3D Jointed Rock Mass Structural Analysis and Evaluation of Rockfall Potential

Dear Colleagues,

It is our pleasure to announce the opening of a new Special Issue in the Applied Sciences Journal.

The main topic of the Special Issue is the application of new technologies, i.e., UAV-SfM and LiDAR, on the characterization of rock mass and the evaluation of rockfall potential. At present, a 3D model of a rock slope is frequently utilized to analyze rock mass in order to evaluate the rock fall hazard. More specifically, the development of a 3D model is considered as core data to define the characteristics of the discontinuity sets and, particularly, to extract information regarding the orientation and spacing of discontinuities based either on semi-automated or manual procedures. Having assessed this information, a reliable evaluation of rock fall potential can be realized, aiming to highlight likely-to-fail areas on a rock slope.

Furthermore, images of a slope face, acquired based on a UAV and/or LiDAR survey before and after the occurrence of a rock fall, are frequently used in order i) to detect the location of the detached blocks and ii) to back-analyze their trajectory. Quantitative estimation of both parameters is crucial for a reliable evaluation of a rock fall hazard and risk.

Thus, this Special Issue is aimed at exploring recent advances in the field of 3D rock mass analysis and evaluation of rockfall hazard. We would like to invite contributions related to the development and data processing of a 3D model of a rock slope, as well as papers focusing on the application of new technologies for acquiring images before and after a rock fall. Studies on powerful approaches for the geotechnical rock mass classification using photogrammetry point clouds through automated or semi-automated methods are strongly welcomed.

Dr. George Papathanassiou
Dr. Vassilis Marinos
Dr. Charalampos Saroglou 
Guest Editors

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