering the influence of internal structure planes, a discrete element method was applied for accurately simulating the kinematic characteristics and dynamic fragmentation of these hazardous rocks. The findings underscore several key observations: (1) Slope-parallel structure planes within these hazardous rocks play a pivotal role in both the progressive failure during initiation and dynamic fragmentation during transportat...