Numerical simulation of vegetated mine dump slope with reference to small plants

Abstract

The present paper discusses the effects of small plants on the dump mass reinforcement and slope stability. The roots of smaller plants (such as grasses and shrubs) do not go deep. However, they stabilize the slope by binding the upper layer of dump slope. Shear strength of the dump mass with and without root reinforcement is determined by laboratory shear box instrument. The increased cohesion (apparent cohesion) of upper layer of the dump mass due to plants is determined by fabricated shear box. The kinetic behavior of the dump has been investigated using the FLAC software. The factor of safety has been calculated in order to determine the possible effect of small plants on the stability of the dump slope. It is observed that the small plants do not significantly improve the factor of safety (FOS) of slope. However, it could be useful for early stabilization. The grasses quickly bind the upper surface, whereas shrubs too immensely strengthen the stability of the dump in the initial stage. © 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V.