Influence of Matric Suction on the Stability of Unsaturated Slope

2012 ◽  
Vol 594-597 ◽  
pp. 18-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Hui Hu ◽  
Sheng Guo Cheng ◽  
Zhi Wei Yu

Matric suction plays a significant role in the unsaturated slope stability and receives a rising interest in how matric suction affects the unsaturated slope stability. According to the shear strength theories and soil-water characteristic curve of unsaturated soils,matric suction parameters were proposed to study the influences of matric suction on unsaturated slope stability by applying in strain-softening constitutive model and using catastrophe theory as a tool. The results show that the unsaturated slope safety factor depends on the stiffness ratio,the softening coefficient,the suction sensitive factor and the relative displacement ratio. However,when the system reaches the limit equilibrium circumstance,the fundamental factors particularly affecting the unsaturated slope stability are the stiffness ratio of two media and the softening coefficient of the sliding surface,and the further trend between matrix suction and unsaturated slope stability is the same as the changes of the suction impact factor.

2012 ◽  
Vol 170-173 ◽  
pp. 847-852
Author(s):  
Peng Ming Jiang ◽  
Zhong Lei Yan ◽  
Peng Li

As the complexity of unsaturated soil theory, and it must have a long test period when we study the unsaturated soils, so the conventional design analysis software does not provide such analysis, so we can imagine that such a slope stability analysis does not accurately reflect the actual state of the slope. Based on the known soil moisture content,this paper use the soil water characteristic curve and strength theory of unsaturated soil to calculate the strength reduction parameters of soil which can calculate the stability of the soil slope when using the common calculation method. It is noticeable that this method can be extended and applied if we establish regional databases for this simple method, and these databases can improve the accuracy of the calculation of slope stability.


1983 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 661-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. K. H. Ching ◽  
D. G. Fredlund

Several commonly encountered problems associated with the limit equilibrium methods of slices are discussed. These problems are primarily related to the assumptions used to render the inherently indeterminate analysis determinate. When these problems occur in the stability computations, unreasonable solutions are often obtained. It appears that problems occur mainly in situations where the assumption to render the analysis determinate seriously departs from realistic soil conditions. These problems should not, in general, discourage the use of the method of slices. Example problems are presented to illustrate these difficulties and suggestions are proposed to resolve these problems. Keywords: slope stability, limit equilibrium, method of slices, factor of safety, side force function.


1999 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daud W Rassam ◽  
David J Williams

A relationship describing the shear-strength profile of a desiccating soil deposit is essential for the purpose of analysis, especially when a numerical method is adopted where each zone in a discretised grid is assigned an elevation-dependent shear-strength value. The matric-suction profile of a desiccating soil deposit is nonlinear. Up to the air-entry value, an increase in matric suction is associated with a linear increase in shear strength. Beyond air entry, as the soil starts to desaturate, a nonlinear increase in shear strength occurs. The soil-water characteristic curve is stress dependent, as is the shear-strength gain as matric suction increases. In this paper, a three-dimensional, nonlinear regression analysis showed that a power-additive function is suitable to describe the variation of the shear strength of unsaturated soils with matric suction. The proposed function incorporates the effect of normal stress on the contribution of matric suction to the shear strength.Key words: air-entry value, matric suction, nonlinear regression, soil-water characteristic curve, tailings, unsaturated shear strength.


2014 ◽  
Vol 988 ◽  
pp. 371-376
Author(s):  
Nian Qin Wang ◽  
Qing Tao Wang ◽  
Qi Pang ◽  
Qian Xue

Based on the theory of limit equilibrium, by the GEO-SLOPE software,analyzed the stability before and after reinforcement of a high Loess-bedrock slope. The results and conclusions show: (1)Analyzed and Optimized the high Loess-bedrock slope through SLOPE/W module, optimizing the engineering quantity of the anchor cable frame in the local and saving the investment; (2)When taken reinforcement measures, conducted the SLOPE/W model again, the stability coefficient is 1.459, the effect testified by projects is obvious; (3)Aiming at the optimization analysis, proposed countermeasures system, with reference for reinforcement of a high Loess-bedrock slope.


2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 266-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trinh Minh Thu ◽  
Harianto Rahardjo ◽  
Eng-Choon Leong

Measurement of the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) in the laboratory is commonly conducted under zero confining pressure. However, in the field, the soil is under a confining stress. Therefore, it is important to study the effects of the confining stress on SWCC. In addition, the consolidation curve is normally generated under saturated conditions. However, the soil above the water table is usually unsaturated. Hence, it is also necessary to investigate the effects of matric suction on the characteristics of the consolidation curves. This paper presents the SWCCs under different net confining stresses and the isotropic consolidation curves under different matric suctions that describe the volume change characteristics of unsaturated soils with respect to stress state variables, net normal stress, and matric suction. A series of SWCCs was determined for statically compacted silt specimens in a triaxial cell apparatus under different net confining stresses. Isotropic consolidation tests under different matric suctions were also carried out. The results of the SWCC tests show that the air-entry value increased with increasing net confining stress. The yield points (i.e., yield suction, s0) obtained from the SWCC tests also increased with increasing net confining stress. The results of isotropic consolidation tests indicate the strong influence of matric suction on compressibility and stiffness of the compacted silt specimens.Key words: soil-water characteristic curve, isotropic consolidation, pore-water pressure, volume change, NTU mini suction probe, matric suction.


1993 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 491-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delwyn G. Fredlund ◽  
Zai Ming Zhang ◽  
Karen Macdonald

The stability of potash tailings piles is investigated using a pore-water pressure generation and dissipation model together with a limit equilibrium analysis. It is found that a shallow toe failure mode is generally the most applicable and that the stability may be influenced by pore-water pressure migration below the pile. It is suggested that field studies would be useful in evaluating stability in the toe region of the pile. Key words : potash tailings, slope stability, pore pressure dissipation, solutioning.


2012 ◽  
Vol 166-169 ◽  
pp. 2535-2538
Author(s):  
Ke Wang ◽  
Chang Ming Wang ◽  
Fang Qi ◽  
Cen Cen Niu

The traditional limit equilibrium method in the analysis of slope stability not only exists some subjective empirical hypothesis that can not meet the equilibrium of force and moment, but also ignores the effects of internal stress and strain on the slope stability. Furthermore, in the stability of the slope evaluation, limit equilibrium method relies too much on experience when hypothesizing the slope slip surface. So that it makes deviation on slope analysis and stability evaluation. This paper is based on simplified Bishop method used to establish the model of slope stability analysis. And it used genetic algorithms to solve the minimum safety factor and the most dangerous slip surface of slope. It was the arithmetic which simulates organisms genetic evolutionary process and it avoided the traditional methods falling into the local extreme value point easily and error propagation leading to convergence. The algorithm had advantages of higher accuracy, quick convergence and applicability. It showed that the genetic algorithm is accurate and reliable in the analysis of slope stability.


2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
José Fernando Jucá ◽  
Alison Norberto ◽  
José Ivan Santos Júnior ◽  
Fernando Marinho

For geotechnical and environmental reasons, landfills are positioned above the regional water table and thus are formed in unsaturated conditions. This condition can be different if the drainage system and the rain regime of the site are such that they create a level of internal liquid in the landfill. During January and February 2019, excessive movements occurred in the slopes of the Brasília sanitary landfill. A geotechnical investigation indicated that the raised leachate level caused by the clogging of the drainage system contributed to the landfilled waste movements. The limit equilibrium analysis was used to predict the relationship between leachate level and slope stability. In order to understand the process that led to the rupture, flow and stability analysis by limit equilibrium were performed. The parameters associated with flow, water retention capacity, and shear strength were obtained based on literature evaluations. In addition, data from tests were used, which allowed to define more accurately the distribution of pore pressures of liquid that led to the failure. This study allowed to define the cause of failure and also to establish the role of the drainage system in maintaining the stability of the landfill. The studies indicated that although the gain of shear strength of landfill due to the unsaturated condition is negligible, the process of flow in unsaturated medium, associated with climatic aspects, are fundamental for a medium- and long-term analysis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Faridha Aprilia ◽  
I Gde Budi Indrawan

The stability of rock slopes is controlled by several factors, such as the intact rock strength, discontinuity characteristics, groundwater condition, and slope geometry. Limit equilibrium (LE) analyses have been commonly used in geotechnical practice to evaluate the stability of rock slopes. A number of methods of LE analyses, ranging from simple to sophisticated methods, have been developed. This paper presents stability analyses of rock slopes at the Batu Hijau open mine in Sumbawa Barat using various methods of LE analyses. The LE analyses were conducted at three cross sections of the northern wall of the open mine using the Bishop Simplified, Janbu Simplified, Janbu Generalised, and General Limit Equilibrium (GLE) methods in Slide slope stability package. In addition, a Plane Failure (PF) analysis was performed manually. Shear strength data of the discontinuity planes used in the LE analyses were obtained from back analyses of previous rock slope failures. The LE analysis results showed that the rock slopes were likely to have shallow non-circular critical failure surfaces. The factor of safety (Fs) values obtained from the Bishop Simplified, Janbu Simplified, Janbu Generalised, and GLE methods were found to be similar, while the Fs values obtained from the PF method were higher than those obtained from the more rigorous methods. Keywords: Batu Hijau mine, Bishop Simplified, Janbu Simplified, Janbu Generalised, limit equilibrium analyses, general limit equilibrium, rock slope stability, plane failure.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tesfay Kiros Mebrahtu ◽  
Thomas Heinze ◽  
Stefan Wohnlich

<p>Landslides and ground failures are among the common geo-environmental hazards in many of the tectonically active hilly and mountainous terrains of Ethiopia, such as in the western margin of the Main Ethiopian Rift in Debre Sina area. Besides the geological preconditioning, bi-modal monsoon and seismic events in the tectonically highly active region are usually suspected triggers. In order to minimize the damage caused by the slope failure events, a detailed investigation of landslide-prone areas using numerical modelling plays a crucial role. The aim of this study is to assess the stability of slopes, to understand the relevant failure mechanisms, and to evaluate and compare safety factors calculated by the different available numerical methods. The stability was assessed for slopes of complex geometry and heterogeneous material using the limit equilibrium method and the shear strength reduction method based on finite elements. Furthermore, numerical analysis was done under static and pseudo-static loading using the horizontal seismic coefficient to model their stability during a seismic event. The slope stability analysis indicates that the studied slopes are unstable, and any small scale disturbance will further reduce the factor of safety and probably causing failure. The critical strength reduction factors from the finite element method are significantly lower than the factor of safety from the limit equilibrium method in all studied scenarios, such as Bishop, Janbu Simplified, Spencer and Morgenstern-Price. The difference is especially evident for heterogeneous slopes with joints, which often are initiation points for the failure planes. The simulations show that slope stability of landslide prone hills in the study area strongly depends on the saturation conditions and the seismic load. The studied slopes are initially close to failure and increased pore-pressure or seismic load are very likely triggers.</p>


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