Effect of Soil–Water Characteristic Parameters on Saturation Line and Stability of Slope

Abstract

Rainfall infiltration is the main factor that causes slope instability. To study the effect of hydraulic parameters on the final saturation line and stability of slopes, a numerical slope model is established with a saturated–unsaturated seepage analysis method. Analysis results show the following, (1) When parameter a increases, the effective rainfall duration decreases linearly, and the ultimate safety factor increases gradually; when parameter m increases, the effective rainfall duration increases linearly, and the ultimate safety factor decreases linearly; when parameter n increases, both the effective rainfall duration and the ultimate safety factor decrease first and then remain stable. (2) When the saturated permeability coefficient decreases, the effective rainfall duration presents a crescent trend, and the ultimate safety factor decreases first and then remains the same after rainfall intensity exceeds the saturated permeability coefficient of soil. (3) When rainfall intensity is less than the saturated permeability coefficient of soil, the location of the final saturation line rises as the saturated permeability coefficient decreases and is thus independent of parameters a, m, and n.