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Lyons Sandstone Quarry Mr. Richard Spots <br />Slope Stability Analyses mater and Earth Technologies <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />This project consists of a Sandstone Quarry operated by the Cemex, Lyons Plant ( Cemex), near <br />Lyons, Colorado. The sandstone is extracted for use as a silica additive in the cement <br />manufacturing process. The Sandstone Quarry is currently operating render a Limited Impact <br />(I 10) Mining and Reclamation Permit administered by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, <br />Mining and Safety (DRMS). The location of the Cemex Sandstone Quarry is shown on Figure 1. <br />Engineering Analytics, Inc. (EA) previously performed a slope stability analysis for this project <br />in August of 2013 (EA, 2013). In March of 2014 we were contacted to provide this analysis <br />which includes revised pit slopes and wall configurations. The scope of work included <br />completion of slope stability analyses of the critical closure slope for the final, proposed quarry. <br />2.0 SLOPE STABILITY EVALUATION <br />EA has completed this slope stability analysis of the revised final proposed quarry slopes to <br />evaluate the long term stability of the quarry at closure. Figures 2 and 3 show the existing quarry <br />topography and the proposed topography, respectively. The slope stability analysis was based on <br />the cross - section labeled AW located on Figure 3. <br />EA modeled the intact rock mass shear strength/normal stress relationship using the <br />Mohr - Coulomb criterion. The slope stability input parameters for the rock fill are friction angle <br />(❑) and cohesion (e). Friction angle and cohesion values were derived from published <br />generalized Hoek -Brown parameters for the jointed rock mass criterion (Hoek et al., 2002; Hoek <br />2007). These parameters included the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS), Geological <br />Strength Index (GSI), a material constant (mi), and a disturbance factor (D) as defined by <br />Marinos and Hoek (2000). A UCS value for sandstone was selected from West (1995). The <br />slope stability analysis was completed using a unit weight of 140 psf, cohesion of 6,445 psf and a <br />friction angle of 46.9'. <br />Slope stability analyses were conducted using the commercially available geotechnical modeling <br />software, GeoStudio SLOPEW 2012, developed by Geo -Slope International Ltd. SLOPE/W is a <br />two - dimensional slope stability analysis program that analyzes the stability of a slope by various <br />methods of slices. <br />Both static and pseudostatic analyses were completed for the critical slope. Pseudostatic <br />analysis, simulates seismic forces in terms of horizontal acceleration expressed as a coefficient <br />(or percent) of gravity (g). Pseudostatic analyses for the quarry incorporated a horizontal <br />acceleration coefficient equal to 0.05 g. This represents a design earthquake with a 10% <br />probability of exceedance in 250 years (U.S. Geological Survey, 1990). It is common practice to <br />reduce the peak ground acceleration (PGA) by a factor of 0.33 to 0.50 according to research <br />conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Hynes - Griffen and Franklin, 1984). This <br />reduction in horizontal acceleration is justified for earth and rock structures because damage to <br />these types of structures results from sustained ground acceleration. However, EA <br />March 21, 2014 1 Engineering Analytics, Inc. <br />