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Slope instability processes in intensely fissured clays: case histories in the Southern Apennines

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Abstract

In slopes formed by tectonized clayey turbidites, the soil fissuring recurrently influences the hydro-mechanical soil properties, determining an impoverishment in strength and an increase in permeability of the slope that make them predisposing factors of landsliding. This paper presents three case histories of slopes within tectonized clayey turbidites that are representative of several others in the Southern Apennines and, more widely, in the southern Mediterranean. The paper reports a novel attempt to connect tightly the slope geomorphological and hydro-mechanical features to the slope geological history, through an introductory presentation of the geological setting and history of the chain where the slopes occur. The slopes, location of very slow landslides, have been reconstructed based upon field surveys and investigations, multi-aerial photo-interpretation, laboratory testing, monitoring and numerical modelling. Furthermore, novel is the attempt to present, all together, the behaviour of the soils involved in the three landslide case studies, in the light of the mechanical modelling approach to fissured clays recently presented in the literature.

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Abbreviations

A:

Activity

A-B-C:

Source, channel and accumulation zones of Vadoncello landslides

A-C-C9-F-G-L:

Labels for Pisciolo landslide bodies

A-F:

In situ soil complexes within Vadoncello slope

BENT:

Bentonite clay

c′:

Cohesion intercept

CF:

Clay fraction

C k :

Permeability change index

e :

Void ratio

FAE:

Faeto Flysch

F-ID:

Fissuring IDentity

G-I:

Landslide soil complexes within Vadoncello slope

ICL:

Intrinsic compression line

INCL*:

Isotropic normal consolidation line of the reconstituted clay

k s :

Saturated permeability

N:

Numidian Flysch

p′:

Mean effective stress

p*e :

Equivalent mean effective stress on the INCL*

p′y :

Mean effective stress at yield in isotropic compression

PD:

Paola Doce Formation

PD1:

Lower unit of Paola Doce Formation

PD2:

Upper unit of Paola Doce Formation

PI:

Pisciolo hillslope

PI:

Plasticity Index

R :

Overconsolidation ratio: p′y/p′

REV:

Representative element volume

RF:

Red Flysch

SBS:

State boundary surface of natural clay

SBS*:

State boundary surface of reconstituted clay

SCM:

Santa Croce di Magliano slopes

SEN:

Vadoncello slope

SF:

Sand fraction

S σ :

Stress sensitivity ratio: p′y/p*e

USCS:

Unified Soil Classification System

ε v p :

Plastic volumetric strain

ϕ *cs :

Critical state friction angle of the reconstituted clay

ϕ ′cs :

Critical state friction angle of the natural clay

ϕ ′m :

Mobilised friction angle

ϕ ′peak :

Friction angle at peak for natural clay

ϕ ′post − peak :

Friction angle at post-peak for natural clay

ϕ ′r :

Residual friction angle

ν :

Specific volume

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Apulian Aqueduct SpA (2008–2011), the Apulia Region (PS_119 2006–2010), the Italian Ministry for Research and University (PRIN 2001, 2007, 2010–2011) and European Community-Environment Programme (1994–1996) for providing the financial support that has permitted the studies discussed in the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technical University of Bari, Bari, Italy

    Federica Cotecchia, Claudia Vitone, Giuseppe Pedone & Osvaldo Bottiglieri

  2. IRPI-CNR, U.O.S., Bari, Italy

    Francesca Santaloia

Authors
  1. Federica Cotecchia
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  2. Claudia Vitone
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  3. Francesca Santaloia
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  4. Giuseppe Pedone
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  5. Osvaldo Bottiglieri
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Correspondence to Claudia Vitone.

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Cotecchia, F., Vitone, C., Santaloia, F. et al. Slope instability processes in intensely fissured clays: case histories in the Southern Apennines. Landslides 12, 877–893 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-014-0516-7

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