Determination of factor of safety of a slope subjected to vibratory pile driving in 3D

Vibratory installation of piles and casings can be extremely economical, therefore the contractors prefer pile driving. When compared to impact pile driving, vibratory pile driving generates less noise but this installation method is still fraught with uncertainties (Rausche 2003). Environmental effects (such as ground vibrations) have negative...

Verification of an XFEM Based Slope Stability Analysis Method

There are multiple numerical methods for analysing the stability of slopes. Commonly used methods for assessing the slope stability are the slip surface method, strength reduction methods or methods based on load increments. What those methods have in common is that the stability of a slope is assessed by a factor of safety or critical stability...

On the use of different constitutive models in data assimilation for slope stability

A recursive ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is used as the data assimilation scheme to estimate strength and stiffness parameters simultaneously for a fully coupled hydro-mechanical slope stability analysis. Two different constitutive models are used in the hydro-mechanical model: the Mohr-Coulomb (MC) model and the Hardening Soil (HS) model....

The Guadiaro-Baños contourite drifts (SW Mediterranean). A geotechnical approach to stability analysis

Two Quaternary plastered contourite drifts, with terraced and low-mounded morphologies, make up the continental slope and base-of-slope in the northwestern Alboran Sea, respectively, between the Guadiaro and Baños turbidite systems, close to the Strait of Gibraltar. Considering their significant lateral extent, the link between the contourite...

Reliability Analysis of Infinite Slopes under Random Rainfall Events

Landslide events often occur after rainfall events during which the pore water pressure builds up within surficial soil layers, leading to shallow slope failure. The spatial variability of the permeability parameters of the soil causes high gradients in pore water pressure when the rainwater infiltrates into the slope. In this paper, we compute...

Reliability-Based Design of Spatially Variable Undrained Slopes

Spatial variability and model uncertainty are considered the major sources of geotechnical uncertainty. The primary objective of this paper is to provide slope stability investigators with a robust reliability framework that takes into consideration the combined uncertainty of spatial variability and model uncertainty. To achieve this objective,...

How to Use COMSOL Multiphysics for coupled dual-permeability hydrological and slope stability modeling

Preferential flow paths, such as cracks, macropores, fissures, pipes etc. are common features of highly heterogeneous slopes. During intense rainstorms, preferential flow has a significant influence on subsurface flow and slope stability. Dual-permeability models are widely used to simulate preferential flow, but have not been incorporated into...