Displacement Analyses for a Natural Slope Considering Post-Peak Strength of Soils

Abstract

A natural slope undergoing recurrent movements caused by rainfall-induced groundwater table rises is studied using a novel method. The strength and displacement parameters are back-calculated using a force-equilibrium-based finite displacement method (FFDM) based on the first event of slope movement recorded in the monitoring period. Slope displacements in response to subsequent rainfall-induced groundwater table rises are predicted using FFDM based on the back-calculated material parameters. Important factors that may influence the accuracy of slope displacement predictions, namely, the curvature of the Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) failure envelope and post-peak strength softening, are investigated. It is found that the accuracy of slope displacement predictions can be improved by taking into account post-peak stress-displacement relationship in the analysis. The accuracy of slope displacement predictions is not influenced by the curvature of the M-C failure envelope in the displacement analysis.