Consider a steep highway cut made by removing slightly weathered to fresh, fractured, granite bedrock. Which of the following situations is most stable against rockslides?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

B) One set of widely spaced, sub-horizontal fractures presents the most stable condition against rockslides because the fractures are less likely to allow blocks of rock to move downward due to gravity. The wide spacing and sub-horizontal orientation reduce the potential for rock movement compared to multiple or inclined fracture sets.

Consider a Steep Highway Cut Made by Removing Slightly Weathered