Summary of Landslide in

GROUNDWATER Practices (Chapter 3) by Derek

Cornforth
GROUNDWATER

1. Groundwater Profile
2. Groundwater Flow Along A Shear Zone
3. Effect of Rainfall on Groundwater Level
4. Selection of Groundwater Levels in A Stability Analysis
5. Measurements of Field Permeability
 GROUNDWATER PROFILE

Some common variation to

correctly measure groundwater
level and pore water pressure:
1. Using piezometer, for measure
the vertical head of water or
pressure affecting the shear
strength along the slip surface.
GROUNDWATER PROFILE

2. If more impervious soils are encounteres in a boring, it is possible that perched

groundwater will be found, either permanently or intermittenly during storms.
3. Permeable ground that is overlain by less permeable soils may create an artesian
condition in slopes, a common cause of landslides when an excavation is made into
such a slope.
4. A hard stratum or bedrock below a shear zone often has a sinificantly different
groundwater pressure than the shear zone above it. In many case, bedrock is
weathered at its surface then the underlying unweathered rock is more permeable
than the overburden.
GROUNDWATER FLOW ALONG A SHEAR ZONE

Shear zone of a landslide has soils that badly broken up by Fault zone of hardrock
do include highly broken rock pieces that can be permeable.
Shear zone is any more permeable than elsewhere in the landslide debris.
Shear zone in clay is not a conduit for rapid transmission of groundwater or
groundwater pressure. The clay shear zone is usually tight and behave as a clay, not
as broken fragments.
EFFECT OF RAINFALL ON
GROUNDWATER LEVEL
Some key points emerge from the continous monitoring of
the piezometer and rain gauge at Frog Lake site: 1
1. The first storms of the wet season have no effect on 3
groundwater levels probably due to resaturation of
the overburden above the groundwater table.
2. Winter rainfalls keep groundwater levels in general 2. General range
range that always remains above the late summer
levels.
3. Severe storms can create a spike of groundwater that
is several feet above the general winter tange and
may cause landslide movements in marginally stable
slopes.
4. Peak groundwater levels are very transitory and are
difficult to measure by periodic site visits; however
automatic data acquisition system can continously
monitor the groundwater and record the groundwater
fluctuations, especially the peaks.
SELECTION OF GROUNDWATER LEVEL IN A
STABILITY ANALYSIS
Piezometer data collection
• Twice weekly or weekly resing over 2 month period with effort
being made to obtain reading during or shortly after a period
of heavy raindall.

What If Data cannot be obtained

Groundwater Level • The user has to make estimate of groundwater highs and select
higher safety factor.
Should Be Used In
Cornfort D. Suggestion
Stability Analysis?
• ≥ 6 data readings taken at interval during the wet season take
50-75% of the difference between high and low readings and
add it to the highest reading to estimate a storm max. reading.
• If only dry season reading, storm level at least 8 ft above
summer levels.
• Use experience from past data records of sites with similiar soil
and slope condition.
 MEASUREMENT OF FIELD PERMEABILITY
Field Test

This measurement can

used for: • Only soil in the • Water is • Can performed

Packer Test
Through Bottom Casing

Rising Head Test in Piezometer

bottom of sucked out of in either rock
• Determine permeability casing is being the piezometer drillholes or soil
subjected to the standpipe to a boreholes that
for seepage calculation water head. predetermined do not cave
• Useful in sand depth below when
• Identify permeable zones and gravel. ground water unsupported.
feeding water into a level and rise
of water level
landslide with time is
measured.
• Determine the capability • Require careful
of the soil or rock to drilling
accept remedial grouting procedure.
• Rotary drilling
is prefferd.
MEASUREMENT OF FIELD PERMEABILITY
Test Through Bottom of Casing (Falling Head)

Case is Record the

The filled with time of the
hole is water fall of water
cased level

Gw is
Clean out allowed to
the hole to reach static
the bottom equilibrium
Finished
 MEASUREMENT OF FIELD PERMEABILITY
Test Through Bottom of Casing (Constant Head)

Measure
the If the soil is
The pump’s too
hole is flow rate permeable:
cased fill the casing
to the top

Clean out Throttling

the hole the pump
to the to maintan
bottom the head Begin to
constant
head at a Finished
lower level
 MEASUREMENT
OF FIELD
PERMEABILITY
Rising Head Test in Piezometer

Lower the Stopwatch The stringer

water level a begun when continous to
few feet below the stringer is be lifted
the raised to a
predetermined new level
starting depth

The semi
log data
obtained
Lower the Set the tip at a
water level predetermined
measung depth
device
MEASUREMENT OF FIELD PERMEABILITY