Influence of rainfall-induced wetting on the stability of slopes in weathered soils

Shallow failures of slopes in weathered soil are caused by infiltration due to prolonged rainfall. These failures are mainly triggered by the deepening of the wetting band accompanied by a decrease in matric suction induced by the water infiltration. This paper reports trends of rainfall-induced wetting band depth in two types of weathered soils that are commonly found in Korea. Both theoretical and numerical analyses for wetting band depth are presented based on the soil–water characteristic curve obtained using filter paper as well as tensiometer tests. It is found that the magnitude of wetting front suction plays a key role in the stability of slopes in weathered soils. Theoretical analysis based on modified Green and Ampt model tends to underestimate the wetting band depth for typical Korean weathered soils. It was also deduced that for Korean weathered soils, the factor of safety drops rapidly once the wetting band depth of 1.2 m reached.     

Numerical modeling of rainstorm-induced shallow landslides in saturated and unsaturated soils

For the assessment of shallow landslides triggered by rainfall, the physically based model coupling the infinite slope stability analysis with the hydrological modeling in nearly saturated soil has commonly been used due to its simplicity. However, in that model the rainfall infiltration in unsaturated soil could not be reliably simulated because a linear diffusion-type Richards’ equation rather than the complete Richards’ equation was used. In addition, the effect of matric suction on the shear strength of soil was not actually considered. Therefore, except the shallow landslide in saturated soil due to groundwater table rise, the shallow landslide induced by the loss in unsaturated shear strength due to the dissipation of matric suction could not be reliably assessed. In this study, a physically based model capable of assessing shallow landslides in variably saturated soils is developed by adopting the complete Richards’ equation with the effect of slope angle in the rainfall infiltration modeling and using the extended Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion to describe the unsaturated shear strength in the soil failure modeling. The influence of rainfall intensity and duration on shallow landslide is investigated using the developed model. The result shows that the rainfall intensity and duration seem to have similar influence on shallow landslides respectively triggered by the increase of positive pore water pressure in saturated soil and induced by the dissipation of matric suction in unsaturated soil. The rainfall duration threshold decreases with the increase in rainfall intensity, but remains constant for large rainfall intensity.     

滑坡对降雨响应的多指标监测及综合预警探析:以赣南罗坳滑坡为例

降雨量和位移是当前降雨型滑坡监测预警最常用的指标。然而,降雨量和位移监测结果只能反映降雨作用下滑坡的变形情况,不能揭示滑坡内在物理力学性状对降雨的响应。因此,除降雨量和位移监测之外,建立包括体积含水率、基质吸力等反映滑坡动态演化过程的关键指标监测体系必将成为今后更真实地把握滑坡内在演化趋势、更准确地建立滑坡综合预警判据的最有效手段。笔者对赣南地区典型降雨型滑坡进行了多指标监测及综合预警示范研究。结果表明:(1)在降雨条件下滑坡土体内部体积含水率、基质吸力和温度等多指标均产生有规律的动态响应;(2)随着降雨的持续,滑体体积含水率与基质吸力的变化均具有显著的滞后现象;(3)体积含水率和基质吸力变化速率与滑体位移具有显著的正相关性;(4)滑体温度分布变化规律受大气温度和体积含水率的共同影响。以实测数据的滑坡稳定性分析为基准,在考虑实际降雨入渗深度与滑坡稳定性的关联度上,建立了包括日降雨量、体积含水率增加速率、基质吸力减小速率以及位移速度多元指标预警方法体系,提出了基于关键指标综合预警体系及确定方法,旨在为降雨滑坡准确预警提供新模式。     

滑坡防治前后滑带土基质吸力特征研究

降雨使坡内地下水位上升,坡体的基质吸力和暂态孔隙水压力会随着降雨过程和时间呈现不同的变化趋势。采用抗滑桩、挡墙等工程防治后,针对滑坡体滑带土的性质变化以及抗滑结构的设置是否会影响到滑坡体的自然排水通道,导致坡体地下水位的抬升,从而影响滑坡防治效果等问题进行了研究。以鹰厦线K290滑坡为主线,通过开展滑坡饱和-非饱和渗流模型试验与数值分析,探讨了降雨入渗及地下水位变化下滑坡体及滑带土体积含水率与基质吸力的变化规律,以及其对滑坡防治前后坡体渗流场的影响。在此基础上,探讨了滑带土基质吸力对抗剪强度的贡献。研究表明：防治前后滑坡体及滑带土基质吸力受降雨强度等条件影响明显,不同深度处滑带土基质吸力变化呈现不同的变化规律,在土质滑坡的防治中应考虑抗滑桩的布置对滑带土性质的影响。     

降雨入渗影响下边坡中的非饱和渗流特性

为了分析降雨入渗影响下非饱和土坡渗流特性,利用自制降雨模拟系统和实时监测系统,对降雨诱发非饱和土坡失稳过程进行全方位、多参量的实时监测,研究不同降雨条件下,不同坡度、不同压实度边坡坡体不同位置雨水入渗率和湿润峰的实变规律.结果表明:降雨入渗条件下,陡坡和高压实度土体不利于雨水入渗,而缓坡和低密实度土体入渗率变化快;实际土体吸力和含水量实时变化规律不同步,提出试验湿润峰概念,含水率（吸力）湿润峰点可按含水率（吸力）实时曲线的过渡区和雨后残余含水率（吸力）的线性交叉点确定;考虑单向吸湿或脱湿路径下土体含水率和吸力具有唯一对应关系,含水率湿润峰点与吸力湿润峰点的绝对值时差即为形成湿润峰所需时间;对比湿润峰实测值与Lumb半经验值散点分布规律,基于Lumb湿润峰深度计算公式提出非线性修正表达式.      

Rainfall-induced landslides in Hulu Kelang area, Malaysia

Hulu Kelang is known as one of the most landslide-prone areas in Malaysia. The area has been constantly hit by landslide hazards since 1990s. This paper provides an insight into the mechanism of rainfall-induced landslide in the Hulu Kelang area. Rainfall patterns prior to the occurrences of five selected case studies were first analyzed. The results showed that daily rainfall information is insufficient for predicting landslides in the area. Rainfalls of longer durations, i.e., 3–30 days prior to the landslides should be incorporated into the prediction model. Numerical simulations on a selected case study demonstrated that both matric suction and factor of safety decreased steadily over time until they reached the lowest values on the day of landslide occurrence. Redistribution of infiltrated rainwater in the soil mass could be a reason for the slow response of failure mechanism to rainfall. Based on 21 rainfall-induced landslides that had occurred in the area, three rainfall thresholds were developed as attempts to predict the occurrence of rainfall-induced landslide. The rainfall intensity–duration threshold developed based on the local rainfall conditions provided a reasonably good prediction to the landslide occurrence. The cumulative 3- versus 30-day antecedent precipitation index threshold chart was capable of giving the most reliable prediction with the limiting threshold line for major landslide yielded a reliability of 97.6 %.     

湘西陈溪峪滑坡变形机理及稳定性评价

浅层滑坡在我国广泛分布,但在区域范围内分布规律性较差,且具有突发性、隐蔽性和破坏性强等特点。湘西武陵山区地质条件复杂、降雨丰沛、人类工程活动强烈,突发性地质灾害频发,尤以降雨诱发的浅层滑坡为主。文章以湘西地区慈利县陈溪峪滑坡为例,开展了降雨量、基质吸力、地下水位和地表变形等的监测;结合滑坡的现场调查及监测成果,分析滑坡的形成条件和变形机理;在此基础上,考虑基质吸力对边坡稳定性的贡献,将强度折减有限元法推广到非饱和土边坡,计算得到了不同降雨工况下滑坡稳定性。结果表明:当强降雨降落到滑坡体上时,坡内基质吸力值均迅速减小,直至一定值后（9.5 kPa左右）不再变化;坡内地下水位受季节性降雨影响显著,短时强降雨引起地下水变化幅度不如长时间降雨对地下水位造成的影响大;陈溪峪滑坡的地质力学成因为蠕滑推移式土质滑坡,运动形式为沿基覆界面的浅层滑坡;短时强降雨是诱发滑坡变形的最关键因素。陈溪峪滑坡在持续降雨条件下的降雨量预警值约为280 mm,在短时强降雨条件下的降雨强度预警值约为240 mm/d。     

Influences of soil water characteristic curve on rainfall-induced shallow landslides

The analysis of slope instability induced by rainfall was usually performed using the main drying curve as the measurement of the main wetting curve is a more time-consuming and costly task. In this study, the influences of the main drying and wetting curves on rainfall-induced shallow landslides are examined. Three designed scenarios and a real case scenario are used to conduct this examination. The prediction of shallow landslide occurrence is related to the main drying and wetting curves due to the strong relation between groundwater pressure head and hysteresis effect. The main wetting curve may have a less minimum landslide-triggering rainfall amount and a less rainfall duration threshold for landslide occurrence than the drying wetting curve. For safety’s sake, an underestimation of shallow landslide occurrence may be produced by the commonly used main drying curve. In addition, besides the shallow landslide occurrence, the failure depth and the time to failure are also influenced by the main drying and wetting curves. The hysteresis effect should be taken into account for assessing rainfall-induced shallow landslides.     

Response parameters for characterization of infiltration

Rainwater infiltration is of particular interest with respect to slope stability hazard management. The process of rainfall infiltration into unsaturated soil is complex due to the number of soil parameters involved and the random nature of moisture flux boundary conditions. In this paper, the effect of rainfall intensity on infiltration is investigated through the use of finite element seepage modeling for a 5 m high soil column subjected to various rainfall intensities. The numerical modeling study identified three response parameters that can be used to describe one-dimensional infiltration into an unsaturated soil. The response parameters are the depth of wetting front, the matric suction reduction depth, and the sectional infiltration rate. The practical application of the rainfall response parameters in slope stability analysis is illustrated.     

A time-space based approach for mapping rainfall-induced shallow landslide hazard

A rainfall-induced shallow landslide is a major hazard in mountainous terrain, but a time-space based approach is still an unsettled issue for mapping rainfall-induced shallow landslide hazards. Rain induces a rise of the groundwater level and an increase in pore water pressure that results in slope failures. In this study, an integrated infinite slope analysis model has been developed to evaluate the influence of infiltration on surficial stability of slopes by the limit equilibrium method. Based on this new integrated infinite slope analysis model, a time-space based approach has been implemented to map the distributed landslide hazard in a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and to evaluate the shallow slope failure induced by a particular rainfall event that accounts for the rainfall intensity and duration. The case study results in a comprehensive time-space landslide hazard map that illustrates the change of the safety factor and the depth of the wetting front over time.     

三峡库区黄土坡滑坡非饱和水力参数研究

非饱和水力参数在计算滑坡降雨入渗过程与稳定性时是至关重要的材料参数。在三峡库区黄土坡滑坡上进行双环渗透试验,获取黄土坡滑坡表土层的饱和渗透系数。对黄土坡滑坡表土层的含水率和基质吸力进行实时监测,采集了黄土坡滑坡表土层中含水率和基质吸力随时间的变化数据,采用van Genuchten土-水特征曲线模型拟合了4个实时监测剖面的土-水特征曲线及其拟合参数。将饱和渗透系数与土-水特征曲线拟合参数代入van Genuchten渗透系数函数模型,求出了黄土坡滑坡表土层在非饱和条件下的渗透系数函数,为黄土坡滑坡在降雨作用下的稳定性计算提供了可靠的水力参数     

基于电导性能的原状土柱降雨入渗规律研究

我国东南沿海地质环境复杂脆弱,由台风暴雨引发的滑坡频频发生.雨水入渗到土体内可能导致坡体变形,进而产生滑坡、泥石流等灾害.以福建三明岩兜滑坡为研究对象,通过自行研制的人工降雨土柱入渗试验装置,对研究区滑坡的残积土柱进行了不同降雨强度下(20 mm·h-1、60 mm·h-1)的累次循环降雨实验,考虑了不同降雨量、降雨历...     

The role of infiltration processes in steep slope stability of pyroclastic granular soils: laboratory and numerical investigation

Rainfall-induced landslides on steep slopes are a common feature in much of Italy’s mountain areas covered by shallow-pyroclastic deposits. Generally, these deposits are unsaturated and have a slope angle higher than 40°–50°; hence their stability is due to the positive effect of matric suction on soil shear strength. During rainfall, rainwater infiltration causes a decrease in suction, which in turn causes changes in soil mechanical and hydraulic properties, leading towards an instability process. However, the response of pyroclastic soil slopes to rainwater infiltration is not fully understood. The aim of this study is to link slope instability to the infiltration process on the basis of advanced geotechnical characterization, in situ monitoring and numerical analysis calibrated through a back-analysis of well-instrumented flume tests.     

三峡库区黄土坡滑坡降雨入渗模型研究

传统的入渗模型未考虑坡角和降雨强度对滑坡入渗过程的影响,为了更好地描述黄土坡滑坡降雨入渗过程,在Green- Ampt入渗模型的基础上推导了考虑坡体倾角和小降雨强度影响的降雨入渗模型。为了获取改进的入渗模型参数,在黄土坡滑坡1#崩滑体上进行了双环渗透试验与降雨、土的含水率和基质吸力现场监测。结果表明,黄土坡滑坡1#崩滑体饱和渗透系数为4.81×10-5 m/s;降雨时体积含水率增加,降雨停止后体积含水率降低,深部表现出一定的滞后特性;基质吸力变化趋势与体积含水率相反,降雨使其减小,降雨停止后逐渐增大。通过双环渗透试验与现场监测,获取了黄土坡滑坡降雨入渗模型参数值。将入渗模型计算值与现场监测数据进行对比,该模型计算值与现场监测数据吻合,说明该降雨入渗模型可用于黄土坡滑坡降雨入渗分析。     

Incorporating hydro-mechanical coupling in an analysis of the effects of rainfall patterns on unsaturated soil slope stability

Rainfall-induced landslides can cause loss of life and damage to property, infrastructure, and the environment. Rainfall patterns affect the pore-water pressure of unsaturated soil slopes, and are related to the slopes’ stability. Four rainfall patterns were chosen to represent natural rainfall patterns for an examination of rainfall infiltration into soil slopes using numerical models incorporating coupled water infiltration and deformation in unsaturated soils. Our analysis showed that rainfall patterns play a significant role in the distribution of the pore-water pressure in soil slopes, and influence the slope stability. The pore-water pressure profile of soil slopes and the factor of safety are affected by the ratio of rainfall intensity and the coefficient of permeability. The depth and shape of the shallow sliding plane of the landslide is closely related to the rainfall pattern; moreover, the results showed a correlation between the factor of safety of the slope and the rainfall intensity. This relationship can be described by a dimensionless rainfall intensity. The nonlinear relationship can be used to estimate the slope stability resulting from rainfall infiltration when the hydro-mechanical coupling in unsaturated soil slopes is considered.     

Water infiltration characteristics of unsaturated soil slope and its effect on suction and stability

Rainfall has been considered the cause of the majority of slope failures and landslides that happened in regions experiencing high seasonal rainfalls. The mechanism of the failures was mainly due to the lost of matric suction of soils by rainwater. This paper presents the results of a laboratory model study on the effect of slope angle and surface cover on water infiltration into soil and soil matric suction. A field infiltration test is carried out for comparison. A parametric study is also done to examine the effect of permeability ratio, development of perched water table and rainfall intensity on the factor of safety against instability of a soil slope. Results of the model study show that different surface covers on slopes have an effect on the water infiltration. Generally the covered surface (grass or geosynthetic net) has a lower infiltration rate compared with the bare (no cover) surface. On the effect of slope angle, it was observed that water infiltration decrease with increase in the slope steepness. With regards to the movement of the wetting front, it appears that water infiltration is more at the toe compared with the top of the model slope. Based on the parametric study, it is found factor of safety of the slope against instability drops for slope with higher ratio of permeability for the permeable and impermeable stratum. As the perched water table is formed, the factor of safety decreased. The rainfall intensity also has a marked effect on the slope factor of safety. The higher the intensity of the rainfall, the higher is the infiltration rate into the soil, hence the lower is the factor of safety against slope instability.     

强降雨作用下堆积碎石土渗流规律研究

强降雨致堆(残坡)积碎石土渗透特性改变是触发滑坡、泥石流等降雨诱发型灾害的关键因素。为探究降雨入渗诱发滑坡的动态机制, 通过自制一维渗透仪与二维边坡降雨入渗模型, 对水竹湾隧道旁具有级配代表性的碎石土进行强降雨入渗试验, 并通过Seep/w软件进一步分析堆积碎石土湿润锋迁移入渗规律。研究结果表明:一维入渗深度-时间曲线存在阶梯状趋势, 即湿润锋迁移速度首先随表层土含水率的突增迅速增加至最大值, 然后缓慢减小, 最后湿润锋迁移速度略微增大; 湿润锋平均迁移速率随雨强的增大趋近线性增长; 碎石土沉降变形在入渗过程中经历缓慢增长、急剧增大、逐渐停滞3个阶段; 坡顶、坡腰及坡脚处入渗速率与一维入渗速率分别满足指数关系、对数关系及线性关系; 雨水最终入渗深度由大到小依次为坡脚、坡顶、坡腰。     

Correlation of unsaturated soil and dielectric property for monitoring of subsurface characteristics: development of unsaturated dielectric mixing models and its application

The behavior due to rainfall infiltrating the ground plays a role in landslides, groundwater recharge and various other ground responses. Most of these geotechnical behaviors have a correlation between soil pore space and soil volumetric water content in the unsaturated and saturated soil porous media. Therefore, the soil porosity associated with soil pores and the distribution of volumetric water content are significantly important hydrological characteristics. In the case of shallow slope failure such as landslide, the infiltration activity due to the connectivity of soil pore spaces in a porous media is induced. Slope failure may be attributed to the effect of a wetting front with the slope due to liquid infiltration, which changes the volumetric water content, soil matric suction and shear strength of the slope. This study was performed with an unsaturated injection test using a frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) dielectric device which measures the dielectric constant of unsaturated soil and the study then proposed the unsaturated dielectric mixing models to calculate soil porosity and effective porosity of unsaturated soils. From the experimental results the ratio of effective porosity to porosity of soils are measured in a range of 70–85%. These experimental results show a decrease of about 5–10% for unsaturated soil compared to the ratio of effective porosity to porosity of saturated soil. The infiltration passages of tracer material are restricted within the pore connectivity in the unsaturated soil which is caused by dead-pores in the soil. Using the FDR device and the unsaturated dielectric mixing models, we can consider the acquisition of physical properties to detect the infiltration activity, the response of the dielectric constant along with the injected tracer and hydrological parameters for the unsaturated soil porous media.     

台风暴雨型浅层滑坡失稳机理研究

针对台风暴雨耦合作用下浅层滑坡的失稳机理进行研究。在总结福建台风暴雨型滑坡灾害特征的基础上,提出风荷载对斜坡变形失稳的影响机理是通过植被造成坡体开裂,从而影响坡体的入渗规律。应用GeoStudio软件计算台风暴雨入渗条件下裂隙坡体中暂态非饱和渗流场的变化,以及对斜坡稳定性的影响。计算结果表明:裂隙坡体由于在裂隙处形成集中入渗点,雨水的入渗速度大于无裂隙的坡体,坡体达到饱和状态所需要的时间大为缩短。裂隙深度、间距对滑坡稳定系数的影响较大,裂隙深度越大、间距越小,在相同的降雨条件下滑坡的稳定系数越小,滑坡失稳需要的降雨时长越短。裂隙宽度对滑坡稳定性的影响相对较小。      

地下水与开挖作用下堆积层滑坡体滑动机制分析

川东红层地区修建的巴中达州万州高速公路在穿越第四系堆积层时,堆积层滑坡灾害频繁发生,这类滑坡滑动面为平缓的岩土界面。地下水渗流分布影响下的坡体非饱和强度特征和开挖卸荷是引发这类滑坡灾害的主要因素。在室内非饱和直剪试验提取土体力学参数基础上,结合非饱和土渗流分析软件和岩土应力变形分析软件对滑坡机制进行深入分析。分析表明:地下水的渗流分布孕育了岩土界面附近的滑带土,为边坡的滑动失稳提供潜在可能性。堆积层渗流场特征决定着坡体基质吸力的分布,基质吸力的分布特征导致了堆积层土体由顶部往底部的非饱和抗剪强度的逐层弱化,最终形成沿平缓岩土界面分布的抗剪强度最低的一层软弱土体。在路堑边坡开挖致使的不平衡力影响下,岩土界面附近的软弱土体表现出最为显著的屈服和变形,堆积层坡体中部沿着岩土界面的软弱土体发生剪切蠕滑,滑体后缘出现张拉破坏,形成拉裂缝和拉裂槽,并于滑体前缘发生剪切挤压,随着滑体的蠕滑发展,滑体内地下水逐渐消散并在开挖面处渗出。