Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Investigation of the stability and failure mechanism of slopes in Xiyu conglomerate due to toe erosion

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Xiyu conglomerate formation in Xinjiang Province is prone to significant slope toe erosion, which poses challenges for hydropower project construction in the area. To address this issue, the deformation and failure characteristics of slopes in Xiyu conglomerate subjected to toe erosion were investigated by exploring 16 parts, and the mechanical properties of the Xiyu conglomerate were studied. Using simulations with the discrete element method (DEM), the failure process during toe erosion was analyzed, and the influence of slope height on the failure mode of the slope was examined. A method for calculating the stability factor during toe erosion was proposed. The results revealed that the slopes in Xiyu conglomerate typically have a height of 10–30 m and a gradient angle of 85–90°. Xiyu conglomerate’s mechanical characteristics showed significant water weakening effects during toe erosion, which was the primary cause of slope failure. The toe erosion failure model changes from overall failure to partial failure, followed by overall failure, as the slope height increases. The toe erosion failure process can be divided into four stages: toe erosion, local collapse, vertical crack formation, and overall collapse. The safety factor of the slope varies during these stages, with a significant decrease observed as toe erosion depth and crack length increase. Interestingly, the safety factor of the slope increases with the increase in slope height.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
Fig. 23

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Some or all data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

References

  • 50266–2013 GT (2013) Standard for test methods of engineering rock mass. GB/T 50266–2013, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing, China, 41–43.

  • Çevik E, Topal T (2003) GIS-based landslide susceptibility mapping for a problematic segment of the natural gas pipeline, Hendek (Turkey). Environ Geol 44(8):949–962

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang J, Kan Y, Wang Y, Huang Q, Chen L (2017) Conjunctive operation of reservoirs and ponds using a simulation-optimization model of irrigation systems. Water Resour Manage 31(3):995–1012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Dadson S, Chi Y-G (2006) Recent rainfall-induced landslides and debris flow in northern Taiwan. Geomorphology 77(1):112–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • China M, o. W. R. o. t. P. s. R. o. (2007) Design code for engineered slopes in water resources and hydropower projects (SL 386–2007). China Standards Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson EM, Roth WH, Drescher A (1999) Slope stability analysis by strength reduction. Geotechnique 49(6):835–840

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eberhardt E, Thuro K, Luginbuehl M (2005) Slope instability mechanisms in dipping interbedded conglomerates and weathered marls—the 1999 Rufi landslide, Switzerland. Eng Geol 77(1):35–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heim A (1932) Bergsturz und menschenleben. Fretz & Wasmuth

  • Hua D, Jiang Q, Liu R, Gao Y, Yu M (2021) Rock mass deformation modulus estimation models based on in situ tests. Rock Mech Rock Eng 54(11):5683–5702

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang J (1937) Geological survey report of Xinjiang oil field issued by Central Geological Survey (Type A no. 21) (In Chinese), Nanjing Press, Nanjing

  • ISRM (2014) The ISRM suggested methods for rock characterization, testing and monitoring: 2007–2014, Springer

  • Jia C, Xu W, Wang H, Zhang Q (2021a) Experimental investigation of the mechanical and permeability characteristics of volcanic breccia. Bull Eng Geol Env 80(1):599–610

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jia C, Zhang Q, Lei M, Yu J, Wang R, Liu J (2021b) Study on the mechanical properties of outwash deposits with random structure method. Transport Safety Environ 3(3)

  • Jia C, Zhang Q, Lei M, Zheng Y, Huang J, Wang L (2021c) Anisotropic properties of shale and its impact on underground structures: an experimental and numerical simulation. Bull Eng Geol Env 80(10):7731–7745

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jia CJ, Zhang Q, Lei MF, Yu J, Wang RB, Liu JY (2021d) Study on the mechanical properties of outwash deposits with random structure method. Transport Safety Environ 3(3)

  • Khanlari GR, Heidari M, Noori M, Momeni A (2016) The effect of petrographic characteristics on engineering properties of conglomerates from Famenin Region, northeast of Hamedan, Iran. Rock Mech Rock Eng 49(7):2609–2621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee C-T, Huang C-C, Lee J-F, Pan K-L, Lin M-L, Dong J-J (2008) Statistical approach to earthquake-induced landslide susceptibility. Eng Geol 100(1):43–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin YX, Wang X, Ma JJ, Huang LC (2022) A finite-discrete element based appoach for modelling the hydraulic fracturing of rocks with irregular inclusions. Eng Fract Mech 261

  • Lindquist ES (1994) The strength and deformation properties of melange. University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu H, Burbank DW, Li Y, Liu Y (2010) Late Cenozoic structural and stratigraphic evolution of the northern Chinese Tian Shan foreland. Basin Res 22(3):249–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medley EW (1994) The engineering characterization of melanges and similar block-in-matrix rocks (bimrocks). University of California, Berkeley California, California

    Google Scholar 

  • Meng Q, Wang H, Cai M, Xu W, Zhuang X, Rabczuk T (2020) Three-dimensional mesoscale computational modeling of soil-rock mixtures with concave particles. Eng Geol 277:105802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Migoń P (2020) Geomorphology of conglomerate terrains – global overview. Earth Sci Rev 208:103302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nadi B, Tavasoli O, Esfeh PK, Kontoni D-PN (2020) Characteristics of spatial variability of shear wave velocity on seismic response of slopes. Arab J Geosci 13(16):800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nadi B, Tavasoli O, Kontoni D-PN, Tadayon A (2021) Investigation of rock slope stability under pore-water pressure and structural anisotropy by the discrete element method. Geomechanics and Geoengineering 16(6):452–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters JF, Muthuswamy M, Wibowo J, Tordesillas A (2005) Characterization of force chains in granular material. Phys Rev E 72(4):041307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polemio M, Sdao F (1999) The role of rainfall in the landslide hazard: the case of the Avigliano urban area (Southern Apennines, Italy). Eng Geol 53(3):297–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roccati A, Paliaga G, Luino F, Faccini F, Turconi L (2021) GIS-based landslide susceptibility mapping for land use planning and risk assessment. Land 10(2):162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanz de Ojeda P, Sanz E, Galindo R, Escavy JI, Menéndez-Pidal I (2020) Retrospective analysis of the Pico del Castillo de Vinuesa large historical landslide (Cordillera Iberica, Spain). Landslides 17(12):2837–2848

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun H-Y, Pan P, Lü Q, Wei Z-L, Xie W, Zhan W (2019) A case study of a rainfall-induced landslide involving weak interlayer and its treatment using the siphon drainage method. Bull Eng Geol Env 78(6):4063–4074

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tien Y-M, Kuo M-C, Ku C-C (2006) Mechanical properties and behaviors of macroscopically isotropic melange. Yantu Gongcheng Xuebao/chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering 28(3):363–371

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang J, Ge H, Liu J, Shen Y, Zhang Z, Luo S, Liu D (2022) Effects of gravel size and content on the mechanical properties of conglomerate. Rock Mech Rock Eng

  • Wasantha PL, Ranjith PG (2014) Water-weakening behavior of Hawkesbury sandstone in brittle regime. Eng Geol 178:91–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wautier A, Bonelli S, Nicot F (2017) Scale separation between grain detachment and grain transport in granular media subjected to an internal flow. Granul Matter 19(2):22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei J, Liao H, Wang H, Chen J, Li N, Liang H, Liu C, Zhang D, Teng Z (2022) Experimental investigation on the dynamic tensile characteristics of conglomerate based on 3D SHPB system. J Petrol Sci Eng 213:110350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu J, Jia C, Xu W, Zhang Q, Wu C (2021) Granular discrete element simulation of the evolution characteristics of the shear band in soil–rock mixture based on particle rotation analysis. Environmental Earth Sciences 80(6):213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Nguyen NGH, Lambert S, Nicot F, Prunier F, Djeran-Maigre I (2017) The role of force chains in granular materials: from statics to dynamics. Eur J Environ Civ Eng 21(7–8):874–895

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q, Gu X, Singh VP, Sun P, Chen X, Kong D (2016) Magnitude, frequency and timing of floods in the Tarim River basin, China: changes, causes and implications. Global Planet Change 139:44–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu H, Nguyen HNG, Nicot F, Darve F (2016) On a common critical state in localized and diffuse failure modes. J Mech Phys Solids 95:112–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zienkiewicz OC, Humpheson C, Lewis RW (1975) Associated and non-associated visco-plasticity and plasticity in soil mechanics. Geotechnique 25(4):671–689

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The work presented in this paper was financially supported by the Open Research Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin (China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research) (no. IWHR-SKL-KF202016), the National Natural Science Foundation of China-Yalong River Joint Fund Key Project (no. U1965204), the IWHR Research program (no. GE110145B0022021), and the Central South University Autonomous Exploration Project (no. 2021zzts0233).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, 68 Shaoshan Rd, Changsha, 410075, China

    Qiang Zhang, Yanni Zheng & Chaojun Jia

  2. State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, 1 Fuxing Rd, Beijing, 100048, China

    Qiang Zhang, Chaojun Jia & Ping Sun

  3. Xinjiang Water Conservancy and Hydropower Investigation and Design Institute, 19 Heilongjiang Rd, Urumqi, 830000, China

    Wenxin Li

Authors
  1. Qiang Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yanni Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chaojun Jia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ping Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wenxin Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yanni Zheng.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, Q., Zheng, Y., Jia, C. et al. Investigation of the stability and failure mechanism of slopes in Xiyu conglomerate due to toe erosion. Bull Eng Geol Environ 82, 206 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-023-03225-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-023-03225-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation