Modeling of Initial Stresses and Seepage for Large Deformation Finite-Element Simulation of Sensitive Clay Landslides
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 11
Abstract
Groundwater seepage and an increased lateral earth pressure coefficient at rest () increase the potential for triggering large-scale landslides in sensitive clays. After the failure is triggered, the successive retrogressive failure of soil blocks in the undrained condition is influenced highly by . This paper presents the numerical techniques for modeling seepage and using an Eulerian-based large deformation finite-element method. The finite-element simulation was performed first for a drained condition to calculate the in situ effective stresses and seepage forces, which then were used to model subsequent undrained retrogressive failure in total stress, triggered by toe erosion. A strain-softening- and strain-rate-dependent undrained soil strength model, which captures the behavior of soil failure from its intact condition to the fluidlike remolded material flow, was adopted in the retrogressive failure analysis. The simulation covered different phases of the landslide, including the initiation and retrogression of failure, and debris flow. Using the developed numerical technique, the 2010 Saint-Jude landslide in Quebec, Canada, was simulated.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request. This includes Abaqus input and output files.
Acknowledgments
This research has been supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Mitacs, InnovateNL, and Petroleum Research Newfoundland and Labrador.
References
Bélanger, K., A. Locat, R. Fortier, and D. Demers. 2017. “Geophysical and geotechnical characterization of a sensitive clay deposit in Brownsburg, Quebec.” In Landslides in sensitive clays: From research to implementation, edited by V. Thakur, J.-S. L’Heureux, and A. Locat, 77–86. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
Benson, D. J. 1992. “Computational methods in Lagrangian and Eulerian hydrocodes.” Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 99 (2–3): 235–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/0045-7825(92)90042-I.
Benson, D. J., and S. Okazawa. 2004. “Contact in a multi-material Eulerian finite element formulation.” Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 193 (39–41): 4277–4298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cma.2003.12.061.
Bernander, S., A. Kullingsjö, A. S. Gylland, P.-E. Bengtsson, S. Knutsson, R. Pusch, O. Jan, and L. Elfgren. 2016. “Downhill progressive landslides in long natural slopes: Triggering agents and landslide phases modeled with a finite difference method.” Can. Geotech. J. 53 (10): 1565–1582. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2015-0651.
Bjerrum, L. 1967. “The Third Terzaghi Lectures; Progressive failure in slopes of overconsolidated plastic clay and clay shales.” J. Soil Mech. Found. Div. 93 (5): 1–49. https://doi.org/10.1061/JSFEAQ.0001017.
Boukpeti, N., D. J. White, M. F. Randolph, and H. E. Low. 2012. “Strength of fine-grained soils at the solid–fluid transition.” Géotechnique 62 (3): 213–226. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.9.P.069.
Carson, M. A. 1977. “On the retrogression of landslides in sensitive muddy sediments.” Can. Geotech. J. 14 (4): 582–602. https://doi.org/10.1139/t77-059.
Chandler, R. J. 1988. “The in-situ measurement of the undrained shear strength of clays using the field vane.” In Vane shear strength testing in soils: Field and laboratory studies, edited by A. F. Richards, 13–44. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Cruden, D. M., and D. J. Varnes. 1996. Landslides: Investigation and mitigation. Chapter 3—Landslide types and processes. Washington, DC: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Demers, D., D. Robitaille, P. Locat, and J. Potvin. 2014. “Inventory of large landslides in sensitive clay in the province of Quebec, Canada: Preliminary analysis.” In Landslides in sensitive clays—From geosciences to risk management, edited by J.-S. L’Heureux, A. Locat, S. Leroueil, D. Demers, and J. Locat, 77–89. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Dey, R., B. Hawlader, R. Phillips, and K. Soga. 2015. “Large deformation finite-element modeling of progressive failure leading to spread in sensitive clay slopes.” Géotechnique 65 (8): 657–668. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.14.P.193.
Dey, R., B. Hawlader, R. Phillips, and K. Soga. 2016. “Modeling of large-deformation behaviour of marine sensitive clays and its application to submarine slope stability analysis.” Can. Geotech. J. 53 (7): 1138–1155. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2015-0176.
Duncan, J. M., and P. Dunlop. 1968. Slopes in stiff-fissured clays and shales. Berkeley, CA: California Univ. Berkeley Office of Research Services.
Dutta, S., B. Hawlader, and R. Phillips. 2015. “Finite element modeling of partially embedded pipelines in clay seabed using Coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian method.” Can. Geotech. J. 52 (1): 58–72. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2014-0045.
Einav, I., and M. Randolph. 2006. “Effect of strain rate on mobilised strength and thickness of curved shear bands.” Géotechnique 56 (7): 501–504. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2006.56.7.501.
Geertsema, M., J. J. Clague, J. W. Schwab, and S. G. Evans. 2006. “An overview of recent large catastrophic landslides in northern British Columbia, Canada.” Eng. Geol. 83 (1–3): 120–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2005.06.028.
Grue, R. H., D. Issler, J-S. L’Heureux, and V. Thakur. 2017. “Viscometric tests of sensitive clay from Byneset, Norway, and fit to the Herschel–Bulkley model.” In Landslides in sensitive clays: From research to implementation, edited by V. Thakur, J.-S. L’Heureux, and A. Locat, 155–166. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Gylland, A. S., H. P. Jostad, S. Nordal, and A. Emdal. 2013. “Micro-level investigation of the in situ shear vane failure geometry in sensitive clay.” Géotechnique 63 (14): 1264–1270. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.13.P.011.
Gylland, A. S., V. Thakur, and A. Emdal. 2016. “Extended interpretation basis for the vane shear test.” In Proc., 17th Nordic Geotechnical Meeting, Challenges in Nordic Geotechnic 25–28 May, 233–240. Reykjavik, Iceland: Icelandic Geotechnical Society.
Hamann, T., G. Qiu, and J. Grabe. 2015. “Application of a Coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian approach on pile installation problems under partially drained conditions.” Comput. Geotech. 63: 279–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2014.10.006.
Hamouche, K. K., S. Leroueil, M. Roy, and A. J. Lutenegger. 1995. “In situ evaluation of in eastern Canada clays.” Can. Geotech. J. 32 (4): 677–688. https://doi.org/10.1139/t95-067.
Haugen, E. D., M. Tveit, and H. Heyerdahl. 2017. “Mapping quick clay hazard zones: Comparison of methods for estimation of the retrogression distance.” In Landslides in sensitive clays: From research to implementation, edited by V. Thakur, J.-S. L’Heureux, and A. Locat, 311–321. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
Hawlader, B., A. Fouzder, and S. Dutta. 2016. “Numerical modeling of suction and trench formation at the touchdown zone of steel catenary riser.” Int. J. Geomech. 16 (1): 04015033. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000497.
Islam, N., B. Hawlader, C. Wang, and K. Soga. 2019. “Large-deformation finite-element modelling of earthquake-induced landslides considering strain-softening behaviour of sensitive clay.” Can. Geotech. J. 56 (7): 1003–1018. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2018-0250.
Jeong, S. W., S. Leroueil, and J. Locat. 2009. “Applicability of power law for describing the rheology of soils of different origins and characteristics.” Can. Geotech. J. 46 (9): 1011–1023. https://doi.org/10.1139/T09-031.
Karlsrud, K., and G. G. Hernandez-Martinez. 2013. “Strength and deformation properties of Norwegian clays from laboratory tests on high-quality block samples.” Can. Geotech. J. 50 (12): 1273–1293. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2013-0298.
Ladd, C. C. 1991. “Stability evaluation during staged construction.” J. Geotech. Eng. 117 (4): 540–615. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1991)117:4(540).
Ladd, C. C., and D. J. DeGroot. 2004. “Recommended practice for soft ground site characterization: Arthur Casagrande Lecture.” In Proc., 12th Pan-American Conf. on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 1–55. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Lafleur, J., F. Giroux, and M. Hout. 1987. “Field permeability of weathered Champlain clay crust.” Can. Geotech. J. 24 (4): 581–589. https://doi.org/10.1139/t87-072.
Lebuis, J., J. M. Robert, and P. Rissmann. 1983. Regional mapping of landslide hazard in Quebec. Linköping, Sweden: Statens geotekniska institut.
Lefebvre, G. 1986. “Slope instability and valley formation in Canadian soft clay deposits.” Can. Geotech. J. 23 (3): 261–270. https://doi.org/10.1139/t86-039.
Lefebvre, G. 2017. “Sensitive clays of eastern Canada: From geology to slope stability.” In Landslides in sensitive clays: From research to implementation, edited by V. Thakur, J.-S. L’Heureux, and A. Locat, 15–34. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
Lefebvre, G., M. Bozozuk, A. Philibert, and P. Hornych. 1991. “Evaluating in Champlain clays with hydraulic fracture tests.” Can. Geotech. J. 28 (3): 365–377. https://doi.org/10.1139/t91-047.
Lefebvre, G., J.-J. Paré, and O. Dascal. 1987. “Undrained shear strength in the surficial weathered crust.” Can. Geotech. J. 24 (1): 23–34. https://doi.org/10.1139/t87-003.
Leroueil, S. 2001. “Natural slopes and cuts: Movement and failure mechanisms.” Géotechnique 51 (3): 197–243. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2001.51.3.197.
Leroueil, S., J. Tardif, M. Roy, P. La Rochelle, and J.-M. Konrad. 1991. “Effects of frost on the mechanical behaviour of Champlain Sea clays.” Can. Geotech. J. 28 (5): 690–697. https://doi.org/10.1139/t91-083.
L’Heureux, J.-S. 2012. “A study of the retrogressive behaviour and mobility of Norwegian quick clay landslides.” In Landslide and engineered slopes: Protecting society through improved understanding, 981–988. London: Taylor & Francis Group.
L’Heureux, J.-S., R. S. Eilertsen, S. Glimstad, D. Issler, I.-L. Solberg, and C. B. Harbitz. 2012. “The 1978 quick clay landslide at Rissa, mid Norway: Subaqueous morphology and tsunami simulations.” In Submarine mass movements and their consequences, edited by K. Kawamura, K. Ikehara, Y. Ogawa, R. Urgeles, D. Mosher, J. Chaytor, and M. Strasser, 507–516. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
L’Heureux, J.-S., S. Nordal, and S. W. Austefjord. 2017a. “Revisiting the 1959 quick clay landslide at Sokkelvik, Norway.” In Landslides in sensitive clays: From research to implementation, edited by V. Thakur, J.-S. L’Heureux, and A. Locat, 395–406. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
L’Heureux, J.-S., Z. Ozkul, S. Lacasse, M. D’Ignazio, and T. Lunne. 2017b. A revised look at the coefficient of earth pressure at rest for Norwegian clays, 35.1–35.11. Oslo, Norway: Fjellsprengningsteknikk, Bergmekanikk/Geoteknikk.
Lo, K. H., and S. D. Hinchberger. 2006. “Stability analysis accounting for macroscopic and microscopic structures in clays.” In Proc., 4th Int. Conf. on Soft Soil Engineering, 3–34. Leiden, Netherlands: CRC Press.
Locat, A., H. P. Jostad, and S. Leroueil. 2013. “Numerical modeling of progressive failure and its implications for spreads in sensitive clays.” Can. Geotech. J. 50 (9): 961–978. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2012-0390.
Locat, A., S. Leroueil, S. Bernander, D. Demers, H. P. Jostad, and L. Ouehb. 2011. “Progressive failures in eastern Canadian and Scandinavian sensitive clays.” Can. Geotech. J. 48 (11): 1696–1712. https://doi.org/10.1139/t11-059.
Locat, A., S. Leroueil, A. Fortin, D. Demers, and H. P. Jostad. 2015. “The 1994 landslide at Sainte-Monique, Quebec: Geotechnical investigation and application of progressive failure analysis.” Can. Geotech. J. 52 (4): 490–504. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2013-0344.
Locat, A., P. Locat, D. Demers, S. Leroueil, D. Robitaille, and G. Lefebvre. 2017a. “The Saint-Jude landslide of 10 May 2010, Quebec, Canada: Investigation and characterization of the landslide and its failure mechanism.” Can. Geotech. J. 54 (10): 1357–1374. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2017-0085.
Locat, J., and D. Demers. 1988. “Viscosity, yield stress, remolded strength, and liquidity index relationships for sensitive clays.” Can. Geotech. J. 25 (4): 799–806. https://doi.org/10.1139/t88-088.
Locat, J., D. Turmel, P. Locat, J. Therrien, and M. Létourneau. 2017b. “The 1908 disaster of Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, Québec, Canada: Analysis of the landslide and tsunami.” In Landslides in sensitive clays: From research to implementation, edited by V. Thakur, J.-S. L’Heureux, and A. Locat, 361–371. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
Lunne, T., K. H. Andersen, H. E. Low, M. F. Randolph, and M. Sjursen. 2011. “Guidelines for offshore in situ testing and interpretation in deepwater soft clays.” Can. Geotech. J. 48 (4): 543–556. https://doi.org/10.1139/t10-088.
Mitchell, R. J., and A. R. Markell. 1974. “Flowsliding in sensitive soils.” Can. Geotech. J. 11 (1): 11–31. https://doi.org/10.1139/t74-002.
Odenstad, S. 1951. “The landslide at Sköttorp on the Lidan River, February 2, 1946.” In Vol. 4 of Proc., Royal Swedish Institute Proc., 1–40. Linköping, Sweden: Royal Swedish Geotechnical Institute.
Potts, D., N. Kovacevic, and P. Vaughan. 1997. “Delayed collapse of cut slopes in stiff clay.” Géotechnique 47 (5): 953–982. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1997.47.5.953.
Qiu, G., and J. Grabe. 2012. “Numerical investigation of bearing capacity due to spudcan penetration in sand overlying clay.” Can. Geotech. J. 49 (12): 1393–1407. https://doi.org/10.1139/t2012-085.
Quinn, P. E., M. S. Diederichs, R. K. Rowe, and D. J. Hutchinson. 2011. “A new model for large landslides in sensitive clay using a fracture mechanics approach.” Can. Geotech. J. 48 (8): 1151–1162. https://doi.org/10.1139/t11-025.
Randolph, M. F., D. J. White, and Y. Yan. 2012. “Modelling the axial soil resistance on deep-water pipelines.” Géotechnique 62 (9): 837–846. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.12.OG.010.
Rissman, P., J. D. Allard, and J. Lebuis. 1985. Zones exposées aux mouvements de terrain le long de la rivière Yamaska, entre Yamaska et Saint-Hyacinthe. [In French.] Québec, Canada: Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources du Québec.
Silvestri, V. 2003. “Assessment of self-boring pressuremeter tests in sensitive clay.” Can. Geotech. J. 40 (2): 365–387. https://doi.org/10.1139/t02-121.
Söderblom, R. 1974. A new approach to the classification of quick clays. Linköping, Sweden: Swedish Geotechnical Institute.
Tavenas, F. 1984. “Landslides in Canadian sensitive clays—A state-of-the-art.” In Vol. 1 of Proc., 4th Int. Symp. on Landslides, 16–21. Toronto: Univ. of Toronto Press.
Tavenas, F., J.-Y. Chagnon, and P. La Rochelle. 1971. “The Saint-Jean-Vianney landslide: Observations and eyewitnesses accounts.” Can. Geotech. J. 8 (3): 463–478. https://doi.org/10.1139/t71-048.
Tavenas, F., P. Flon, S. Leroueil, and J. Lebuis. 1983. “Remolding energy and risk of slide retrogression in sensitive clays.” In Proc., Symp. on Slopes on Soft Clays, 423–454. Linköping, Sweden: Swedish Geotechnical Institute.
Thakur, V., et al. 2014. “Characterization of post-failure movements of landslides in soft sensitive clays.” In Landslides in sensitive clays—From geosciences to risk management, edited by J.-S. L’Heureux, A. Locat, S. Leroueil, D. Demers, and J. Locat, 91–103. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Thakur, V., S. A. Degago, J. Selänpää, and T. Länsivaara. 2017. “Determination of remoulding energy of sensitive clays.” In Landslides in sensitive clays: From research to implementation, edited by V. Thakur, J.-S. L’Heureux, and A. Locat, 97–107. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Tran, Q.-A., and W. Sołowski. 2019. “Generalized Interpolation Material Point Method modelling of large deformation problems including strain-rate effects—Application to penetration and progressive failure problems.” Comput. Geotech. 106 (Feb): 249–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2018.10.020.
Trapper, P. A., A. M. Puzrin, and L. N. Germanovich. 2015. “Effects of shear band propagation on early waves generated by initial breakoff of tsunamigenic landslides.” Mar. Geol. 370 (Dec): 99–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2015.10.014.
Turmel, D., J. Locat, P. Locat, and D. Demers. 2017. “Parametric analysis of the mobility of debris from flow slides in sensitive clays.” In Landslides in sensitive clays: From research to implementation, edited by V. Thakur, J.-S. L’Heureux, and A. Locat, 301–310. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Wang, C., B. Hawlader, N. Islam, and K. Soga. 2019. “Implementation of a large deformation finite element modelling technique for seismic slope stability analyses.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng. 127 (Dec): 105824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2019.105824.
Wang, C., B. Hawlader, D. Perret, and K. Soga. 2020. “Effects of geometry and soil properties on type and retrogression of landslides in sensitive clays.” Géotechnique 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.20.P.046.
Zakeri, A., and B. Hawlader. 2013. “Drag forces caused by submarine glide block or out-runner block impact on suspended (freespan) pipelines—Numerical analysis.” Ocean Eng. 67 (1): 89–99.
Zhang, X., L. Wang, K. Krabbenhoft, and S. Tinti. 2020. “A case study and implication: Particle finite element modelling of the 2010 Saint-Jude sensitive clay landslide.” Landslides 17 (Dec): 1117–1127. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-019-01330-4.
Zhu, H., and M. F. Randolph. 2011. “Numerical analysis of a cylinder moving through rate-dependent undrained soil.” Ocean Eng. 38 (7): 943–953. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2010.08.005.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 11 • November 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 18, 2020
Accepted: Jun 3, 2021
Published online: Aug 17, 2021
Published in print: Nov 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Jan 17, 2022
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
Cited by
- Antonello Troncone, Luigi Pugliese, Andrea Parise, Enrico Conte, Analysis of a landslide in sensitive clays using the material point method, Geotechnical Research, 10.1680/jgere.22.00060, (1-11), (2023).
- Daijin Yu, Qiangbing Huang, Xiaosen Kang, Yue Liu, Xing Chen, Qingyu Xie, Zhiyu Guo, The unsaturated seepage process and mechanism of internal interfaces in loess-filled slopes during intermittent rainfall, Journal of Hydrology, 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129317, 619, (129317), (2023).
- Yanjian Lian, Ha H. Bui, Giang D. Nguyen, Asadul Haque, An effective and stabilised ( ) SPH framework for large deformation and failure analysis of saturated porous media , Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 10.1016/j.cma.2023.115967, 408, (115967), (2023).
- D. Watanabe, S. Moriguchi, K. Terada, A numerical study on the effects of particle size distribution on run-out distance of granular flow, Soils and Foundations, 10.1016/j.sandf.2022.101242, 62, 6, (101242), (2022).
- Monica Giona Bucci, Aaron Micallef, Morelia Urlaub, Joshu Mountjoy, Rachel Barrett, A global review of subaqueous spreading and its morphological and sedimentological characteristics: A database for highlighting the current state of the art, Geomorphology, 10.1016/j.geomorph.2022.108397, 414, (108397), (2022).