Slope Stabilization

CHAPTER 1
SLOPE STABILIZATION
1.1 GENERAL
A slope is defined as a surface of which one end or side is at higher level than another a
rising or falling surface. An earth slope is an un supported, inclined surface of a soil mass.
The failure of a mass of soil located beneath a slope is called as slide. It involves a
downward and outward movement of the entire mass of soil that participates in the
failure. The failure of slopes takes place mainly due to The action of gravitational forces,
and Seepage forces within the soil. They may also fail due to excavation or undercutting
of its foot, or due to gradual disintegration of the structure of the soil. Slides may occur in
almost every conceivable manner, slowly or suddenly, and with or without any apparent
provocation.

Landslides, slips, slumps, mudflows, rock falls – these are just some of the terms which
are used to describe movements of soils and rocks under the influence of gravity. These
movements can at best be merely inconvenient, but from time to time they become
seriously damaging or even disastrous in there Proportions and effects we are normally
more aware of hazards arising from the earth’s surface processes in terms of flooding and
short-term climatic effects, but in other parts of the world, slope instability too, is widely
recognized as an ever-present danger. Proportions and effects we are normally more
aware of hazards arising from the earth’s surface active regions

Landslides and other gravity-stimulated mass movement are important and costly
problems, and they are a continual source of concern for geotechnical engineers and
engineering geologists throughout the world, particularly in geologically active regions.
Slopes in soils and rocks are found in nature and in man-made structures. Highways,
dams, levees canals and stockpiles are constructed by sloping the lateral faces of the soil
because slopes are generally less expensive than constructing a wall. Natural forces such
as wind and water change the topography on Earth and other planets, often creating
unstable slopes. Geotechnical engineers have to pay particular attention to geology,
surface drainage, groundwater, and the shear strength of soils in assessing slope stability.
The analyses of slope stability are based on simplifying assumptions and the design of a
stable slope relies heavily on experience and careful site investigation.

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Slope failures depend on the soil type, soil stratification, groundwater, seepage and slope
geometry. A common type of failure is homogeneous fine-grained soils, a rotational slide
that has its point of rotation on an imaginary axis parallel to the slope.

As we can see on highways and road constructions, a flow slide occurs when internal and
external conditions force soil to behave like a viscous fluid and flow to even shallow
slopes, spreading out in several directions. Flow slides can occur in dry and wet soils.
Slope failures are caused, in general, by natural forces, human misjudgement and
activities of burrowing animals.

Traditionally, engineers use concrete, rock wall or framework to fix the excavated slopes
and road embankments, but the cost is high and at the same time leads to further
environmental problem because passengers do not want to see white concrete during
travelling, instead of green vegetation. Following economic development people pay
more attention to the quality of environment. As a result, highway engineers started to use
bio-engineering method to protect the roads and the slopes along the roads. (Mizal A.N,
et al 2011)

1.2 FACTORS THAT PROVOKES SLOPE FAILURE

A factor that affects the slope failure are
 Erosion
 Rainfall
 Geological Features
 External Loading
 Construction Activities
 Rapid Draw down

Erosion
Water and wind continuously erode natural and man-made slopes. Erosion changes the
geometry of the slope, ultimately resulting in slope failure or more aptly, a landslide, river
and streams continuously scour their banks undermining their natural or man-made
slopes.

Rainfall
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Long periods of rainfall saturate, soften and erode soils. Water enters into existing cracks
and may weaken underlying soil layers, leading to failure, e.g. mud slides.
Earthquakes
Earthquakes induce dynamic forces especially dynamic shear forces that reduce the shear
strength and stiffness of the soil. Pore water pressures in saturated coarse-grained soils
could rise to a value equal to the total mean stress and cause these soils to behave like
viscous fluids, a phenomenon known as dynamic liquefaction. Structures founded on
these soils would collapse; structures buried within them would arise. The quickness (a
few seconds) in which the dynamic forces are induced prevents even coarse-grained soils
from draining the excess pore water pressures. Thus, seismic failure even often occurs
under undrained conditions.

Geological Features
Many failures commonly result from unidentified geological features. A thin seam of silt
(a few millimetres thick) under a thick deposit of clay can easily be overlooked in drilling
Presence of the silt caused a catastrophic failure. Sloping, stratified soils are prone to
translational slide along weak layers (s).

External Loading
Loads placed on the crest of a slope (the top of the slope) add to the gravitational load and
may cause slope failure. A load placed at the toe, called a berm, will increase the stability
of the slope. Berms are often used to remediate problematic slopes.

Construction Activities
Construction activities near the toe of an existing slope can cause failure because lateral
resistance is removed. We can conveniently divide slope failures due to construction
activities into two cases. The first case is excavated slopes and second case is fill slopes.
When excavation occurs, the total stress is reduced and negative pore water pressure is
generated in the soil. If slope failure is to occur, they would take place after construction
is completed. Fills slopes are common in embankment construction. Fill (soil) is placed at
the site and compacted to specifications, usually greater than 95% Proctor minimum dry
unit weight. The soil is invariably unsaturated and negative pore water pressure develops.
The soil on which the fill is placed, which is called the foundation soil, may or may not be
saturated. If the foundation soil is saturated, then positive pore water pressure will be
generated from the weight of the fill and the compaction process. The effective stress

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deceases and consequently the shear strength decreases. With time the positive pore water
pressure dissipates, the effective stress increases and so does the shear strength of the soil.
Thus, slope failures in fill slopes are likely to occur during or immediately after
construction.

Rapid Draw down

Reservoir can be subjected to rapid drawdown. In this case the lateral force provided by
the water is removed and the excess pore water pressure does not have enough time to
dissipate. The net effect is that the slope can fail under undrained conditions, seepage of
groundwater would occur and additional seepage forces can provoke failure. (Mizal A.N.,
2011)

1.3 Earth pressure theories

1.3.1 Different types of lateral earth pressure
Lateral earth pressures can be grouped into three categories
 Active earth pressure
 Passive earth pressure
 At rest pressure

Fig 1.1 Slope Failure Zone

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Active earth pressure

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Slope Stabilization

A state of active pressure occurs when the soil mass yields in such a way that it tends to
stretch horizontally. It is the state of plastic equilibrium as the entire soil mass is on the
verge of failure a retaining wall when moves away from back fill there is a stretching of
soil mass and the active state of earth pressure exists

Coefficient of active earth pressure (Ka)

It is the ratio of horizontal and vertical principal effective stresses when a retaining wall
moves away from the retained soil
Formula for coefficient of active earth pressure

Ka=(1-sinǿ/1+sin ǿ)
Where Ka= Coefficient of active earth pressure

ǿ= angle of internal friction

Passive earth pressure

a state of passive pressure exists when the movement of the wall in such that the soil
tends to compress horizontally. It is the another extreme of the limiting equilibrium
condition
Kp=(1+sinǿ/1-sin ǿ)

Where Kp= Coefficient of active earth pressure

ǿ= angle of internal friction

At- rest pressure
The lateral earth pressure is called at-pressure when when soil mass is not subjected to
any lateral yielding. This case occurs when the retaining wall is firmly fixed at its top and
not allowed to rotate or move laterally

Variation of pressure
Fig 1.2(a) shows the variation of earth pressure with the wall movement. Point B
represents the case when there is no movement of wall. It indicates the at-rest pressure
Point A in [fig 1.2 (a)], indicate the active pressure. when wall moves away from the back
fill [fig 1.2(b)], some portion of back fill located immediately behind the wall tries to
break away from the rest of the soil mass. The wedge shaped portion known as failure
wedge or sliding moves down wards and out wards.

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Point c in [fig 1.2(a)], indicates the passive pressure. When the wall moves towards the
backfill [fig 1.2(c)], the earth pressure increases. the failure wedge moves upwards and
inwards . the maximum value increase is the passive earth pressure. The soil is at the
verge of failure due to an increase in lateral stress. (Dr. K.R.Arora “soil mechanics and
foundation engineering”

Fig 1.2 Variation Of Earth Pressure

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1.4 TYPES OF SLOPE FAILURE

Fig 1.3 Types of Failure

1.4.1 Classification of slope failure

Slope failure can be classified in many types. Slope failures are Classified as below: http

Slide
Slide can be defined as movement of soil mass, which is parallel to planes of weakness,
and Occasionally parallel to slope. Figure shows slide failure. Slides in soil, will have
rotational or translational movement. The behaviour of the slide depends mostly on the
type of material and whether

Fig 1.4 sliding of soil mass

Slip
Slip is a complex movement of materials on a slope, includes rotational slip.

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Slope Stabilization

Fig 1.5 Slip Failure Of Slope

Creep
Creep is defined as gradual movement of slope materials

Fig 1.6 Creep Failure

Torrent
Torrent is a sporadic and sudden canalized discharge of water and debris

Fig 1.7 Torrent Slope Failure

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1.5 FAILURE MECHANISM IN SLOPE

During the hot and dry days, the slope face become desiccated and shrunken especially
the newly cut slopes. The extent and depth depend mainly on plasticity of the soil and
type of slope protection. During rainstorm, water percolates in to cracks or other expose
surface, causing the slope mass to swell and saturated with corresponding reduction in
shear strength gradually through seepage, migration of soil particles and gradually
increase in void ratio in soil mass. Initially water percolates downward into the slope
mainly through the desiccation cracks and in response to the suction pressure of the top
stratum of dried soil. As the outer face of slope swells and saturated, the permeability
parallel to the slope face increase with continued rainfall, seepage develops parallel to the
slope face. Reduction in shear strength due to saturation and swelling coupled with the
condition of seepage, failure eventually occurs if the shearing resistance is equal to or less
than the shearing force. In soil mechanics, it is essential to understand the forces acted on
slopes, which is the driving force and the resisting force, which prevent from slope
failing. Factor of Safety (FOS) is the ratio of resisting forces to driving forces. Generally,
the FOS equation is: Slopes with lower FOS means the potential of failing are higher than
slopes with higher FOS.Therefore slopes with higher FOS are safer.(Hamed,N.et al 2012)
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1.6 SLOPE STABILIZING METHODS

There are many methods in stabilizing the slopes in residential areas. Based on
observations that have been made at a few districts in Perak, There are three main groups
of remedial measures.

1.6.1 Geometrical Method

This is the most common method that has been used in residential areas in Perak. This
method is usually simple and less costly as shown in Figure 3. The changing of the slope
angle from steep slope to a gentler slope may increase the stabilization of slope and the
angle is usually supported by grass bonding together with soil. Residential areas were
built on a wide area to facilitate construction of remedial work. This conventional method
of angle grading requires some excavation. This type of method does not require heavy
load resistance and naturally stabilize the slope with the creepy grass surface. This
method is the most widely used in the residential areas in Perak, which requires minimum
maintenance. Some areas combine this method with retaining the building structure at the
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toe of slope in the Kinta district. This method, however, may also be similar to the
Geometrical, Surface Drainage and Retaining Structure method. (Mizal A.N, et al 2011)

Fig 1.8 Geometrical Method with Grass Bonding

Fig 1.9 Combination Of Geometrical Method With Gabion Wall At The Toe Of
Slopes

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1.6.2 Drainage Method

One of the slope failure factors is saturation and pore water pressure building up in the
subsoil. If drainage system had been provided, the chances of building up pore water
pressure and saturation of subsoil can be minimized. This method can be very effective.
However, in the figure 5 the drainage system must be maintained in order to perform
effectively. It is easy to maintain the surface drains, but it is difficult to maintain the
subsoil drains. Sub soil drain is mostly found in the retaining structure as weep holes
method and cut off drain as shown in Figure 1.10. In general, this method is used in
combination with other methods. Surface drain was used mostly with geometrical method
while the sub soil drain is part of the method combined with the retaining structure.
Surface drain is capable of discharging more water, especially during heavy rain to avoid
the effects of large amounts of water absorption by the slope.(Mizal A.N, et al 2011)

Fig 1.10 Surface Drainage at TanjungMalim and Batu Gajah, Perak

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Fig 1.11 Weep holes on slopes

1.6.3 Retaining Structures Method

This method is generally more costly. However, due to its flexibility in a constrained site,
it is always the most commonly adopted method. The principle of this method is to use a
retaining structure to resist the downward forces of the soil mass. The retaining structures
as shown in figure 1.12 and 1.13 include gravity types of retaining wall, cantilever wall,
contiguous bored piles, cassion, and steel sheet pile. Ground anchors or other tie back
system may be used together with the retaining structures if the driving forces are too
large to resist. This method also involves rigid slope surface protection such as Shotcrete,
masonry and stone pitching. Shotcrete is applying mortar on a slope surface by a certain
thickness. Masonry and stone pitching may stabilize the slope to eliminate the failure at
face slope. It also may reduce rainwater infiltration and prevent slope erosion of the slope
forming materials. A slope will be relatively stable when its profile(section angle) is kept
below its angle of repose. Angle of repose is an angle that maintains naturally to a safe
equilibrium by the composing material of a slope. (Mizal A.N, et al 2011)

Fig 1.12 Rubble pitching and retaining wall at Lenggong, Perak

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Fig 1.13 Rubble Pitching, Earth reinforced retaining structure and turfing of slope surface

CHAPTER 2

CASE STUDY

2.1 LANDSLIDES IN COORG DISTRICT OF KARNATAKA

STATE
The Coorg district in Karnataka state with distinctive geomorphological, geological,
hydrological and meteorological characteristics has long been known for landslides in
selected areas during certain months of a year. These events failed to attract the attention
of the researchers due to various reasons including insignificant damage caused, thick
vegetation, wild life, lack of exposures, high hillocks, accessibility, thick soil cover. Of
late, the number of events increased in proportion to the human activity and also the
amount of damage caused has also increased. Several factors although have a bearing on
slope failures or landslides, topography, climate, slope angle and anthropogenic activities
play a significant role. In the neighbouring state Kerala, located further south of the
present study area, the causative factors for the acceleration of landslides have been

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attributed to anthropogenic disturbances such as deforestation, terracing and obstruction

of ephemeral streams and cultivation of crops lacking capability to add root cohesion in
steep slopes. In this paper an attempt has been made to study the landslides in Coorg
district, their types and correlate them to the degree of weathering of the granitoid rocks
in the area. The study started with an inventory map for the hazard. Knowledge on the
causative factors was derived from the geomorphic, topographic, geologic, meteorologic
and hydrologic parameters that were integrated in a GIS framework.

2.1.1Study Area

Coorg district is situated on the eastern and western slopes of the Western Ghats, carpeted
with lush green forests plantations and cultivated valleys. Geographically, it lies on the
south western border of Karnataka State and geologically it is situated in the SW part of
the Western Dharwar Craton (WDC). The study area lies between North latitude 120
19’17’’ and 120 43’ 36’’ and East longitude 750 22’ 29’’ and 760 19’ 15’’ in the 1:50 000
Survey of India toposheet number 48 P/6, P/7, P/10, P/11, P/14, P/15 and 57D/2. The
study region (Fig.1) located in Coorg district
Covers an area of about 1252 sq. km. The area of investigation consists of chains of hill
ranges covered with lush green forests, plantations and cultivated valleys.

Fig 2.1 Location Map Of The Study Area

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Fig 2.2 Geological map with location of land slide incidences

The study area comprises of highly dissected, undulating and moderately sloping
structural hill ranges in addition to hillocks of denudational and weathering origin. Some
of the hillocks are highly dissected with sharp ridges and steep slopes, whereas some
areas are characterized by gentle and low dissected hillocks. This indicates that the
topography is immature. High elevated areas are more susceptible to landslide than low
elevated areas. The inventory study of landslides reveals that the maximum location of
landslides are in dissected plateau units found at higher altitudes where lithology of that
area is made up of Peninsular Gneiss. After applying all these 4 steps, we get a filtered
image that contains only text regions.

2.1.2. Methodology
A map of existing landslides serves as the basic data source for understanding conditions
contributing to landslide occurrence. A landslide inventory map records the location and,
where known, the date of occurrence and the types of mass movements that have left
discernable traces in an area. Normally such a map is prepared by the interpretation of
aerial photography and field examination of selected locations. However, the present
investigators compiled the data by field methods alone due to the thick vegetation. In
addition to the inventory of landslides, weathering profile of granitoid rocks at various
locations was studied.

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2.1.3 Results and Discussion

Landslide inventory map of the study region was prepared by carrying out detail field
studies. The locations of the landslide incidences are shown in Fig.2.2. More than 80
events of landslides have been recorded by field studies and majority of the landslides
incidences have occurred in the areas covered with grantioid rocks and their weathering
products. Landslides in the area are of various sizes from local surface slides to complex
landslides involving an entire slope. From the historical data and the present study, it was
found that majority of the debris slide is triggered by heavy rain fall in the preceding
hours. Apart from the climatic conditions, other factors responsible for the triggering of
landslides in the study area are land use and human activity in the form of excavation in a
slope for road widening. are of the opinion that human action and land use are generally
considered to increase liability to land sliding, the real triggering factors being the rainfall
or the seismic events. Landslides are divided into various types depending on the kinds of
materials involved and the mode of movement. In the present study, the classification
(Table 2. 1)based on two attributes (1) type of material and (2) type of movement has
been adopted to identify the type of landslides in the study area

gave four-stage classification of weathering products of granites (Table 2); (1) fresh rock,
(2) corestones, (3) decomposed granitoid, and (4) saprolite. He estimated that the fresh
granitic rock contains a maximum of 15% weathered material that forms in the joint
system. The corestone stage ranges from 15 to 85% weathered rock enclosing remnants of
fresh rock. Decomposed granitoid consists of 85 to 100% weathered disintegrated rock
that canbe broken down into granules. Saprolite is a fine-grained residual rock that
generally has an upper lateritic layer. In the present study area, all the four stages of the
weathering products of granitic gneisses are seen.

Table 2.1 Vernes Classification Of Slope Movements (Varnes,1978)

Types of movement Types of materials
Enginering Soils
BED ROCK Predominantly Predominantly
Coarse Fine
Falls Rock fall Debris fall Earth fall
Topples Rock topple Debris topple Earth topple
Slides Rotational

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Translational Rock slide Debris slide Earth slide

Lateral spreads Rock spread Debris spread Earth spread
Flows Rock flow Debris flow Earth flow
(deep creep) (Soil creep)
Complex combination of two or more principal types of movement

Table 2.2 weathering mass movement relationships

Stages of weathering Mass movement
Saprolite (thoroughly decomposed rock ) Rotational slides, slumps

Decomposed granite Debris flows, debris avalanches,

(>85% Weathered rock ,15% of fresh Debris slides
rock left)
Core stone stage (15-85% of fresh rock Rock fall avalanches, rolling rocks
left)
Fresh rock (<15% of weathered material Rock falls, rock slides,
along joints) Block glides; debris avalanches and
Slides over sheeting surfaces

2.1.4 Conclusion
Many factors which cause slides include geology, weathering, water content, vegetation,
slope angle, and human actions. Although landslides usually occur on steep slopes, they
also can occur in areas of moderate to low reliefs. The factors responsible for the cause of
landslides can be classified into two types as (1) natural and (2) anthropogenic. Almost
every landslide has multiple causes which may be natural, anthropogenic or combined.
The triggering of landslides in the region studied bear obvious relation to climatic
conditions. Majority of the events have occurred during the SW monsoon months of June
and July and on minor scale during NE monsoon i.e., in the month of October and
November. Like elsewhere in the world, in the study area also there is a strong correlation
between the rain fall and the landslides. It may be reasonably expected that the properties
of the slope-forming materials, such as strength and

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permeability that are involved in the failure, are related to the lithology, which therefore
should affect the likelihood of failure). The topography of the Coorg district is sensitive
and any changes in the land use causes landslide or slope failures affecting the
population. However rapid rise in population and economic activities owing to which the
area is witnessing infrastructural development in the form of civil engineering
constructions and development of roads for better connectivity in the area is of great
concern as it is causing instability in the hilly terrain.

CHAPTER 3
SUMMARY
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Slope Stabilization

Slope is considered stable if the shear force in the soil acts as a force retainer against
gravity that caused high geostatic stress when earth surface is at certain angles. Geostatic
stress consists of vertical stress and horizontal stress or known as lateral stress. Imposed
load includes soil loading of structures that is right on sloping soil or loading happens at a
nearby area. Soil is still free to act and reduce the bonding force between each other. If
the stress is more than the soil shear force, landslide will occur. Other than that,
development in upstream area will cause water that flows downstream to increase, and
will contribute to land failure. Most slopes that ware only using blue plastic cover to
cover the sliding or corrosive surface as a temporary way to stop rain water and air from
going in the soil.

REFERENCRES
JOURNALS

Hamed, N., Khairul, A.K, Amin, G. Ramli, N and Sayyed, Y.Z. (2012) “Investigation Of
Soil Failure In Soil Mechanics” Electronic journal of geotechnical engineering.,
Janardhana, M.R.,Vinutha, D.N., Abdul, A.A., and Quadhi, A.L.,(2016) “International
journal of innovative research in science, Engineering and technology ., 5(6), 2319-8753.
Mizal, N.A., Mohdnoor, N.,and Jamaludin, N., (2011), 2 nd International building
conference., procedia Engineering 20(2011) 474-482

Text book
Dr. K.R.Arora “soil mechanics and foundation engineering”

website
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