Rock mass characterization is crucial for evaluating slope stability and recommending effective prevention mechanisms. This study presents a comparative analysis of three approaches for discontinuity analysis: (1) conventional field survey, (2) digital manual measurement on 3D models generated with UAV-based photogrammetry, and (3) semi-automatic analysis based on clustering algorithms (K-NN) for point cloud segmentation. All three methods were applied to the same slope, allowing their performance to be evaluated in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and replicability. The results showed that the semi-automatic method achieved the highest coverage (81%) and identified 586 discontinuities, with RMSE values of 2.58° for orientation, 0.087 m for spacing, and 2.05 m for persistence, using the conventional method as a reference. The digital manual method, with 19% coverage, yielded very low error (RMSE of 3.27° for orientation, 0.012 m for spacing, and 0.063 m for persistence), validating it as a complementary and reliable alternative. In contrast, the conventional method required the longest execution time (10 h) and achieved only 19% coverage, being the least replicable due to its dependence on expert judgment. Overall, the comparison highlights the advantages of digital methods, especially the semi-automatic approach, in improving efficiency, safety, and replicability, while providing robust information to recommend prevention strategies for rock slope stability.

La carretera de Mil Cumbres se construyó en los años 1940’s para conectar la Ciudad de México con Morelia. Hoy en día, se trata de un camino viejo con poco mantenimiento y conservación, que ha presentado varios problemas de inestabilidad de taludes. En este trabajo, se hace un análisis geomecánico del talud que se ubica en el tramo km 207+234 (México-Morelia), debido a que se h La carretera de Mil Cumbres se construyó en los años 1940’s para conectar la Ciudad de México con Morelia. Hoy en día, se trata de un camino viejo con poco mantenimiento y conservación, que ha presentado varios problemas de inestabilidad de taludes. En este trabajo, se hace un análisis geomecánico del talud que se ubica en el tramo km 207+234 (México-Morelia), debido a que se han presentado diferentes eventos de inestabilidad con caída de bloques de diferentes tamaños a partir del periodo de lluvias ocurrido en el año 2013. El estudio consistió en hacer trabajo de campo, laboratorio, y la aplicación de los métodos de Bieniawski y Romana para caracterizar el material que conforma al talud. Además, se utilizó el software Dips de Rocscience®, para conocer los principales mecanismos de rotura del macizo rocoso y buscar mecanismos para su estabilización. Con los resultados obtenidos del análisis, se propusieron diferentes estrategias de estabilización con la finalidad de mitigar el desprendimiento de materiales del talud. an presentado diferentes eventos de inestabilidad con caída de bloques de diferentes tamaños a partir del periodo de lluvias ocurrido en el año 2013. El estudio consistió en hacer trabajo de campo, laboratorio, y la aplicación de los métodos de Bieniawski y Romana para caracterizar el material que conforma al talud. Además, se utilizó el software Dips de Rocscience®, para conocer los principales mecanismos de rotura del macizo rocoso y buscar mecanismos para su estabilización. Con los resultados obtenidos del análisis, se propusieron diferentes estrategias de estabilización con la finalidad de mitigar el desprendimiento de materiales del talud.

Tunnel support design in rock masses requires controlling deformation while maintaining structural safety, constructability, and material efficiency under variable geotechnical conditions. This study presents a Simulation–Optimization–Decision Framework (SODF) for preliminary and comparative tunnel support design. The framework integrates FEM-based numerical modeling in PLAXIS 2D, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) model to evaluate composite support systems composed of shotcrete and steel sets. Deformation at the tunnel crown was used as the primary optimization response, while structural feasibility was verified through axial force–bending moment and axial force–shear force interaction envelopes with a minimum safety factor of $FS\ge 1.5$. Two case studies were analyzed using GSI values of 40, 45, 50, and 55. Case 1 considered $E_{rm}=500,000$ kN/m², with an additional condition of $250,000$ kN/m² at $GSI=40$, whereas Case 2 considered $E_{rm}=545,000$ kN/m², with an additional condition of $300,000$ kN/m² at $GSI=45$. Three PSO configurations were evaluated to compare the search intensity, the diversity of feasible solutions, and the computational effort. The results showed that feasible configurations were mainly concentrated between 10 and 14 cm of shotcrete thickness in Case 1 and between 10 and 12 cm in Case 2, with frequent selection of 254 mm and 305 mm steel sets. The MCDM analysis indicated that the lowest-deformation alternative does not necessarily coincide with the most suitable engineering alternative when material cost, shotcrete applicability, steel-set maneuverability, and local availability are considered.

Traditional rock mass evaluation methods have three main limitations: (1) their application depends largely on specialist judgment; (2) their discrete classification approach, such as RMR (Rock Mass Rating) and SMR (Slope Mass Rating), leads to abrupt transitions between categories; and (3) the interaction among geomechancial parameters is limited; these aspects reduce their ability to represent slope behavior in a gradual manner. The main objective of this research was to develop a model capable of representing gradual transitions between geomechanical conditions and the interaction among parameters related to susceptibility to instability. The model uses a hierarchical modular framework based on the Mamdani fuzzy inference mechanism, allowing the incorporation of expert knowledge through linguistic rules. It is implemented in a graphical environment that allows users to directly use geomechanical parameters obtained through conventional characterization or from three-dimensional digital models derived from UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) photogrammetry. Model consistency was evaluated through a sensitivity analysis, which verified the model’s response coherence across variations in input parameters. The graphical evaluation tool was then applied to three real case studies with different geomechanical configurations, and the results were compared with those from traditional methods (RMR and SMR). The results showed differences between traditional and fuzzy approaches, as our proposal links recommendations to specific geomechanical conditions across different evaluation levels, identifying conditions for potential intervention measures. In addition, the model enables the zonification of instability susceptibility, facilitating its use in future risk analyses. Our model is intended for application under normal slope conditions, without accounting for extreme events or external dynamic loads, such as seismic activity, groundwater level variations, infiltration, or high-mountain conditions.

Bridges, owing to their intricacy, represent pivotal yet relatively underexplored assets within the domain of maintenance services in civil engineering. While international evaluation methodologies exist to gauge the overall condition of bridges, they often fall short in establishing interrelationships among individual elements, thereby neglecting insights into the influence exerted by each element’s condition on the bridge’s overall performance. This research introduces an integral fuzzy model evaluation with a preventive approach, designed to assess both the integral condition of a bridge and its constituent elements. Furthermore, the study generates maintenance recommendations, subsequently evaluated by professionals to determine the most suitable course of action based on available resources. To validate the efficacy of the proposed model, a case study involving Bridge 15-016-00.0-0-04.0 PIV, known as “La Cuesta” in Mexico, is presented. The findings indicate that the bridge is in a satisfactory condition and warrants high-priority attention. Bridge analysis is compared with evaluations conducted using the methods of the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Peru. The comparative evaluation reveals that our proposed model provides a more detailed representation of deterioration, facilitating more efficient maintenance planning by considering the hierarchical relationships between the bridge’s modules and elements.

The Tijuana-Ensenada highway crosses the “Salsipuedes Bay”. This zone has been subject to numerous landslides due mainly to geological conditions. The last great landslide occurred on 28 December 2013. The principal causes that triggered the landslide were: the shale weathering, the groundwater, and the seismicity of the zone. In the present study, a deep sensitivity analysis was performed to reproduce the failure mode to understand the failure mechanisms and the factors that triggered the landslide. The results suggest that the seismic activity and water caused the degradation of the shale. To make a close approximation of the real conditions a finite element analysis was carried out using patterns of joints and adopting different shear strengths for the joints. Finally, the failure mechanism was reproduced in a satisfactory form.