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Analysis of physical testing of rainfall-induced soil slope failures

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Abstract

Rainfall is a significant factor that triggers slope failures around the world. This paper reports a series of physical tests, which were conducted to simulate rain-induced slope failures. The experiments dealt with two scenarios including (1) rainwater infiltration into the slope and (2) slope failures induced by artificial rainfall with different initial conditions. Slope deformation and slope failures were observed and possible mechanisms were interpreted based on the experimental results. The results confirm the hypothesis that pore-water pressure and water content in a loose soil slope change rapidly and that water infiltration into cracks in the slope has a great impact on landslide development. The observed slope failures can be divided into three types: overall sliding failure, partial sliding failure and flow slide. The effect of slope gradient, rainfall intensity and distribution of initial suction on the slope deformation and failure process are also summarized for possible applications under the similar conditions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (Nos. 2013CB733202 and 2012CB026104), National Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar (No. 41225011), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41130745, 41172280) and Excellent Youth Foundation of Sichuan Scientific Committee (No. 2012JQ0007). The first author thank the Innovative Research Team in Chengdu University of Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    L. Z. Wu, R. Q. Huang, Q. Xu & H. L. Li

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    L. M. Zhang

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  1. L. Z. Wu
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  2. R. Q. Huang
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  4. L. M. Zhang
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  5. H. L. Li
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Correspondence to R. Q. Huang.

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Wu, L.Z., Huang, R.Q., Xu, Q. et al. Analysis of physical testing of rainfall-induced soil slope failures. Environ Earth Sci 73, 8519–8531 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-4009-8

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