Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of soil hydraulic properties model on slope stability analysis based on strength reduction method

  • Research Articles
  • Published:
Journal of the Geological Society of India

Abstract

Soil hydraulic properties models which have been proposed were derived based on the empirical fitting curve such as Brooks-Corey model (BC) and Van Genuchten model (VG), or based on soil pore radius distribution such as Lognormal model (LN). Each model has different accuracy for predicting soil moisture distribution. In the analysis of rainfall-induced slope failure, the soil hydraulic properties model was needed to describe the physical phenomena of behavior characteristic of water in unsaturated soil. As moisture content has an effect on soil strength, it is vital to select the suitable soil hydraulic properties model for predicting Factor of Safety (FOS) especially in forecasting landslide hazard. In this study, a numerical model of seepage finite element analysis using BC, VG, and LN model were used and compared in order to analyze the soil moisture distribution, water movement phenomenon, and slope stability characteristic in unsaturated soil slope based on the strength reduction method (SRM). The results showed that the variations of the parameters predicting the moisture content of soil leads to differences of FOS in some cases. The parametric study showed that for the unsaturated soil condition, BC model has the greatest FOS value than the other model, while VG model has the lowest. On the other hand, the FOS of all models have the same result for the saturated condition. Other than that, it was found that the increasing of ESP value in the surface layer has significant effect in the sub-surface layer.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brooks, R.H. and Corey, A.T. (1964) Hydraulic properties of porous medium. In: Fort Collins (Ed.), Civil Engg. Dept., Colorado State Univ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bishop, A.W., Alpan, I., Blight, G.E. and Donald, I.B. (1960) Factors controlling the strength of partlys aturatedc ohesive soils. In: Conf. Shear Strength of Cohesive Soils. Proc. and Disc. ASAE, St. Joseph, MI, pp.503–532.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chui, T.F.M. and Freyberg, D.L. (2009) Implementing hydrologic boundary conditions in a multiphysics model. Jour. Hydrologic Engg., pp.1374–1377.

    Google Scholar 

  • COMSOL Multiphysics (2007) Earth science module User’s guide, version 3.4, COMSOL AB, Stockholm, Sweden, 142p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gasmo, J. M., Rahardjo, H. and Leong, E.C. (2000) Infiltration effects on stability of a residual soil slope. Jour. Computers and Geotechnics, v.26(2), pp.145–165.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, D.V. and Lane, P.A. (1999) Slope stability analysis by finite elements. Geotechnique, v.49, pp.387–403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammah, R., Yacoub, T., Corkum, B. and Curran, J. (2005) A comparison of finite element slope stability analysis with conventional limit-equilibrium investigation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, J.E. and Burland, J.B. (1962) Limitation to use of effective stress in partlys aturated soils. Geotechnique, v.12, pp.125–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kosugi, K. (1996) Lognormal distribution model for unsaturated soil hydraulic properties. Water Resources Res., v.30, pp.891–901.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marui, H. (1981) Study on landslides at natural hill slopes. (In Japanese with English translation.) Ph.D. diss. Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mukhlisin, M., Kosugi, K., Satofuka, Y. and Mizuyama, T. (2006) Effects of soil porosity on slope stability and debris flow runout at a weathered granitic hillslope. Vadose Zone Jour., v.5, pp.283–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukhlisin, M. and Taha, M.R. (2009) Slope stability analysis of a weathered granitic hillslope as effects of soil thickness. European Jour. Scientific Res., v.30(1), pp.36–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mukhlisin, M., Baidillah M.R., Taha, M.R. and Elshafie, A. (2011a) Effect of soil water retention model on slope stability analysis. Internat. Jour. Physical Sci., v.6(19), pp.4629–4635.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mukhlisin, M., Idris, I., Yaacob, W.Z.W., Elshafie, A. and Taha, M.R. (2011b) Soil slope deformation behavior in relation of soil water interaction based on centrifuge physical mModeling. Internat. Jour. Physical Sci., v.6(13), pp.3126–3133

    Google Scholar 

  • Mukhlisin, M. and Taha, M.R. (2012) Numerical model of antecedent rainfall effect on slope stability at a hillslope of weathered granitic soil formation. Jour. Geol. Soc. India, v.79, pp.525–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahimi, A., Rahardjo, H. and Leong, E.-C. (2010) Effect of hydraulic properties of soil on rainfall-induced slope failure. Engg. Geol., v.114, pp.135–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sammori, T. (1994) Sensitivity analyses of factors affecting landslide occurences. Tesis Ph.D. Dissertation Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki, M. (1991) Functional relationship on the critical rainfall triggering slope failures. (In Japanese with translator in English.) Jour. Japan Soc. Erosion Control Engg., v.43, pp.3–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Genuchten, M.T. (1980) A closed-form equation for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Jour., v.44, pp.615–628.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Civil & Structural Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia

    Muhammad Mukhlisin, Marlin Ramadhan Baidillah, Aniza Ibrahim & Mohd. Raihan Taha

  2. Dept. of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic Negeri Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia

    Muhammad Mukhlisin

  3. Dept. of Civil Engineering, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, Lumpur, Malaysia

    Aniza Ibrahim

Authors
  1. Muhammad Mukhlisin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marlin Ramadhan Baidillah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Aniza Ibrahim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mohd. Raihan Taha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Muhammad Mukhlisin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mukhlisin, M., Baidillah, M.R., Ibrahim, A. et al. Effect of soil hydraulic properties model on slope stability analysis based on strength reduction method. J Geol Soc India 83, 586–594 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-014-0087-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-014-0087-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation