A graphical approach for slope mass rating (SMR)

Slope mass rating (SMR) is a commonly used geomechanical classification for the characterization of rock slopes. SMR is computed adding to basic rock mass rating (RMR) index, calculated by characteristic values of the rock mass, several correction factors depending of the discontinuity–slope parallelism, the discontinuity dip, the relative dip between discontinuity and slope and the employed excavation method. In this work a graphical method based on the stereographic representation of the discontinuities and the slope to obtain correction parameters of the SMR (F1, F2 and F3) is presented. This method allows the SMR correction factors to be easily obtained for a simple slope or for several practical applications as linear infrastructures slopes, open pit mining or trench excavations.

► Slope mass rating (SMR) is a worldwide rock mass classification.
► A graphical approach based on stereographic projection for SMR geometrical correction parameters determination is proposed.
► The proposed approach is very useful for the determination of SMR for several practical engineering applications.