Numerical modeling of progressive failure and its implications for spreads in sensitive clays

Locat, Ariane; Jostad, Hans Petter; Leroueil, Serge

doi:10.1139/cgj-2012-0390

Cited by 69 publications

(80 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Quinn et al (2011), using fracture mechanism developed by Palmer and Rice (1973), and Locat et al (2011Locat et al ( , 2013, extending progressive failure mechanism described by Bernander (2000Bernander ( , 2008Bernander ( , 2011, studied the mechanisms forming spreads in sensitive clays. It was suggested that these ground movements involve two processes: (i) the propagation of a quasi-horizontal failure surface by progressive failure; and (ii) the dislocation of the overlying soil mass in horsts and grabens.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was suggested that these ground movements involve two processes: (i) the propagation of a quasi-horizontal failure surface by progressive failure; and (ii) the dislocation of the overlying soil mass in horsts and grabens. Locat et al (2011Locat et al ( , 2013 describe how progressive failure can be initiated near the toe of a slope and can propagate into the deposit, generating active failure of the soil mass, which results in horsts and grabens, typical of spreads. With this mechanism, the failure propagates in undrained conditions in a soil exhibiting a strain-softening behaviour, which is typical of eastern Canadian sensitive clays (Leroueil et al 1983).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As failure propagates, the soil mass above the remoulded shear zone is horizontally unloaded and active failure occurs. A numerical procedure, described by Locat et al (2013), was developed to model progressive failure and explain the initiation as well as the final extent of spreads. PLAXIS (PLAXIS 2011) is used to evaluate the initial state of stresses in the slope before failure, and BIFURC (Jostad and Andresen 2002), a program developed at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), is used to model the initiation and propagation of the failure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The 1994 landslide at Sainte-Monique, Quebec: geotechnical investigation and application of progressive failure analysis

et al. 2015

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Abstract:In 1994, a landslide occurred in the municipality of Sainte-Monique, Quebec. The debris of the landslide had graben and host shapes, typical of spreads in sensitive clays. The geotechnical investigation shows that the soil involved is a firm to stiff, sensitive, nearly normally consolidated grey silty clay of high plasticity. This soil exhibits a high sensitivity and a high brittleness during shear and is therefore susceptible to progressive failure. Traditional stability analysis cannot explain this landslide. This gives the opportunity to examine the applicability of progressive failure analysis to this spread. Using the finite elements method, it is demonstrated that the initiation and observed extent of the failure surface are explained by a soil having high brittleness during shear and a large-deformation shear strength close to the remoulded shear strength of the soil. The dislocation of the soil mass can also be explained by the active failure occurring in the soil mass above the failure surface during or shortly after failure propagation. It is therefore numerically demonstrated that progressive failure explains the initiation and the extent of the failure surface of this spread.Key words: progressive failure, spread, sensitive clay, large-deformation shear strength, brittleness.Résumé : Un glissement de terrain est survenu en 1994 dans la municipalité de Sainte-Monique, Québec. Les débris présentaient des formes de horsts et grabens typiques des étalements dans les argiles sensibles. L'investigation géotechnique démontre que le sol impliqué dans ce glissement est une argile silteuse grise normalement consolidée, sensible, de forte plasticité et ayant une consistance ferme à raide. Ce sol présente une sensibilité et une fragilité lors du cisaillement élevées et peut donc être susceptible à la rupture progressive. Les analyses de stabilité traditionnelles n'arrivent pas à expliquer ce glissement. Ceci offre donc l'opportunité d'examiner l'application du concept de la rupture progressive sur cet étalement. À l'aide de programmes d'éléments finis, il est démontré que l'initiation et l'étendue de la surface de rupture observée peuvent être expliquées par un sol ayant une grande fragilité lors du cisaillement et une résistance à grandes déformations près de la résistance du sol remanié. La dislocation de la masse de sol en horsts et grabens est expliquée par la rupture active survenant dans la masse de sol au-dessus de la surface de rupture pendant ou peu après la propagation de la rupture. Il est donc démontré numériquement que la rupture progressive explique l'initiation et l'étendue de la surface de rupture d'un étalement.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The 1994 landslide at Sainte-Monique, Quebec: geotechnical investigation and application of progressive failure analysis

et al. 2015

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“…6), at least 0.5 km from valley slope breaks. They must then have undergone progressive failure similar to those described by Locat et al (2013). While the points of initiation contrast with the valley slope initiation at Mink Creek, similar zones of spreading and flowing are recognizable from LiDAR-based morphologies.…”

Section: Lidar Evidence Of Landslidesmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…Composite landslides (Cruden and Varnes, 1996) may occur that display both spreading and flowing behaviour (Geertsema et al, 2006b). The landslides may be triggered by bank erosion and move retrogressively, or by external loads and display progressive movement (Locat et al, 2013. Whether these sensitive clay landslides initiate at a break in the valley slope, or are triggered some distance behind the break in slope, the scarps usually migrate landward.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensitive clay landslide detection and characterization in and around Lakelse Lake, British Columbia, Canada

Geertsema

Blais-Stevens

Kwoll

et al. 2018

Sedimentary Geology

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The Lakelse Lake area in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, has a long history, and prehistory, of rapid sensitive clay landslides moving on very low gradients. However, until now, many landslides have gone undetected. We use an array of modern tools to identify hitherto unknown or poorly known landslide deposits, including acoustic subbottom profiles, multibeam sonar, and LiDAR. The combination of these methods reveals not only landslide deposits, but also geomorphic and sedimentologic structures that give clues about landslide type and mode of emplacement. LiDAR and bathymetric data reveal the areal extent of landslide deposits as well as the orientation of ridges that differentiate between spreading and flowing kinematics. The subbottom profiles show two-dimensional structures of disturbed landslide deposits, including horst and grabens indicative of landslides classified as spreads. A preliminary computer tomography (CT) scan of a sediment core confirms the structures of one subbottom profile. We also use archival data from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and resident interviews to better characterize historic landslides.

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Numerical modeling of combined effects of upward and downward propagation of shear bands on stability of slopes with sensitive clay

Dey

Hawlader

Phillips

et al. 2016

Num Anal Meth Geomechanics

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SUMMARYModeling of progressive development of zones of large inelastic shear deformation (shear band) that results from strain-softening behavior of sensitive clays could explain the failure mechanisms of large landslides. Because of toe erosion, a shear band can be initiated and propagated upward (inward) from the river bank. On the other hand, upslope surcharge loading could generate shear bands that might propagate down towards the river bank. In the present study, upward and downward propagation of shear bands and failure of sensitive clay slopes are modeled using the Coupled Eulerian Lagrangian approach in Abaqus finite element (FE) software. It is shown that the formation and propagation of shear bands are significantly influenced by kinematic constraints that change with displacements of the soil masses, and therefore the propagation of an existing shear band might be stopped and new shear bands could be formed. The main advantages of the present FE modeling are: (i) extremely large strains in the shear bands can be successfully simulated without numerical issues, (ii) a priori definition of shearing zones is not required to tackle severe strains; instead, the FE program automatically identifies the critical locations for shear band formation and propagation. Toe erosion could significantly increase the slope failure potential because of upslope surcharge loading. FE analyses with a thick and thin sensitive clay layers show that the global failure could occur at lower surcharge loads in the former as compared to the latter cases.

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Numerical modeling of progressive failure and its implications for spreads in sensitive clays

Cited by 69 publications

References 20 publications

The 1994 landslide at Sainte-Monique, Quebec: geotechnical investigation and application of progressive failure analysis

The 1994 landslide at Sainte-Monique, Quebec: geotechnical investigation and application of progressive failure analysis

Sensitive clay landslide detection and characterization in and around Lakelse Lake, British Columbia, Canada

Numerical modeling of combined effects of upward and downward propagation of shear bands on stability of slopes with sensitive clay

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