Investigation of slope instability induced by seepage and erosion by a particle method

A novel particle based Bluff Morphology Model (BMM) developed by the authors is extended in this paper to investigate the effect of two dimensional seepage on the stability and collapse of soil slopes and levees. To incorporate the seepage in the model, Darcy’s law is applied to the interactions among neighbouring soil particles and ghost particles are introduced along the enclosed soil boundary so that no fluid crosses the boundary. The contribution of partially saturated soils and matric suction, as well as the change in hydraulic conductivity due to seepage, are predicted well by the present model. The predicted time evolution of slope stability and seepage induced collapse are in reasonable agreement with the experimental results for homogeneous non-cohesive sand and multiple layered cohesive soils. Rapid drawdown over a sand soil is also investigated, and the location and time of the levee collapse occurrence are well captured. A toe erosion model is incorporated in the BMM model, and the location and quantity of erosion from lateral seepage flow is well predicted. The interplay of erosion, seepage and slope instability is examined.     

板桥河左岸堤防渗透破坏风险分析

以板桥河左岸堤防加固工程为背景,提出了一条基于确定性渗流有限元进行堤防渗透破坏风险分析的途径,并对板桥河堤防渗透破坏风险进行了分析研究,根据分析结果对堤防渗透稳定性进行了评价。所采用研究方法发挥了有限元的优点,能够模拟堤防场地土层实际分布情况,较准确地计算洪水位下运行堤防背水面水力坡降。根据“端点组合-单调性法”理论和“3?”法则,通过1995年堤防典型破圩实例建立起整个堤防的抗渗临界水力坡降、渗透破坏风险率的临界值以及堤防汛期防渗的警戒水位,对整个板桥河堤防渗透稳定性评价工作具有非常重要的意义,其分析方法以及研究思路可供同类堤防工程的渗透稳定性评价工作借鉴。     

洪水浸泡和水位骤降情况下黄河下游堤防堤岸稳定性分析

水库库岸边坡稳定在水位骤降工况下的研究目前已比较成熟,但对黄河下游堤防在水位骤降工况下的堤坡稳定状态却研究甚少。通过选取黄河下游标准化堤防某段堤岸边坡为研究对象,建立有限元渗流模型,提出黄河下游堤防的水位骤降速度标准,同时分析了在水位骤降速度为2、4、5 m/d时的坡内浸润线变化、堤岸稳定性变化,以及在水位骤降组合洪水浸泡最不利工况下的堤岸稳定状态。通过分析,给出水位下降情况、水位下降组合浸泡情况下的堤岸稳定状态图,并从图中可以查出在某一水位下降速度、洪水水位降至某一高程处的堤岸稳定状态,为工程人员在堤防建设中运用和推广提供了便利。     

Study of the effect of seepage through the body of earth dam on its stability by predicting the affecting hydraulic factors using models of Brooks–Corey and van Genuchten (Case study of Nazluchay and Shahrchay earth dams)

Stability of an earth dam is affected by different factors of which the most important is seepage. One of the factors in defining the seepage rate is hydraulic conductivity coefficients in suctions and various moistures in earth dam body in which different models of soil–water retention curves are used to be defined. In this study, first the soil–water retention curves of van Genuchten and Brooks–Corey models are used to predict the soil–water retention of different body layers of 2 dams. Then, hydraulic conductivity coefficients are calculated through Mualem and Burdine’s models. Water seepage rate and the stability of dams were calculated in two phases: I. construction finalization prior to intaking water and II. rapid drawdown of water. Bishop and Morgenstern–Price methods are used to analyze the stability of dams. The stability and seepage results demonstrate that simultaneous use of Brooks–Corey’s soil–water retention curve with Mualem’s method results in the highest seepage rate in comparison with van Genuchten’s model in case of variable n, m and Burdine hydraulic conductivity. Safety factors achieved from both cases of construction finalization prior to intaking water and rapid drawdown of water demonstrated the accuracy and reliability of hydraulic coefficient prediction.     

Stability analysis of the downstream slope of a levee

Consideration of the average pore water pressure and average unit weight of soil in the slope of a levee, ignoring the position of phreatic line for stability analysis is not correct. In addition, the influence of a rock-filled portion on the upstream slope, ignored in Kozeny analysis, plays a significant role in the stability of the downstream slope. In this study, levees resting on an impervious base, without a filter and with a filter, taking into consideration a realistic pore water pressure and corresponding seepage force, with unsaturated and saturated unit weights of soil above and below the phreatic line, respectively, by taking into account the capillary effect, location of the inverted filter and rock-filled portion of the upstream slope have been analysed. A numerical technique has been applied to compute the elevation of the phreatic line and a computer program was developed. The appropriate unit weight of soil above and below the phreatic line, taking into consideration the capillary effect, and actual pore water pressure ensure greater safety of the downstream slope. The factor of safety has been found to be 16.5% more for a levee with a filter than a levee without a filter for an upstream pondage depth of 18 m, this is increased by 22.0% in cases where there is an upstream rock-filled portion.     

软基海堤结构稳定性研究

以软土地基上的海堤为研究对象,根据软土变形的时效特征和自重应力场与渗流场的耦合特性,建立了软土蠕变模型和渗流作用下的耦合应力场分析模型,将堤身、堤基作为整体进行了变形特性分析。并采用强度折减有限元法分析了海堤在自重、波浪力和渗透力耦合作用下的整体稳定性。分析结果表明：软基海堤结构处于多种荷载效应的综合作用之下,不仅对堤基和堤身断面的位移场和应力场影响较大,而且对其整体稳定性也有很大影响。通过计算值与实测值的对比,证明了所建计算模型和所采用的计算方法的正确和适用,所得结果具有理论意义和实用价值。     

Levee failure mechanisms during the extreme rainfall event: a case study in Southern Taiwan

Extreme weather has recently caused many disasters worldwide. In August 8, 2009, Southern Taiwan suffered from serious floods during Typhoon Morakot. In this extreme rainfall event, the Chiuliao first levee in the Laonong River basin experienced catastrophic failure. Therefore, this study focuses on the levee failure mechanisms based on variations in levee water levels. Specifically, this study investigates four mechanisms based on limit state equilibrium. The first mechanism involves the slope stability under hydrostatic conditions at various water levels. The results of this analysis show that the levee cannot fail under this mechanism. The second mechanism involves the levee slope stability with steady-state seepage. Because the water levels are different on the protected and flood sides, the water recedes much faster on the flood side than the protected side. Based on this analysis, the levee slope might fail when the water level at the protected side is close to the top of levee and the water level at the flood side starts to recede. The third and fourth mechanisms involve the levee foundation failure in terms of sliding and overturning failure. The results of this study indicate that the levee foundation is more prone to sliding failure than overturning failure. Based on these results, this study shows that the levee failed when the water level at the protected side neared the top of levee while the water level at flood side started to recede. At this moment, the levee may fail because of both the slope failure with seepage and sliding failure of the levee foundation.     

水位波动下非饱和心墙土坝体的渗流和稳定性

基于Richards方程,对坝体的饱和-非饱和渗流场进行了模拟,再根据饱和-非饱和渗流场和非饱和土抗剪强度公式,对坝体的稳定性进行了分析。结果表明,水位骤降过程中坝体的安全系数通常呈现先缓慢增加后迅速减小的变化过程,分析坝体失稳时塑性区和位移场发现,水位下降的初期,坝体左侧坡体的安全系数要低于坝体右侧坡体,但水位下降到一定程度,右侧坡体的安全系数迅速减小,并先于左侧坡体失稳;采用有限元强度折减法用于多坡面边坡稳定分析时,只能获得最小安全系数的包络线;心墙具有隔水防渗的作用,对水位变化渗流具有阻尼作用。     

水位下降条件下黏性土边坡稳定性的图表法

库（河）岸边坡由于坡体迎水面水位下降经常造成坡体稳定性降低,建立快速评估水位变化条件下的边坡稳定性分析方法具有重要的工程实用价值。基于库（河）水位下降过程及坡体内非稳定渗流条件,通过对ABAQUS程序进行二次开发,发展了考虑地表水-地下水联动作用下的黏性土边坡强度折减有限元分析方法;在分析边坡土性参数、相对渗透比值、边界条件对边坡稳定性影响的基础上,建立了考虑土性参数、相对渗透比值、库水位下降比、坡角等一体化的相对稳定安全系数综合图表表示方法。该方法能够简便、快捷地查出实际涉水边坡在不同工况下的稳定安全系数及设计边坡坡比,可作为现有图表法的有益补充。     

含盐风暴潮溃堤洪水数值模拟及风险分析

为了研究三角洲河口风暴潮溃堤时的盐水运动规律,建立一、二维耦合的盐度数学模型对风暴潮溃堤时的盐水运动进行模拟。模型考虑洪泛区建筑物对盐水运动的影响以及溃口的渐变发展过程。用2008年多个测站的实测数据对河网模型的潮位和盐度计算结果进行了验证。将模型应用于珠江三角洲河网某近海溃口风暴潮溃堤的盐水运动模拟,并绘制了最大盐度等值面图。计算结果表明,该溃口大部分区域的溃堤积水盐度超过了4psu,因此,溃堤洪水的高盐度积水影响不容忽视。通过比较“溃堤”和“不溃堤”两种情况下的河网盐度计算结果,发现上游河道的溃堤分流增大了河道的纳潮量,促使涨潮量增大,增大了下游河网的咸潮上溯风险,减弱了上游来流对咸潮的压制效果。     

A Reliability-Based Evaluation of the Effects of Geometry on Levee Underseepage Potential

Levee foundations along meandering rivers are often modeled in seepage analyses with simplified models consisting of two layers having uniform thickness and soil properties. While this may simplify the analysis and allow for use of simplified reliability methods, it is important to realize the limitations of these simplifying assumptions. Due to the complex geomorphic regime that is often encountered in the fluvial environment, levee foundation geometry can range from simple to very complex. Variations in layer thickness and continuity affect the pore pressure and seepage regime and, consequently, affect the potential for internal erosion of the foundation soils. A study has been performed to assess the effects of complex subsurface geometry on the susceptibility of levees to underseepage related internal erosion. Reliability-based internal erosion analyses have been performed on eight hypothetical levee profiles using two analytical methods. The first-order second-moment-blanket theory (FOSM-BT) method applies a simplified reliability assessment technique to the US Army Corps of Engineers “Blanket Theory” equations. This method requires that the analysis profile be simplified to meet the requirements of the equations and places limitations on how the uncertainty of the various input parameters is modeled. The more complex response surface-Monte Carlo simulation method is capable of modeling more complex geometries and multiple failure modes and is flexible in how uncertainty of the various input parameters are modeled. The results of the two methods are compared to evaluate the effectiveness of the FOSM-BT in evaluating internal erosion potential in increasingly complex levee foundation conditions.     

水位骤降时的非饱和坝坡稳定分析

从非饱和土抗剪强度理论出发,应用极限平衡法和以有限元应力计算为基础的极限平衡法,分别对库水位骤降时的坝坡稳定进行了计算。分析中采用非饱和-非稳定渗流理论,模拟了孔隙水压力的消散过程,并考虑基质吸力对土体抗剪强度的影响,将每个渗流分析结果调入稳定分析模块计算其稳定性。最后将两类极限平衡法稳定分析结果进行了比较,结果表明,库水位的骤降,易引起坝坡的滑动,随着超静孔隙水压力的消散,坝坡稳定性逐渐提高;随着孔压消散,基质吸力对抗剪强度的贡献增大。     

地下水位变化对透—阻型岩溶塌陷影响的分析

文章从一维地下水运动和渗透力学的角度,分析比较潜水位上升与承压水位下降对岩溶地区透—阻型盖层中阻水层渗透稳定性的影响,重点讨论了承压水位下降速度(降速)与下降深度（降深）对阻水层中渗透坡降的影响,结果表明:地下水位变化（潜水位上升或承压水位下降）产生的非稳定渗流不利于岩溶洞穴开口上方阻水层的稳定,承压水位的下降对岩溶开口附近处阻水层中渗透力的影响远大于潜水位的变化;在承压层水位最大降深确定的条件下,承压水位下降速度愈快,岩溶开口附近处阻水层中向下渗透力愈大。因此,在覆盖型岩溶地区抽取地下水时,为了减缓或避免覆盖型塌陷的发生,应同时控制好最大降深和最大开采速度。      

桩承式加筋路堤作用机理理论分析与数值模拟

软土地基上填筑高路堤常常面临地基承载力不足、沉降和不均匀沉降过大等问题。桩承式加筋路堤能够有效地解决这些难题。通过理论分析和有限元数值模拟,研究了路堤填土-加筋材料-桩体-桩间土之间的相互作用机理,讨论了路堤填土中的土拱效率、桩体效率、路堤底面差异沉降和筋材拉力的变化规律。研究结果表明,填土中的土拱效应和筋材张力膜效应能够有效地提高桩体效率,防止软土屈服;筋材内部拉力呈非线性分布,桩顶边缘处筋材拉力最大。     

粉性土毛管水的力学和工程特性

阐述了毛管水对土体强度、变形和渗流的影响。粉性土既有较高的毛管水头,又有一定的渗透性,水压传递快;毛管水对此类土的地基、基坑和堤坝等工程有明显的影响。研究的主要成果有：①根据试样浸水与否的无侧限抗压强度比较试验及理论分析,证明毛管水张力增高了土体强度,强度增高的数值,试验结果和理论分析相符;②计算分析雨季粉性土地表层毛管水张力消失和土体膨胀的过程;③借砂模试验和电拟试验,分析了毛管水对堤坝渗流流态的影响,毛管水增高了渗流量和出逸点高度;④提出了砂土和粉性土毛管水头hc和渗透系数k新的经验计算式。研究成果可应用于粉性土地基、基坑和堤坝等工程。     

路基坡脚积水对多年冻土路基稳定性的影响研究进展

多年冻土路基的稳定性很大程度上取决于其下伏多年冻土层的热稳定性. 当融雪、降雨或人为等外界因素形成的路基坡脚积水持续一段时间后,这些积水可能通过入渗对流换热、热边界侵蚀、补给冻胀水分等方式加剧或诱发多年冻土路基热稳定性的下降和丧失. 通过回顾国内外相关文献,从影响多年冻土路基稳定性的因素、积水对路基活动层冻融过程中水分迁移的影响、热融湖塘类积水对冻土路基的热影响、降雨和融雪积水入渗对冻土路基的热影响等方面,归纳总结了坡脚积水对多年冻土路基影响方面的研究进展;在此基础上,提出了对此问题进一步深入的研究展望和探讨.     

Statistical and Parametric Studies on Natural Levees as Weak Points Against Leakages in River Levees

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - Sandy natural levee deposits have been pointed out to provide seepage paths under river levees, which are largely related to the underseepage problems....     

Foundation Stability of a Levee

Stability of a levee and its foundation soil during flood is governed by seepage forces. In this study, the seepage forces in the flow domain have been determined using conformal mapping technique. Stability of foundation soil has been studied for a levee with and without cut-off wall on permeable soil of infinite depth. In situ effective normal and shear stresses due to self-weight, additional induced stresses due to levee structure and ponded water on upstream sloping face have been determined by assuming soil to be elastic. Besides, components of seepage stress acting at a point on two orthogonal planes, i.e., on vertical and horizontal planes, are considered and the Mohr’s circle is drawn. Mohr–Coulomb failure envelope is drawn for the foundation soil with known effective cohesion ( $c^{\prime}_{1}$ c 1 ′ ) and angle of internal friction ( $\varphi^{\prime}_{1}$ φ 1 ′ ), and then the stability of the foundation soil has been assessed. Probable zone of general shear failure considering seepage flow has been identified. Zones vulnerable to foundation failure for different width of levee and depth of cut-off wall have been computed. The hydraulic unstable zone in downstream side of the levee resembles a log spiral. The provision of cut-off wall restricts the progress of failure zone only in the downstream side; otherwise, the zone of failure will enter the foundation of the levee. The stability of the foundation soil of an existing ring levee along the rivers Ganga, Sone and Punpun, near Patna (India), has been evaluated.     

库水位下降过程中土坡稳定强度折减有限元分析

采用强度折减有限元法,考虑边坡土体的非饱和-非稳定渗流过程,从坡体内浸润线位置、土体的渗透系数、水位下降速率、下降比及基质吸力等5个方面研究了水位下降过程中岸坡的整体稳定性。结果表明,水位下降速率对高渗透性土坡内孔压的影响显著,对低渗透性土坡内孔压影响较小,对边坡安全系数的影响程度可达15%。     

Strength reduction FEM in stability analysis of soil slopes subjected to transient unsaturated seepage

The instability of soil slopes induced by the fluctuation of water level or rainfall has received much attention in the literature recently and the failure mechanism is closely related to the change of matric suction of unsaturated soils. Such a change is basically induced by unsaturated transient seepage. The traditional approach for estimating the stability of slopes subjected to unsaturated transient seepage is based on the limit equilibrium method (LEM). The limit equilibrium approach is limited by assumptions about analysis method and failure mechanism. In order to overcome those limitations, a finite element method with shear strength reduction technique (SSRFEM) has been successfully applied to the slope stability analysis in absence of seepage. The main objective of this paper is to extend the use of the strength reduction FEM to include the effects of unsaturated transient seepage and some primary numerical results concerning the stability of an earth dam under rapid drawdown are presented. Emphasis has been given to comparison of the safety factors obtained by LEM and SSRFEM. Topics for the further research in this area are also suggested.