Simultaneous analysis of slope instabilities on a small catchment-scale using coupled surface and subsurface flows

Abstract

High-velocity runoff generated in hillslopes during heavy rainfall caused by typhoon increases chances of instability of the embankment slopes at the exit of the gully. Such effects of high-velocity runoff are usually neglected in conventional rainfall-induced slope failure analysis. In order to consider the effects of runoff on the slope instability, this study attempts to simulate the runoff, infiltration, seepage, and slope instabilities on a small catchment-scale simultaneously. For this purpose, this study firstly proposes a coupled model of surface flow, subsurface flow, and soil mechanics based on shallow water equations, Richards's equation, Green-Ampt infiltration capacity model, and local factor of safety (LFS) approach. Next, to make the proposed coupled model effective in the practical analysis of runoff, a diffusion wave approximation of shallow water equations is validated by numerical simulations, and then it is used to replace shallow water equations in the proposed coupled model. Finally, the proposed coupled model is verified by Abdul and Gillham system and applied to a natural slope in Hokkaido, Japan inside a small catchment with an area of 0.4675 km2. The numerical results highlight the influences of runoff from upstream on the embankment slope failure at the exit of the gully. Furthermore, the small catchment-scale slope instabilities assessment approach proposed in this study provides an effective approach for simulating heavy rainfall induced runoff and slope instabilities. The distribution map of the factor of safety (FOS) has significant implications for precisely determining the dangerous spots (instead of areas) on a small catchment-scale and accurately releasing early warning information to these dangerous spots.