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Physical modeling on failure mechanism of locked-segment landslides triggered by heavy precipitation

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Abstract

Physical modeling is an effective method for studying the failure process of locked-segment type landslides, whose stability is governed by the locking section along the potential slip surface. In this study, a series of large-scale laboratory tests were conducted using specific flume test equipment. Three slope models with different types of locked segment were tested simultaneously: a slope without a locked segment (S1), a slope with an anti-tipping locked segment (S2), and a slope with a retaining-wall-like locked segment (S3). The effects of the three locking-section configurations on the failure time and deformation behavior were investigated under the same rainfall conditions. The displacement of several characteristic observation points along the slopes and the pore-water pressure in the slopes were recorded using a laser scanner and pore-water pressure sensor; the initiation and evolution of cracks were captured by a high-resolution camera. Analysis of the monitoring data and the observations from the tests shows that the slope-crest settlement and pore-water pressure changes may be used to identify the type of locked segment of natural slopes.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dalia Lahav-Jones, from Liwen Bianji, Edanz Group China (www.liwenbianji.cn/ac), for editing the English text of a draft of this manuscript.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. U1704243), Key Scientific Research Project Plan of Henan higher Education institutions (NO.17A410002), Project of levee Safety and Disease Control Engineering Technology Research Center of The Ministry of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China, and The Project of High level talents in North China University of Water Resource and Electric Power (NO.201518).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Geosciences and Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, 450045, China

    Han-Dong Liu, Dong-Dong Li, Zhong-Fu Wang, Zheng Geng & Liang-Dong Li

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  1. Han-Dong Liu
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  2. Dong-Dong Li
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  3. Zhong-Fu Wang
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  4. Zheng Geng
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  5. Liang-Dong Li
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dong-Dong Li.

Appendix

Appendix

Fig. 13
figure 13

The sketch of each landslide model. a Sketch of “three sections” landslide. b Sketch of “retaining wall” landslide. c Sketch of landslide of the front edge preventing slide. d Sketch of landslide of lined multi-stage locking segment. e Sketch of landslide of step-shaped multi-stage locking segment

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Liu, HD., Li, DD., Wang, ZF. et al. Physical modeling on failure mechanism of locked-segment landslides triggered by heavy precipitation. Landslides 17, 459–469 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-019-01288-3

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