A case study and implication: particle finite element modelling of the 2010 Saint-Jude sensitive clay landslide

Abstract

Modelling of landslides in sensitive clays has long been recognised as a challenge. The strength reduction of sensitive clays when undergoing plastic deformation makes the failure proceed in a progressive manner such that a small slope failure may lead to a series of retrogressive failures and thus to an unexpected catastrophic landslide. The clay in the entire process may mimic both solid-like (when it is intact) and fluid-like (when fully remoulded, especially for quick clays) behaviours. Thereby, a successful numerical prediction of landslides in sensitive clays requires not only a robust numerical approach capable of handling extreme material deformation but also a sophisticated constitutive model to describe the complex clay behaviour. In this paper, the particle finite element method (PFEM) associated with an elastoviscoplastic model with strain softening is adopted for the reconstruction of the 2010 Saint-Jude landslide, Quebec, Canada, and detailed comparisons between the simulation results and available data are carried out. It is shown that the present computational framework is capable of quantitatively reproducing the multiple rotational retrogressive failure process, the final run-out distance and the retrogression distance of the Saint-Jude landslide. Furthermore, the failure mechanism and the kinematics of the Saint-Jude landslide and the influence of the clay viscosity are investigated numerically, and in addition, their implications to real landslides in sensitive clays are discussed.

Large deformation dynamic analysis of progressive failure in layered clayey slopes under seismic loading using the particle finite element method

“…11c is not the final profile of the landslide. The sequential failure process after t = 8.0 s is similar to that discussed in [49]. For instance, the newly formed back scarp resulting from the previous collapse may fail as well with the disturbed geomaterials migrating forward until a stable back scarp is formed which is termed as the retrogressive landslide.…”

“…Applications of the PFEM to failure and post-failure analyses of homogeneous conceptual slope model can be found in [37,48]. Its possibility for modelling more complicated cases, such as practical landslides in clays of high sensitivity [43,49] and submarine landslides [50], has also been explored.…”

A State of the Art Review of the Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM)

“…In [132], an elasticviscoplastic model for progressive failure analysis of sensitive clays is presented while in [133], its application to landslide is shown. The same ideas have been extended to simulate submarine landslides in [130] and used to analyze the Saint Jude landslide case study in [134]. Very recently, a large scale PFEM model has been used to reproduce the Vajont landslide and the consequent impulse wave in the hydroelectric reservoir [30].…”

A Geotechnical Investigation of 2017 Chattogram Landslides

“…The finite element method (FEM) is one of the most popular tools to analyze slope stability problems. Previously, many researchers have used FEM for analyzing landslides [32][33][34]. Therefore, in this study, the stability of slopes prone to landslides has been evaluated with FEM.…”