Stability Assessment of Hazardous Rock Masses and Rockfall Trajectory Prediction Using LiDAR Point Clouds
This study aims to mitigate slope-collapse hazards that threaten life and property at the Lujiawan resettlement site in Wanbi Town, Dayao County, Yunnan Province, within the Guanyinyan hydropower reservoir. It integrates centimeter-level point-cloud data collected by a DJI Matrice 350 RTK equipped w...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| author | Rao Zhu Yonghua Xia Shucai Zhang Yingke Wang |
| author_facet | Rao Zhu Yonghua Xia Shucai Zhang Yingke Wang |
| author_sort | Rao Zhu |
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| description | This study aims to mitigate slope-collapse hazards that threaten life and property at the Lujiawan resettlement site in Wanbi Town, Dayao County, Yunnan Province, within the Guanyinyan hydropower reservoir. It integrates centimeter-level point-cloud data collected by a DJI Matrice 350 RTK equipped with a Zenmuse L2 airborne LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) sensor with detailed structural-joint survey data. First, qualitative structural interpretation is conducted with stereographic projection. Next, safety factors are quantified using the limit-equilibrium method, establishing a dual qualitative–quantitative diagnostic framework. This framework delineates six hazardous rock zones (WY1–WY6), dominated by toppling and free-fall failure modes, and evaluates their stability under combined rainfall infiltration, seismic loading, and ambient conditions. Subsequently, six-degree-of-freedom Monte Carlo simulations incorporating realistic three-dimensional terrain and block geometry are performed in RAMMS::ROCKFALL (Rapid Mass Movements Simulation—Rockfall). The resulting spatial patterns of rockfall velocity, kinetic energy, and rebound height elucidate their evolution coupled with slope height, surface morphology, and block shape. Results show peak velocities ranging from 20 to 42 m s<sup>−1</sup> and maximum kinetic energies between 0.16 and 1.4 MJ. Most rockfall trajectories terminate within 0–80 m of the cliff base. All six identified hazardous rock masses pose varying levels of threat to residential structures at the slope foot, highlighting substantial spatial variability in hazard distribution. Drawing on the preceding diagnostic results and dynamic simulations, we recommend a three-tier “zonal defense with in situ energy dissipation” scheme: (i) install 500–2000 kJ flexible barriers along the crest and upper slope to rapidly attenuate rockfall energy; (ii) place guiding or deflection structures at mid-slope to steer blocks and dissipate momentum; and (iii) deploy high-capacity flexible nets combined with a catchment basin at the slope foot to intercept residual blocks. This staged arrangement maximizes energy attenuation and overall risk reduction. This study shows that integrating high-resolution 3D point clouds with rigid-body contact dynamics overcomes the spatial discontinuities of conventional surveys. The approach substantially improves the accuracy and efficiency of hazardous rock stability assessments and rockfall trajectory predictions, offering a quantifiable, reproducible mitigation framework for long slopes, large rock volumes, and densely fractured cliff faces. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-224a7570cc054585a45e2db0d2ff0285 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-224a7570cc054585a45e2db0d2ff02852025-08-20T03:26:10ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-06-011512670910.3390/app15126709Stability Assessment of Hazardous Rock Masses and Rockfall Trajectory Prediction Using LiDAR Point CloudsRao Zhu0Yonghua Xia1Shucai Zhang2Yingke Wang3School of Land and Resources Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, ChinaSchool of Land and Resources Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, ChinaYunnan No. 2 Geological Engineering Investigation Institute Co., Ltd., Chuxiong 675000, ChinaYunnan No. 2 Geological Engineering Investigation Institute Co., Ltd., Chuxiong 675000, ChinaThis study aims to mitigate slope-collapse hazards that threaten life and property at the Lujiawan resettlement site in Wanbi Town, Dayao County, Yunnan Province, within the Guanyinyan hydropower reservoir. It integrates centimeter-level point-cloud data collected by a DJI Matrice 350 RTK equipped with a Zenmuse L2 airborne LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) sensor with detailed structural-joint survey data. First, qualitative structural interpretation is conducted with stereographic projection. Next, safety factors are quantified using the limit-equilibrium method, establishing a dual qualitative–quantitative diagnostic framework. This framework delineates six hazardous rock zones (WY1–WY6), dominated by toppling and free-fall failure modes, and evaluates their stability under combined rainfall infiltration, seismic loading, and ambient conditions. Subsequently, six-degree-of-freedom Monte Carlo simulations incorporating realistic three-dimensional terrain and block geometry are performed in RAMMS::ROCKFALL (Rapid Mass Movements Simulation—Rockfall). The resulting spatial patterns of rockfall velocity, kinetic energy, and rebound height elucidate their evolution coupled with slope height, surface morphology, and block shape. Results show peak velocities ranging from 20 to 42 m s<sup>−1</sup> and maximum kinetic energies between 0.16 and 1.4 MJ. Most rockfall trajectories terminate within 0–80 m of the cliff base. All six identified hazardous rock masses pose varying levels of threat to residential structures at the slope foot, highlighting substantial spatial variability in hazard distribution. Drawing on the preceding diagnostic results and dynamic simulations, we recommend a three-tier “zonal defense with in situ energy dissipation” scheme: (i) install 500–2000 kJ flexible barriers along the crest and upper slope to rapidly attenuate rockfall energy; (ii) place guiding or deflection structures at mid-slope to steer blocks and dissipate momentum; and (iii) deploy high-capacity flexible nets combined with a catchment basin at the slope foot to intercept residual blocks. This staged arrangement maximizes energy attenuation and overall risk reduction. This study shows that integrating high-resolution 3D point clouds with rigid-body contact dynamics overcomes the spatial discontinuities of conventional surveys. The approach substantially improves the accuracy and efficiency of hazardous rock stability assessments and rockfall trajectory predictions, offering a quantifiable, reproducible mitigation framework for long slopes, large rock volumes, and densely fractured cliff faces.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6709airborne LiDARstability analysisgeological hazardsnumerical simulationhazardous rock mass |
| spellingShingle | Rao Zhu Yonghua Xia Shucai Zhang Yingke Wang Stability Assessment of Hazardous Rock Masses and Rockfall Trajectory Prediction Using LiDAR Point Clouds Applied Sciences airborne LiDAR stability analysis geological hazards numerical simulation hazardous rock mass |
| title | Stability Assessment of Hazardous Rock Masses and Rockfall Trajectory Prediction Using LiDAR Point Clouds |
| title_full | Stability Assessment of Hazardous Rock Masses and Rockfall Trajectory Prediction Using LiDAR Point Clouds |
| title_fullStr | Stability Assessment of Hazardous Rock Masses and Rockfall Trajectory Prediction Using LiDAR Point Clouds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stability Assessment of Hazardous Rock Masses and Rockfall Trajectory Prediction Using LiDAR Point Clouds |
| title_short | Stability Assessment of Hazardous Rock Masses and Rockfall Trajectory Prediction Using LiDAR Point Clouds |
| title_sort | stability assessment of hazardous rock masses and rockfall trajectory prediction using lidar point clouds |
| topic | airborne LiDAR stability analysis geological hazards numerical simulation hazardous rock mass |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6709 |
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