Inferences on modeling rainfall-induced shallow landslides from experimental observations on stratified soils

Abstract

In this work, we analyzed the results of different soil laboratory tests performed in a flume test apparatus with the aim to describe and quantify some particular aspects of the modelling of soil slip phenomena. In particular, we analyzed the influence, in terms of slope stability, of the thickness of two strata (a cohesive one and a not cohesive one) composing the slope model. To simulate the presence of cohesion, a partially saturated sand was employed, while the same sand but in dry conditions was used to reproduce the not cohesive stratum. The so-constituted slope laboratory model as then submitted to tilting tests, and in each test the thickness of these layers has been varied in order to investigate the influence of this parameter on slope stability. The obtained results have been used to calibrate several parameters and verify specific assumptions of SLIP, a simplified physically-based and well-tested model for the prediction of shallow landslides occurrence.