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Significance of saturated clays seams for the stability of rainfall-induced landslides

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Abstract

This paper reviews the analyses of several slope failures in Japan associated with clay seams and assesses the significance of ground water level. Constant-volume shear box tests were used to obtain the strength parameters. The research considered the significance of capillary forces in the clay mass in the development of a laboratory-established cohesion. It was concluded that the laboratory-obtained apparent cohesion may not be applicable in actual site conditions and that a more realistic value can be obtained using submerged/saturated samples in the constant-volume direct shear test. The practical implications of this are demonstrated with a review of the Guinsaugon rockslide, South Leyte, Philippines.

Résumé

Cet article revue les analyses de plusieurs ruptures des talus au Japon associé aux filon-couches argileux et évalue l’importance du niveau de la nappe phréatique. Les essais de la boîte du cisaillement du volume constant ont été utilisés pour obtenir les paramètres de la résistance au cisaillement du sol. L’étude a considéré significativement les forces capillaires dans la masse d’argile dans le développement d’une cohésion au laboratoire. Il a été conclu que la cohésion apparente obtenue à partir du laboratoire ne peut pas être applicable dans les cas réels et qu’une valeur plus réaliste peut être obtenue en utilisant des échantillons submergeés/satureés dans l’essai de boîte de cisaillement directe du volume constant. Les implications pratiques de celui-ci sont démontrées avec un rapport sur le glissement de la roche de Guisaugon dans le sud de Leyte (Philippines).

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Acknowledgments

This study was made possible by the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) No. 20560459 from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). This study was in part supported by Heiwa Nakajima Foundation and Nippon Expressway Research Institute. Helpful comments and material supply provided by Professors M.A.H. Zarco and S.G. Catane of the University of the Philippines-Diliman are gratefully appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan

    Hideki Ohta

  2. Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan

    Thirapong Pipatpongsa & Sokbil Heng

  3. Nippon Expressway Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan

    Seiya Yokota & Masaru Takemoto

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  1. Hideki Ohta
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  2. Thirapong Pipatpongsa
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  3. Sokbil Heng
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  4. Seiya Yokota
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  5. Masaru Takemoto
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Correspondence to Hideki Ohta.

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Ohta, H., Pipatpongsa, T., Heng, S. et al. Significance of saturated clays seams for the stability of rainfall-induced landslides. Bull Eng Geol Environ 69, 71–87 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-009-0246-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-009-0246-6

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