CONTINUUM MODEL FOR NATURAL SLOPES IN SLOW MOVEMENT

A two-component mixture model is proposed to describe the slow motion of natural slopes, which may creep and slide along their basal surface under the effect of gravity. The field equations comprise the balance laws of mass and momentum and constitutive relations for the partial stresses of the fluid and the solid as well as the seepage force. The fluid is modelled as an incompressible perfect liquid and the soil as a viscous isotropic body in which the stress may also depend on the porosity. The seepage force is described by Darcy's law. Explicit constitutive formulas are presented. The kinematic and dynamic boundary conditions for the fixed basal surface and the movable free and phreatic surfaces are stated. The shallowness of the moving mass permits reduction and simplification of the governing equations describing the initial boundary value problem. This makes it possible to separate the determination of the stress and velocity distributions from the evolution of the movable surfaces. Examples are given which highlight the roles of the phenomenological parameters in the constitutive relations. Finally, computational results for a real landslide (La Frasse, Switzerland) are compared with field data, demonstrating the usefulness of the proposed theoreical model and approximations.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00168505
• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Civil Engineers

  One Great George Street, Westminster
  London,   United Kingdom  SW1P 3AA
• Authors:
  • Vulliet, L
  • Hutter, K
• Publication Date: 1988-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 199-217
• Serial:
  • GEOTECHNIQUE
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Thomas Telford Limited
  • ISSN: 0016-8505

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Classical field theory; Darcy's law; Landslides; Mathematical models; Porosity; Seepage; Slope stability
• Uncontrolled Terms: Models
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; I42: Soil Mechanics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00469384
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jul 31 1988 12:00AM