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Deep-seated rainfall-induced landslides on a new expressway: a case study in Vietnam

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Abstract

In Vietnam, landslides frequently occur on cut slopes along the road system during the rainy season. An understanding of the contributing factors and triggering mechanisms is essential so that effective measures can be taken to stabilize cut slopes and mitigate impacts caused by landslides. This study uses as a research subject the largest deep-seated landslide triggered by heavy rainfall on July 21, 2018, and the subsequent sliding induced by 5-day continuous rainfall events on the Halong–Vandon expressway. We examined the causative factors, failure mechanisms, and characteristics of the landslides through detailed geological investigation, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys, and analysis of data from geology, geomorphology, well-prepared documents of rainfall events, and the expressway project. Results show that the heavy rainfall was the triggering factor for both events while slope cutting was the main landslide causative factor. The slump-type landslides occurred on weathered limestone layers that were parallel to the dip-slope direction of the strata. Geological settings of highly fractured and weathered sandstone, siltstone, and limestone combined with the development of karst caves favored the buildup of groundwater levels in deep layers, thereby causing deep-seated landslides. The analysis shows that in addition to geological factors, the landslide occurrences resulted from anthropogenic effects including the improper design of the calculation method for safety factors in road construction and quarrying activities. Site evidence and UAV photos also reveal that the July 21 landslide body on the lower slope was reactivated to travel downward due to the dynamic effect of the subsequent sliding on July 31. Based on numerical analysis using the Plaxis 2D model, an estimated sliding surface similar to the actual plane was simulated for the entire slope. Furthermore, the study presents an appropriate solution that has been applied to slope stabilization.

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Acknowledgements

Many thanks are due to Dr. Khang Dang (International Consortium on Landslides) and Dr. Le Hong Luong (Institute of Transport Science and Technology) for their valuable comments and support during this study.

Funding

This study is a part of the project for stabilizing the landslide slope on the Halong–Vandon Expressway invested by the BOT Bien Cuong Joint Stock Company. The authors appreciate the support from the BOT Bien Cuong Joint Stock Company, which provided various documents relevant to the project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geotechnical Department, University of Transport and Communications, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Lan Chau Nguyen

  2. Institute of Transport Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Pham Van Tien

  3. Faculty of Civil Engineering, Thuyloi University, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Tuan-Nghia Do

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  1. Lan Chau Nguyen
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  2. Pham Van Tien
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  3. Tuan-Nghia Do
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Correspondence to Pham Van Tien.

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Nguyen, L.C., Tien, P.V. & Do, TN. Deep-seated rainfall-induced landslides on a new expressway: a case study in Vietnam. Landslides 17, 395–407 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-019-01293-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-019-01293-6

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