Centrifuge model study of thresholds for rainfall-induced landslides in sandy slopes

International Symposium on Geohazards and Geomechanics 2015

地球科学;生态环境科学

Matziaris, V.^1 ; Marshall, A.M.^1 ; Heron, C.M.^1 ; Yu, H.-S.^1

Nottingham Centre for Geomechanics, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham

NG7 2RD, United Kingdom^1

关键词: Centrifuge modeling;    Geotechnical centrifuges;    Groundwater conditions;    Rainfall characteristics;    Rainfall induced landslides;    Rainfall simulators;    Rainfall thresholds;    Unsaturated soil slopes;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/26/1/012032/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1755-1315/26/1/012032

学科分类：环境科学（综合）

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Rainfall-induced landslides are very common natural disasters which cause damage to properties and infrastructure and may result in the loss of human life. These phenomena often take place in unsaturated soil slopes and are triggered by the saturation of the soil profile due to rain infiltration which leads to the decrease of effective stresses and loss of shear strength. The aim of this study is to determine rainfall thresholds for the initiation of landslides under different initial conditions. Model tests of rainfall-induced landslides were conducted on the Nottingham Centre for Geomechanics geotechnical centrifuge. Initially unsaturated plane-strain slope models made with fine silica sand were prepared at varying densities at 1g and accommodated within a centrifuge container with rainfall simulator. During the centrifuge flight at 60g, rainfall events of varying intensity and duration, as well as variation of groundwater conditions, were applied to the slope models with the aim of initiating slope failure. This paper presents a discussion on the impact of soil state properties, rainfall characteristics, and groundwater conditions on slope behaviour and the initiation of slope instability.