A new slip surface in noncohesive slopes

Determining the slope slip surface is difficult, prominent and uncertain. Slip-surface are utilized to estimate slope safety. This study aimed at investigating the slip surface caused by statistical loads by using experimental testing methods. The experimental method was conducted by providing a statistical load on the sand slope The load was used until the slope collapsed. Sand slopes were modeled in a glass box measuring 110 cm x 40 cm x 10 cm. The sand material used was sand that passed through sieve no.10 and was held by sieve no. 200. At a distance of 2.5 cm horizontally and at a distance of 5 cm vertically, colored marks were used to see the pattern of grain movement. Observations were conducted until the slope collapsed. The collapse pattern revealed in the experimental method is non-circular.

Seismic Active Earth Pressure of Limited Backfill with Curved Slip Surface Considering Intermediate Principal Stress

The traditional method for seismic earth pressure calculation has certain limitations for retaining structures under complex conditions. For example, when the soil width is small, the results obtained by the traditional method will be much larger. Therefore, this paper assumes that the soil slip surface is a logarithmic spiral. Based on the plane strain unified strength theory formula, while also considering the soil arching effects and tension cracks, the analytical solutions of the lateral earth pressure coefficient and the active earth pressure under the earthquake action were deduced. The mechanism and distribution of seismic active earth pressure with limited width were discussed in terms of some relevant parameters. The results indicated that the seismic active earth pressure presented a “convex” nonlinear distribution along the retaining structure. As the contribution of the intermediate principal stress increased, the strength limit of the material was effectively utilized, and the earth pressure was reduced by 22.96%. The resultant force increased as the horizontal seismic coefficient increased. However, this effect was no longer evident when the wall–soil friction angle was close to the internal friction angle. The resultant force action point increased with the wall–soil friction angle, and it should be noted that ha>H/3 was true when δ/φ0>0.55. Finally, by drawing a comparison with previous studies, we verified that the method proposed in this paper is reasonable and can provide a new idea for subsequent 3D seismic earth pressure research.

Development of smartphone-based semi-prepared runway operations (SPRO) models and methods

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has developed a method for predicting surface friction response by use of ground vehicles equipped with deceleration-based measurement devices. Specifically, the ERDC has developed models and measurement methods between the Findlay Irvine Mk2 GripTester and a variety of deceleration measurement devices: Bowmonk AFM2 Mk3, Xsens MTi-G-710, two Android smartphones, and two iOS smartphones. These models show positive correlation between ground vehicle deceleration and fixed-slip surface continuous surface friction measurement. This effort extends prior work conducted by the U.S. Army ERDC in developing highly correlative models between the Findlay Irvine Mk2 GripTester and actual C-17 braking deceleration, measured via the runway condition rating (RCR) system. The models and measurement methods detailed here are of considerable use to semi-prepared airfield managers around the world needing to measure safe landing conditions following inclement weather. This work provides the tools necessary for airfield managers to quantify safe landing conditions for C-17 aircraft by using easily obtainable equipment and simple test standards.

Strain Incremental Adjustment Method of Cable Force of Composite Saddle Anchor Span of Single-Tower Single-Span Ground-Anchored Suspension Bridge

To improve the efficiency of cable force adjustment of composite saddle anchor span of single-tower single-span ground-anchored suspension bridge, a strain incremental adjustment method is proposed. The analytical calculation model is established according to the relative spatial position of the cable strand and the saddle groove of the composite saddle, and the target cable force of the cable strands is calculated by the target position of the composite saddle in the cable-stayed bridge and construction phases. Considering the coupling relationship between the cable strand and the composite saddle, the calculation formula of the change in main span main cable force and anchor span cable force after the adjustment of a single cable strand is derived. Based on the condition of equilibrium of forces along the slip surface of the composite saddle, the slip amount of composite saddle after a round of cable strand adjustment is obtained, then the adjustment amount of actual construction of the cable strands is also obtained through the strain incremental adjustment method. With the help of a numerical simulation platform, the calculation program of the cable force adjustment of composite saddle anchor span is established by an iterative solution method. In this paper, taking the Jinsha River Bridge at Hutiao Gorge as a research object, the adjustment of cable force of composite saddle anchor span is analyzed and calculated. The research results indicate that the calculated cable force is obtained by the strain incremental adjustment method, and it is similar to the measured cable force. The cable strand adjustment and optimization method avoids excessive repeated stretching and relaxation of a single cable strand in the process of multiple rounds of cable strand adjustment and reduces the amount of construction adjustment. This method can effectively reduce the times of cable strand adjustment and improve the efficiency of adjusting the anchor span cable force.

Stratigraphic profiling, slip surface detection, and assessment of remolding in sensitive clay landslides using the CPT

A multi-year cone penetration testing program was initiated at a landslide subject to episodic retrogression in Mud Creek, Ottawa, to assess whether a hand-operated mobile CPT could yield new insights into the current degree of remoulding under progressive failure in metastable areas of a landslide where conventional tracked rigs are unable to gain access. The mobile CPT rig permitted tests to be performed through the entire thickness of the Champlain Sea deposit at a penetration rate of 0.5 cm/s, with similar results to tests performed at the standard 2 cm/s. Measurements of pore pressure varied considerably with cone size, with the magnitude of pore pressure response decreasing with cone size. The elevation of the slip surface was identified in the tip resistance as the point of transition between the remolded soil above the slip surface and the intact soil below the slip surface, whereas a further 0.5 m of penetration was required to elevate pore pressures to values indicative of the intact soil behaviour. In-situ measurements of shear strength of corresponding layers between the intact and remolded profiles to be compared indicating that the soil above the slip surface had remolded to 50% of its fully remolded strength.

The Influences of Local Glacitectonic Disturbance on Overconsolidated Clays for Upland Slope Stability Conditions: A Case Study

Reliability of equilibrium state evaluation about settlement slopes in the context of natural and human-made hazards is a complex issue. The geological structure of the vicinity of the upland slope in the urban environment of Warsaw is characterised by a significant spatial diversification of the layers. This is especially due to the glacitectonics in the Mio-Pliocene clays, which are located shallowly under the sandy tills’ formations. With substantial variability in the clay roof surface, point recognition by drilling is often insufficient. The use of electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) in the quasi-3D variant provides accurate images of the real ground conditions, which is crucial in optimal geotechnical design. In forecasting the behaviour of the slope, it is necessary to quantify the impact of spatially differentiated systems of disturbed layers on changes in the safety factor (SF), which corresponds to the observed landslide activity of the Warsaw Slope. This study concerns numerous calculation model analyses of the optional clay position in the context of slope stability conditions. A wide range of soil properties variability was taken into account, resulting from both lithogenesis and subsequent processes disintegrating the original soil structure. Regarding the geological conditions of the slip surface, the use of classical computational methods and numerical modelling (FEM) was considered for comparative purposes. The results indicated that local changes in equilibrium conditions were affected by the different morphology of the clay roof surface of the slope and the alternation in strength characteristics on the slip surfaces. The findings of the study contribute to sustainable spatial planning of near-slope regions.

Characteristics of Cantilever Retaining Wall Composed of Upper Wall and Lower Wall by Physical Testing

Based on the finite element method, the earth pressure and deformation of the cantilever retaining wall composed of upper wall and lower wall are compared and analyzed. The results show that the maximum lateral displacement of the fill occurs near the top of the upper wall, the lower wall has the tendency of overturning to the free surface, while the upper wall has a certain deviation from the free surface. The vertical earth pressure acting on the heel plate of the upper wall and the lower wall presents non-linear characteristics. When the cantilever retaining wall composed of upper wall and lower wall is unstable, there are two slip surfaces in the filling. The first slip surface runs through the filling based on the heel plate root of the lower wall, and the second slip surface runs through the upper filling based on the heel plate root of the upper wall.

Numerical Simulation Analysis of Slope Instability and Failure of Limestone Mine in Weibei

Weibei area is the largest limestone resource area in Shaanxi Province, which is an important boundary to distinguish the climate difference between the south and the north of China, and also a significant ecological safety protection barrier in the northwest of China. The complex geological environment and harsh environment make the mining area have serious geological disaster hidden danger. Based on the site engineering geological data of typical limestone quarry slope in Weibei, this paper constructs a three-dimensional geological model, uses FLAC3D software to simulate excavation, and analyzes the stress and strain law of the quarry slope. SlopeLE software was used to analyze the safety factor of slope stability and the potential slip surface before and after taking reinforcement measures. The results show the following: (1) Limestone is the main rock component of the mine, followed by mudstone. The joint and fissure are developed, the rock mass is broken, and the hidden danger of engineering geological disaster is high. (2) There is a sliding trend in both sides during excavation, and the maximum vertical displacement is 2.1 cm. (3) If the slope is reinforced according to the design scheme, the slope stability safety factor will be increased from 1.062 to 1.203 in a stable state, which greatly improves the stability of the slope and provides a guarantee for human and financial resources.

Evaluation of failure of slopes with shaking-induced cracks in response to rainfall

Centrifuge model tests on slopes subject to shaking and rainfall have been performed to examine the response of slopes with shaking-induced cracks to subsequent rainfall and evaluate the corresponding landslide-triggering mechanisms. The failure pattern of the slope subject to shaking and then rainfall was found different from that of the slope subject to only rainfall. When shaking caused cracks on the slope shoulder and rupture line below, the mobilized soil slid along the slip surface that extended to the rupture line, the main crack became the crown of the undisturbed ground once the slope was subject to a subsequent rain event, and the progression of the landslide was related to the rainfall intensity. During the landslide caused by light rainfall, the main scarp kept exposing itself in the vertically downward direction while the ground behind the main crack in the crack-containing slope remained undisturbed. The detrimental effect of cracks on soil displacement was more evident when the slope was exposed to heavy post-shaking rainfall, resulting in a rapid and massive landslide. Additionally, the volume of displaced material of the landslide, the main scarp area on the upper edge, and the zone of accumulation were larger in the crack-containing slope subject to heavy rainfall, in comparison with those in the crack-free slope. The deformation pattern of slopes with shaking-induced cracks during rainfall was closely related to rainfall intensity and the factor of safety provided a preliminary estimation of slope stability during rainfall. Moreover, even when subjected to the same rainfall, the slopes with antecedent shaking-induced cracks displayed different levels of deformation. The slope that experienced larger shaking had greater deformation under the following rainfall, and the shaking-induced slope deformation also controlled the slip surface location. Finally, the velocity of rainfall-induced landslide could be greatly influenced by the prior shaking event alone. Despite being under light rainfall, the slope that has encountered intense previous shaking exhibited an instant landslide.

Remote Sensing Study of Sliding Surface of Slopes nearby a Large Tobacco Growing Plantation

Objectives: A study of remote sensing detection of slip surfaces on man-made slopes in a natural environment nearby a large tobacco growing plantation. Based on the GPR method, the image characteristics of potential slip surfaces on slopes are analyzed based on the change in GPR wave amplitude caused by the water content of the slip surface. The large granularity and permeability of the spoil allows natural precipitation to continue to infiltrate into the bedrock, and the infiltrated water gradually erodes the spoil and forms a water-rich rubble layer with the easily soluble rock mass, which develops into a slip zone and threatens the stability of the slope nearby a large tobacco growing plantation. By analyzing the magnitude of the remote sensing images, the process of water content changes in the soft fracture zone at the bedrock interface of the slope can be efficiently and accurately understood. Ensured the safe operation of the planted tobacco plantation.