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Seepage and Stability Analysis of Fissured Expansive Soil Slope Under Rainfall

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Abstract

Expansive soil is characterized by fissure development, thus making expansive soil slope unstable under rainfall. In this study, under the background of Yanji expansive soil cutting slope, the seepage field and stability evolution characteristics of fissured expansive soil slope under rainfall were investigated through numerical simulation. The transient water migration of slope at different fissure depths was simulated using the finite element method. In accordance with unsaturated strength coupling theory and with the use of limit equilibrium method, the slope stability was obtained, and the supporting effect of bolt length, angle and reinforcement position on expansive soil slope under rainfall was investigated. As revealed by the results, fissures increased the influence range of rainfall infiltration, and the depth of fissures was found as a vital factor to control the seepage and stability of slope. Moreover, the expansive soil slope landslide induced by rainfall had the characteristics of shallow depth, small range and gradual process. The control method of expansive soil slope landslide based on bolt reinforcement was proposed. The engineering examples and slope stability monitoring results suggested that reasonably using bolt reinforcement technology could effectively inhibit the development of expansive soil slope fissures and reduce the effect of rainfall on the stability of expansive soil slope. The proposed method is capable of providing a theoretical reference for the prevention and control of instability disaster of expansive soil slope.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from the Central Guidance on Local Science and Technology Development Fund of Hebei Province under grant No. 226Z1201G and the Hebei Provincial Higher Education Science and Technology Research Project-Top Young Talents Project under grant No. BJ2019059 and Foundation of Hebei Province for Selected Overseas Scholar under grant No. C20210109 and the Hebei Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China under grant No. A2021409004 and Project for Young Top Talents of Langfang City under grant No. LFBJ202008 and Ph. D Foundation Project of North China Institute of Aerospace Engineering under grant No. BKY-2018-21 are gratefully acknowledged.

Funding

This work was supported by the Central Guidance on Local Science and Technology Development Fund of Hebei Province [grant number 226Z1201G]; the Hebei Provincial Higher Education Science and Technology Research Project-Top Young Talents Project [grant number BJ2019059]; Foundation of Hebei Province for Selected Overseas Scholar [grant number C20210109]; the Hebei Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number A2021409004]; Project for Young Top Talents of Langfang City [grant number LFBJ202008]; and Ph. D Foundation Project of North China Institute of Aerospace Engineering [grant number BKY-2018-21].

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  1. Construction Engineering Department, North China Institute of Aerospace Engineering, Langfang, 065000, China

    Dinggui Hou, Yunying Zhou & Xinyu Zheng

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  1. Dinggui Hou
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  2. Yunying Zhou
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Correspondence to Dinggui Hou.

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Hou, D., Zhou, Y. & Zheng, X. Seepage and Stability Analysis of Fissured Expansive Soil Slope Under Rainfall. Indian Geotech J 53, 180–195 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-022-00667-3

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