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A large number of laboratory investigations related to the permeability have been conducted on the sliding zones. Yet little attention has been paid to the particular sliding zones of the slide-prone Badong Formation. Here, we experimentally investigate the permeability nature and the mechanism of seepage in the viscous sliding zone of the Huangtupo Landslide. Saturated seepage tests have been performed first with consideration of six dry densities and thirteen hydraulic gradients, in conjunction with the mercury intrusion porosimetry test and scanning electron microscopy test for the microstructure analysis after seepage. The results show that seepage in the sliding zone soil does not follow Darcy's Law, since there is a threshold hydraulic gradient (i0) below which no flow is observed and a critical hydraulic gradient (icr) over which the hydraulic conductivity (K) tends to be stable. The percentage of bound water could be responsible for the occurrence of i0 and icr. Furthermore, pore size distributions (PSD) less than 0.6 µm and between 10 and 90 µm exhibit positive and negative correlations with the i0, respectively, indicating that the i0 is related to the PSD. The mechanism accounting for this result is that pore water pressure forces fine clay particles into the surrounding large pores and converts arranged particles to discretely distributed ones, thereby weakening the connectivity of pores. The seepages in the sliding zones behave differently from that in the sliding mass and sliding bed in response to the permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Block-flexure toppling failure is frequently encountered in interbedded anti-inclined rock (IAR) slopes, and seriously threatens the construction of hydropower infrastructure. In this study, we first investigated the Lean Reservoir area's geological setting and the Linda landslide's characteristics. Then, uniform design and random design were used to design 110 training datasets and 31 testing datasets, respectively. Afterwards, the toppling response was obtained by using the discrete element code. Finally, support vector regression was used to obtain the influence weights of 21 impact factors. The results show that the influence weight of the slope angle and rock formation dip angle on the toppling deformation among tertiary impact factors is 25.96% and 17.28%, respectively, which are much greater than the other 19 impact factors within the research range. For the primary impact factors, the influence weight is sorted from large to small as slope geometry parameters, joints parameters, and rock mechanics parameters. Joints parameters, especially the geometric parameters, cannot be ignored when evaluating the stability of IAR slopes. Through numerical simulation, it was qualitatively determined that failure surfaces of slopes were controlled by cross joints and that the rocks in the slope toe play a role in preventing slope deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simplified geomechanical model was proposed by considering three typical necking-type slopes; this model lays a foundation for the further investigation of the deformation behaviors of such slopes. Three physical models of necking-type slopes were built according to the geomechanical model with slope evolution stages. Finally, preliminary calculations related to the arching effect in the physical model were conducted. Three evolution stages of necking-type slopes, namely, the initial stage, compression stage, and failure stage, were presented based on the formation and disappearance of the arching effect within the slope. The specific parameters of the geomechanical model were given. In the setup of the tilting test, the failure angle of the necking-type slope model was calculated to be approximately 50° with a large lateral resistance coefficient. The proposed geomechanical model and physical models of necking-type slopes provide guidance for the establishment of geomechanical and physical models of landslides at specific sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of an arching slope in deformable materials above strong rocks strongly depends on the shape and width of the span. Equations for a free surface problem that incorporate these two parameters were derived using a simplified two-dimensional arching slope model, and were validated using physical model tests under 1g and centrifugal conditions. The results are used to estimate the maximum excavation width for a weak claystone slope in a lignite mine, for which we calculate a safety factor of 1.31. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method (kinetic vector method, KVM) is presented for analyzing the dynamic stability of wedge in rock slope. The dynamic analysis is carried out based on three dimensional distinct element code (3DEC), and the kinetic inertial force of the wedge under seismic loading can be obtained via calculating the net vectorial nodal force of the finite difference grid. Then, the factor of safety (FOS) of the wedge can be calculated based on limit equilibrium method (LEM) at each dynamic analysis step, therefore time series of the FOS for whole earthquake process can be obtained. For the purpose of evaluating the entire dynamic stability of the wedge, dynamic factor of safety (DFOS) is proposed and defined as a numerical value corresponding with a given rate of probability guarantee based on reliability theory. Consequently, the KVM inherits the merits of the LEM and also has fully nonlinear dynamic analysis capabilities, and the feasibility and correctness of the KVM are tested by an example given by Hoek and Bray (1981). Finally, a rock slope case in Wenchuan Earthquake regions of China is presented to verify the engineering practicability of the KVM, and the results matched the actual situation well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous constitutive models of granite shear creep have two limitations: (1) although moisture greatly affects granite shear creep behavior, currently there are no constitutive models that include this factor; (2) there are also no models that include an acceleration stage. This paper presents an improved Burgers constitutive model with the addition of a damage parameter to characterize the moisture effect and uses a nonlinear relation equation between stress and strain for inclusion as the acceleration stage. The damage parameter is determined from granite creep experiment under four different moisture contents (0%, 0.22%, 0.49%, and 0.79%). The nonlinear relation equation is obtained by fitting a dataset of stain versus time under five different loading stages. To verify the presented model, a creep experiment was conducted on other granite samples and the results show that the model agrees well with the experimental observation data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring data show that many landslides in the Three Gorges region, China, undergo step-like displacements in response to the managed, quasi-sinusoidal annual variations in reservoir level. This behavior is consistent with motion initiating when the reservoir water level falls below a critical level that is intrinsic to each landslide, with the subsequent displacement rate of the landslide being proportional to the water depth below that critical level. Most motion terminates when the water level rises back above the critical level, so the annual step size is the time integral of the instantaneous displacement rate. These responses are incorporated into a differential equation that is easily calibrated with monitoring data, allowing prediction of landslide movement from actual or anticipated reservoir level changes. Model successes include (1) initiation and termination of the annual sliding steps at the critical reservoir level, producing a series of steps; (2) prediction of variable step size, year to year; and (3) approximate prediction of the shape and size of each annual step. Annual rainfall correlates poorly with step size, probably because its effect on groundwater levels is dwarfed by the 30 m annual variations in the level of the Three Gorges Reservoir. Viscous landslide behavior is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]