Flume Experiments for Investigation of Rainfall-Induced Slope Failure

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 49-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Rehan Hakro ◽  
Indra Sati Hamonangan Harahap
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Slope Failure ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Soil Slope ◽  
Flume Experiments ◽  
Moisture Condition ◽  
Artificial Rainfall ◽  
Small Density ◽  
Type Of Failure

The rainfall-induced slope failure is the major geo-hazard all over the world including Malaysia. Number of studies done already to investigate the process of slope failure, however the parameters that control the initiation of flowslide type of failure is still lacking. In tropical areas different mass movements occur from erosion to flow type of failure, in order to understand the mechanism will help to mitigate the posed risk. The flowslide is also type of slope failure that mostly occur in granular type soils, when initiated attain the higher velocity and fluid like motion, and it is dangerous than other types of landslides. The flowslide type of slope failure mainly due to rainfall. Field studies are timing consuming and expensive, while numerical studies requires lot of characteristics related to geology of the materials. Therefore laboratory flume experiments used in order to understand the mechanism and behavior of slope failure by changing different parameters such as density, rainfall intensity, thickness and initial moisture condition. The model slope prepared by sandy type of the soil and failure induced by artificial rainfall by installing the sprinklers above the model flume. During the experiments the pore pressure and moisture content were measured. From the detailed experimental study it was observed density of soil slope controls the initiation of the flowslide type failure. Small density of the soil slope suffers from flowslide type of the failure at smaller rainfall intensity. However in case of higher density even higher rainfall intensity accompanied with significant initial moisture conditions did not trigger the flowslide. The erosion gullies formed from toe to crest of the slope in the case of dense slope. The measurements of moisture content at the lower parts of the slope can be used as early warning of slope failure, however piezometers less reliable for prediction of slope failure in advance. Before large failure the settlement occur at the crest of the slope.

scholarly journals Laboratory experiments on rainfall-induced flowslide from pore pressure and moisture content measurements

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1575-1613 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Hakro ◽  
I. S. H. Harahap
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Sandy Soil ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Slope Failure ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Mass Movement ◽  
Sudden Increase ◽  
Antecedent Moisture ◽  
Type Of Failure

Abstract. During or immediately after rainfall many slope failures have been observed. The slope failure occurred due to rainfall infiltration that rapidly increase the pore pressure and trigger the slope failure. Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the rainfall-induced slope failure, but the mechanism of slope failure is still not well clarified. To investigate mechanism of rainfall-induced slope failure laboratory experiments have been conducted in flume. The slope was prepared with sandy soil in flume with constant inclination of 45°, because most of rainfall-induced slope failure occurred in sandy soil and on steep slope. The hydrological parameters such as pore pressure and moisture content were measured with piezometers and advanced Imko TDRs respectively. The slope failure occurred due to increase in moisture content and rise in pore pressure. During the flowslide type of slope failure the sudden increase in pore pressure was observed. The higher moisture content and pore pressure was at the toe of the slope. The pore pressure was higher at the toe of the slope and smaller at the upper part of the slope. After the saturation the run-off was observed at the toe of the slope that erodes the toe and forming the gullies from toe to upper part of the slope. In the case antecedent moisture conditions the moisture content and the pore pressure increased quickly and producing the surface runoff at the horizontal part of the slope. The slope having less density suffer from flowslide type of the failure, however in dense slope no major failure was occurred even at higher rainfall intensity. The antecedent moisture accompanied with high rainfall intensity also not favors the initiation of flowslide in case of dense slope. The flowslide type of failure can be avoided by controlling the density of soil slope. Knowing such parameters that controls the large mass movement helpful in developing the early warning system for flowslide type of failure.

scholarly journals Probabilistic Analysis of Weathered Soil Slope in South Korea

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taeho Bong ◽  
Younghwan Son
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Return Period ◽  
Probabilistic Analysis ◽  
Slope Failure ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Friction Angle ◽  
Soil Slope ◽  
Failure Patterns ◽  
Weathered Soil

Rainfall is a major trigger of shallow slope failures, and it is necessary to consider the spatial correlation of soil properties for probabilistic analysis of slope stability in heterogeneous soil. In this study, a case study of a weathered soil slope in Korea was performed to identify the rainfall-induced landslides considering the spatial variability of the soil properties and the probabilistic rainfall intensity depending on the return period and the rainfall duration. Various laboratory tests were performed to determine the physical properties of the site, and an electrical resistivity survey was carried out to understand the soil strata. Cohesion, friction angle, and permeability were considered as random variables considering the spatial variability, and the probabilistic rainfall intensities for return period of 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 200 years were used to consider the effects of rainfall infiltration. The results showed that a probabilistic framework can be used to efficiently consider the spatial variability of soil properties, and various slope failure patterns were identified according to the spatial variability of the soil properties and the probabilistic rainfall intensity.

The Analysis of Seepage Characteristics and Stability of Carbonaceous Mudstone Embankment Slope in Rainfall Condition

2012 ◽  
Vol 446-449 ◽  
pp. 1864-1868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Zeng ◽  
Hong Yuan Fu ◽  
Tao Li ◽  
Yan Qi Qin
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Pore Water ◽  
Slope Failure ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Intensity Change ◽  
Safety Coefficient ◽  
Embankment Slope ◽  
Volumetric Moisture Content

Based on the actual rainfall data and saturated-unsaturated seepage theory, the change of pore water pressure and volumetric moisture content of carbonaceous mudstone embankment slope were studied under designed rainfall intensity. At the same time, the effect of rainfall intensity change on the slope failure mode and safety coefficient was analyzed. The results of the study show that: Continuous rainfall will make the surface layer negative pore water pressure of carbonaceous mudstone embankment slope loss, and in transient saturation zone the volumetric moisture content reaches the saturated moisture content. Safety coefficient of carbonaceous mudstone embankment slope gradually decreases with the rainfall continuing, potential sliding surface also have the tendency of extending into the embankment.

Artificial Rainfall Failure Experiments for a Red Clay Slope

2014 ◽  
Vol 638-640 ◽  
pp. 402-406
Author(s):  
Kai Sheng Chen
Keyword(s):  
Slope Failure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Reference Value ◽  
Soil Slope ◽  
Red Clay ◽  
Artificial Rainfall ◽  
Water Conservancy ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Slope Displacement ◽  
Fundamental Mechanism

The influence of rainfall on slope stability problem that highway, railway,water conservancy and energy engineering production must consider and study, the rainfall is one of the major factors causing the soil slope failure。Establishing model test of red clay slope, rainfalling the model, the paper analyzing the moist frontal edge, power water pressure, slope displacement under the rainfall. The result has some reference value for fundamental mechanism of rainfall infiltration induced landslides in a red clay slope.

Research on the Ecological Protection Mechanism and Applied of Expansive Soil Slope

2014 ◽  
Vol 501-504 ◽  
pp. 359-367
Author(s):  
Feng Zhou ◽  
Kai Zhang ◽  
Ying Chun Tang
Keyword(s):  
Slope Failure ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Treatment Method ◽  
Engineering Properties ◽  
Soil Slope ◽  
Protection Mechanism ◽  
Temperature Changes ◽  
Ecological Protection ◽  
Slope Treatment ◽  
Vegetation Formation

This paper summarizes and analyzes the basic concepts and ecological protection mechanism for expansion geotechnical slope failure mechanism and the resulting impact on the shallow, traction engineering properties such as analysis, proposed ecological slope of expansive soil slope mechanism of action: vegetation system by improving internal slope soil moisture and temperature changes affect the atmosphere and thus effectively reduce the depth. Vegetation root through reinforced anchoring, delay time and improving soil hydration ductility such as the role played good strength enhancement. Vegetation formation can effectively improve the damaged outer slope interface morphology, to restore the ecological environment and landscape effect. Integrating the past experience on expansive soil slope treatment, this paper provide a slope treatment method used in Nanning metro Tunli section, these will provide reference for the expansive soil slope ecological management.

Type of Slope Failure Identified from Pore Water Pressure and Moisture Content Measurements

2015 ◽  
Vol 744-746 ◽  
pp. 690-694
Author(s):  
Muhammad Rehan Hakro ◽  
Indra Sati Hamonangan Harahap
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Slope Failure ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Increase ◽  
Sudden Increase ◽  
Model Slope

Rainfall-induced landslides occur in many parts of the world and causing a lot of the damages. For effective prediction of rainfall-induced landslides the comprehensive understanding of the failure process is necessary. Under different soil and hydrological conditions experiments were conducted to investigate and clarify the mechanism of slope failure. The failure in model slope was induced by sprinkling the rainfall on slope composed of sandy soil in small flume. Series of tests were conducted in small scale flume to better understand the failure process in sandy slopes. The moisture content was measured with advanced Imko TDR (Time Domain Reflectrometry) moisture sensors in addition to measurements of pore pressure with piezometers. The moisture content increase rapidly to reach the maximum possible water content in case of higher intensity of rainfall, and higher intensity of the rainfall causes higher erosion as compared to smaller intensity of the rainfall. The controlling factor for rainfall-induced flowslides was density of the slope, rather than intensity of the rainfall and during the flowslide the sudden increase in pore pressure was observed. Higher pore pressure was observed at the toe of the slope as compared to upper part of the slope.

scholarly journals Identifying erosive periods by using RUSLE factors in mountain fields of the Central Spanish Pyrenees

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 523-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. López-Vicente ◽  
A. Navas ◽  
J. Machín
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
Soil Erodibility ◽  
Maximum Rainfall ◽  
Freeze Thaw ◽  
Soil Losses

Abstract. The Mediterranean environment is characterized by strong temporal variations in rainfall volume and intensity, soil moisture and vegetation cover along the year. These factors play a key role on soil erosion. The aim of this work is to identify different erosive periods in function of the temporal changes in rainfall and runoff characteristics (erosivity, maximum intensity and number of erosive events), soil properties (soil erodibility in relation to freeze-thaw processes and soil moisture content) and current tillage practices in a set of agricultural fields in a mountainous area of the Central Pyrenees in NE Spain. To this purpose the rainfall and runoff erosivity (R), the soil erodibility (K) and the cover-management (C) factors of the empirical RUSLE soil loss model were used. The R, K and C factors were calculated at monthly scale. The first erosive period extends from July to October and presents the highest values of erosivity (87.8 MJ mm ha−1 h−1), maximum rainfall intensity (22.3 mm h−1) and monthly soil erosion (0.25 Mg ha−1 month−1) with the minimum values of duration of erosive storms, freeze-thaw cycles, soil moisture content and soil erodibility (0.007 Mg h MJ−1 mm−1). This period includes the harvesting and the plowing tillage practices. The second erosive period has a duration of two months, from May to June, and presents the lowest total and monthly soil losses (0.10 Mg ha−1 month−1) that correspond to the maximum protection of the soil by the crop-cover ($C$ factor = 0.05) due to the maximum stage of the growing season and intermediate values of rainfall and runoff erosivity, maximum rainfall intensity and soil erodibility. The third erosive period extends from November to April and has the minimum values of rainfall erosivity (17.5 MJ mm ha−1 h−1) and maximum rainfall intensity (6.0 mm h−1) with the highest number of freeze-thaw cycles, soil moisture content and soil erodibility (0.021 Mg h MJ−1 mm−1) that explain the high value of monthly soil loss (0.24 Mg ha−1 month−1). The interactions between the rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, and cover-management factors explain the similar predicted soil losses for the first and the third erosive periods in spite of the strong temporal differences in the values of the three RUSLE factors. The estimated value of annual soil loss with the RUSLE model (3.34 Mg ha−1 yr−1) was lower than the measured value with 137Cs (5.38 Mg ha−1 yr−1) due to the low values of precipitation recorded during the studied period. To optimize agricultural practices and to promote sustainable strategies for the preservation of fragile Mediterranean agrosystems it is necessary to delay plowing till October, especially in dryland agriculture regions. Thus, the protective role of the crop residues will extend until September when the greatest rainfall occurs together with the highest runoff erosivity and soil losses.

scholarly journals A theoretical model for the initiation of debris flow in unconsolidated soil under hydrodynamic conditions

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 4487-4524 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.-X. Guo ◽  
J.-W. Zhou ◽  
P. Cui ◽  
M.-H. Hao ◽  
F.-G. Xu
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Debris Flow ◽  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Slope Failure ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Field Investigation ◽  
Hydrodynamic Theory ◽  
Mechanism Analysis ◽  
Flume Experiments ◽  
Initiation Mechanism

Abstract. Debris flow is one of the catastrophic disasters in an earthquake-stricken area, and remains to be studied in depth. It is imperative to obtain an initiation mechanism and model of the debris flow, especially from unconsolidated soil. With flume experiments and field investigation on the Wenjiagou Gully debris flow induced from unconsolidated soil, it can be found that surface runoff can support the shear force along the slope and lead to soil strength decreasing, with fine particles migrating and forming a local relatively impermeable face. The surface runoff effect is the primary factor for accelerating the unconsolidated slope failure and initiating debris flow. Thus, a new theoretical model for the initiation of debris flow in unconsolidated soil was established by incorporating hydrodynamic theory and soil mechanics. This model was validated by a laboratory test and proved to be better suited for unconsolidated soil failure analysis. In addition, the mechanism analysis and the established model can provide a new direction and deeper understanding of debris flow initiation with unconsolidated soil.

scholarly journals Effect of soil moisture condition on the conversion rate of oxamyl.

1979 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-198
Author(s):  
J.H. Smelt ◽  
A. Dekker ◽  
M. Leistra
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Conversion Rate ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Loamy Sand ◽  
Clay Loam ◽  
Moisture Condition ◽  
Soil Moisture Condition ◽  
Incubation Experiments ◽  
Wilting Point

The decomposition of oxamyl in four soils under moist conditions was measured in incubation experiments at 15 deg C. Half-lives of oxamyl in soils with moisture tensions of approx. -9.8 X 103 Pa were 13 days in a clay loam, 14 days in a loamy sand, 34 days in a peaty sand and 39 days in a humic loamy sand. The rate of oxamyl decomposition in the clay loam decreased with decreasing soil moisture content down to values for below wilting point. Oxamyl decomposition in the humic loamy sand decreased with decreasing soil moisture content, but increased sharply in the very dry range. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)

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