Abstract
Rainfall is a major trigger of shallow slope failures, and it is necessary to consider the spatial correlation of soil properties for probabilistic analysis of slope stability in heterogeneous soil. In this study, a case study of a weathered soil slope in Korea was performed to identify the rainfall-induced landslides considering the spatial variability of the soil properties and the probabilistic rainfall intensity depending on the return period and the rainfall duration. Various laboratory tests were performed to determine the physical properties of the site, and an electrical resistivity survey was carried out to understand the soil strata. Cohesion, friction angle, and permeability were considered as random variables considering the spatial variability, and the probabilistic rainfall intensities for return period of 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 200 years were used to consider the effects of rainfall infiltration. The results showed that a probabilistic framework can be used to efficiently consider the spatial variability of soil properties, and various slope failure patterns were identified according to the spatial variability of the soil properties and the probabilistic rainfall intensity.
Highlights
Shallow slope failure due to heavy rainfall during rainstorms and typhoons is common in mountain areas and take the form of translational slides, which form parallel to the original surface [1, 2]
The traditional infinite slope equation assumes homogeneous or averaged soil properties, and the potential failure surface is always fixed at the base of the slope [14] or wetting front depth (WFD)
The uncertainties of the soil can be considered through the probabilistic analysis, the potential failure surface is still fixed and the probability of failure can be underestimated if the soil properties are treated as random variables without considering the spatial variability
Summary
Shallow slope failure (typically 1–3 m deep) due to heavy rainfall during rainstorms and typhoons is common in mountain areas and take the form of translational slides, which form parallel to the original surface [1, 2]. One of the main triggering factors for landslides is heavy rainfall [5,6,7,8], and the abnormal climate and localized heavy rainfall caused by climate change may lead to more frequent landslides [4, 8,9,10,11,12] For this reason, the prediction of rainfall-induced landslides is becoming more important, and the infinite slope model is usually implemented for the stability analysis of natural slopes; this model is appropriate when the horizontal dimensions of the surface are relatively much larger than the vertical depth of the potential failure slope. The random variables most frequently considered when analyzing spatial variability of the soil properties are shear strength parameters (cohesion, c and friction angle, φ), and the permeability has been considered in slope stability analysis due to rainfall infiltration. How soil properties and climatic factors affect slope stability were discussed
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
