Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Infiltration regulation and stability analysis of soil slope under sustained and small intensity rainfall

  • Published:
Journal of Central South University Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Rainfall infiltration depth and mode can severely influence slope stability. With the sustained rainfall, the influenced region of slope gradually expands. By using the Green-Ampt model to the soil slope, infiltration regulation was discussed under sustained and small intensity rainfall. And the infiltration rate of unsaturated soil was proposed according to the saturated infiltration theory. Because of the changing of initial moisture content in depth of slope, the saturated or unsaturated infiltration rate and depth could also be changeable with the sustained rainfall infiltration. Based on the principle of strength reduction, the calculation model of slope safety factor was established under different initial moisture contents and infiltration modes. Then, the slope stability was quantitatively analyzed through software FLAC3D. The calculation results of soil slope engineering show that there is a shorter period for slope stability under different initial moisture contents and unsaturated infiltration ways at the slope wetting front. The stability period of slope is 33.3% according to different initial moisture contents of wetting front less than that of the same initial moisture content of wetting front. And the slope is easier to fail under the unsaturated infiltration. The results agree well with the actual situation under sustained and small intensity rainfall.

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

  1. FREDLUND D G, MORGENSTERN N R, WIDGER R A. The shear strength of unsaturated soils [J]. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 1978, 15(3): 313–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. FREDLUND D G, RAHARDJO H. Soil mechanics for unsaturated soils [M]. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1993.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  3. FREDLUND D G, XING A Q, FREDLUND M D, BARBOUR S L. The relationship of the unsaturated soil shear strength to the soil-water characteristic curve [J]. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 1996, 33(3): 440–448.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. FREDLUND D G. Unsaturated soil mechanics in engineering practice [J]. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 2006, 132(3): 286–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. PHILIP J R. Hillslope infiltration: Planar slopes [J]. Water Resour Res, 1991, 27(1): 109–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. CHEN Li, YOUNG M H. Green-Ampt infiltration model for sloping surfaces [J]. Water Resources Research, 2006, 42: 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  7. YE Lin-mao, XUE Chang-ying, YANG Hai-ying, CHEN Zhong-min. Research on the method of calculating penetration depth during a rainfall event [J]. Chinese Journal of Agrometeorology, 2010, 31(supl.1): 66–69. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  8. CHEN Wei, MOU Hai-hong, CHEN Le-qiu. Study on rainfall infiltration process and the biggest infiltration depth [J]. Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, 2009, 29(6): 13–17. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  9. FANG Wei, ESAKI T. Rapid assessment of regional superficial landslide under heavy rainfall [J]. Journal of Central South University, 2012, 19(9): 2663–2673.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. RICHARD M. Iverson. Landslide triggering by rain infiltration [J]. Water Resources Research, 2000, 36(7): 1897–1910.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. ZHOU Zhong, WANG Hong-gui, FU He-lin, LIU Bao-chen. Influences of rainfall infiltration on stability of accumulation slope by in-situ monitoring test [J]. Journal of Central South University of Technology, 2009, 16(2): 297–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. ZHANG Shi-lin. The research of infiltrating regulation under rainstorm [J]. Geotechnical Engineering Technique, 2003(5): 281–285. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  13. GAVIN Kenneth, XUE Jian-feng. A simple method to analyze infiltration into unsaturated soil slopes [J]. Computers and Geotechnics, 2008, 35(2): 223–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. MOHAMED T A, ALI F H, HASHIM S, et al. Relationship between shear strength and soil water characteristic curve of an unsaturated granitic residual soil [J]. American Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2006, 2(4): 142–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. KIM B S, SHIBUYA S, PARK SW, et al. Application of suction stress for estimating unsaturated shear strength of soils using direct shear testing under low confining pressure [J]. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2010, 47(9): 955–970.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. CHU-AGOR M L, FOX G A, CANCIENNE RM, et al. Seepage caused tension failures and erosion undercutting of hillslopes [J]. Journal of Hydrology, 2008, 359(3/4): 247–259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. LI Zhao-ping, ZHANG Mi. Effects of rain infiltration on transient safety of unsaturated soil slope [J]. China Civil Engineeringjournal, 2001, 34(5): 57–61. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  18. COLLINS B D, ZNIDARCIC D. Stability analyses of rainfall induced landslides [J]. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 2004, 130(4): 362–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. LEE S R, KIM Y K, CHOI J Y. Application of unsaturated soil parameters to slope design against rainfall infiltration-induced instability [C]// Proceedings of International Conference on Problematic Soils. Famagusta, N. Cyprus: Eastern Mediterranean University, 2005: 25–27.

    Google Scholar 

  20. ZHAN TONY L, NG CHARLES W W, FREDLUND D G. Field study of rainfall infiltration into a grassed unsaturated expansive soil slope [J]. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2007, 44(4): 392–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. LIN Hung-chou, YU Yu-zhen, LI Guang-xin. Influence of rainfall characteristics on soil slope failure [J]. Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering, 2009, 28(1): 198–204. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  22. OH WON TAEK, VANAPALLI S K. Influence of rain infiltration on the stability of compacted soil slopes [J]. Computers and Geotechnics, 2010, 37(5): 649–657.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. DAWSON E M, ROTH W H, DRESCHER A. Slope stability analysis by strength reduction [J]. Geotechnique, 1999, 49(6): 835–840.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. LIU Zi-zhen, YAN Zhi-xin, DUAN Jian. Couple analysis on strength reduction theory and rheological mechanism for slope stability [J]. Journal of Central South University of Technology, 2008, 15 (s1): 351–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. HUANG Mao-song, JIA Cang-qin. Strength reduction FEM in stability analysis of soil slopes subjected to transient unsaturated seepage [J]. Computers and Geotechnics, 2009, 36(1/2): 93–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Disaster and Environment in Western China of Ministry of Education (Lanzhou University), Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Zi-zhen Liu  (刘子振), Zhi-xin Yan  (言志信) & Jian Duan  (段建)

  2. School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Zi-zhen Liu  (刘子振), Zhi-xin Yan  (言志信) & Jian Duan  (段建)

  3. School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China

    Zi-zhen Liu  (刘子振) & Zhan-hong Qiu  (邱战洪)

Authors
  1. Zi-zhen Liu  (刘子振)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhi-xin Yan  (言志信)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jian Duan  (段建)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhan-hong Qiu  (邱战洪)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhi-xin Yan  (言志信).

Additional information

Foundation item: Project(2010(A)06-b) supported by the Scientific Research Fund of Yunnan Provincial Transport Department of China; Project(51108293) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Project(2013PY37) supported by the Cultivated Foundation of Taizhou University of China; Project(LY13E080008) supported by the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liu, Zz., Yan, Zx., Duan, J. et al. Infiltration regulation and stability analysis of soil slope under sustained and small intensity rainfall. J. Cent. South Univ. 20, 2519–2527 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-013-1764-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-013-1764-8

Key words

Search

Navigation