A Mechanics-Based Procedure for Predicting Groundwater-Rise-Induced Slope Displacements

Volume 1 - Issue 4

Ching-Chun Huang*

Received: November 12, 2018;   Published: November 27, 2018

DOI: 10.32474/OAJESS.2018.01.000117

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Abstract

A procedure for predicting cumulative slope displacements induced by groundwater table changes is proposed. The proposed procedure incorporates a back-calculation technique for the soil strength parameter based on the records of slope displacement and ground water table changes. The analytical tool for the back-calculation is a limit-equilibrium-based finite displacement method (FFDM) requiring force and moment equilibrium, displacement compatibility, and a hyperbolic shear stress-displacement constitutive law. The analyzed potential sliding mass is a statically determinate system, providing a closed-form solution for the displacement of the slope. Two well documented case histories of periodic rainfall-induced slope displacements are used to validate the proposed analytical procedures. The hyperbolic soil strength parameters back-calculated from the first event of slope displacement can be used as operational soil strength parameters for predicting subsequent slope displacements caused by rainfall-induced groundwater table elevation changes. The proposed method alleviates possible difficulties associated with the evaluation of soil strength using undisturbed soil sampling of colluviums in foothill areas. The proposed method requires little computer time in deriving useful information of slope displacement which cannot be achieved using conventional limit equilibrium methods or advanced numerical analyses. The proposed analytical procedure is valid only for simulating instantaneous sliding where time-dependent viscous (or creep) deformation is not dominant.

Abstract| Introduction| Methodology| Conclusion| Acknowledgement| Appendix| References|