CAUSES OF SLOPE FAILURE

SUBMITTED BY:- ANURAG VERMA (CO20209)

NISCHAL LAMDHARIA (CO20230)
 SLOPE FAILURE

• A Slope Failure is a phenomenon in which a slope collapses

abruptly due to weakened self-retainability of the earth under
the influence of rainfall or an earthquake.
• A Slope Failure occurs when the forces causing failure are
greater than the shearing resistance developed along a critical
surface of failure.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SLOPE FAILURE

• Geological Discontinuities • Dynamic forces

• Water • Temperature
• Strength • Erosion
• Geo-Technical parameters • Geometry of Slope
• Method or Location of • Vegetation
Construction
 GEOLOGICAL DISCONTINUATION

• Geological discontinuity is normally recognised as general term to

describe any mechanical break within rock masses. For example, joints,
fractures and faults.
• Fracture:- where the continuity of rock mass breaks
• Joint:- fracture where little to no movement has taken place
• Fault:- fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock
 WATER

• Addition of water from rainfall or snow melt adds weight to the slope.
• Water can seep into the soil or rock and replace the air in the pore space or
fractures. Since water is heavier than air, this increases the weight of the soil and
thus leads to slope instability.
• Water has the ability to change the angle of repose (the slope angle which is the
stable angle for the slope).
 ANGLE OF REPOSE

• The steepest angle at which a sloping surface formed of loose material is stable. The
angle of repose shall range from 0˚to 90˚.
Materials Angle of Repose
Mud 0˚
Wet Clay 15˚
Dry Clay 35˚
Wet Sand 25˚- 26˚
Dry Sand 30˚- 35˚
Gravel 40˚
 STRENGTH

• Soil strength is typically referred to the maximum amount of stress just before
failure. It can also be defined as the ability of soil to resist sliding along internal
surfaces within the soil mass.
• Factors which affect the strength of soil:
• Size and gradation effects
• Shape and surface texture effect
• Void ratio or dry effects
 GEO-TECHNICAL PARAMETERS

• The term “geotechnical parameter” denotes a value used in design calculations

and control tests, describing properties of soil or rock in a quantitative way.
• Factors affecting:
• Stability
• Deformation
• Settlement
• Permeability
 METHOD OR LOCATION OF CONSTRUCTION
• For construction of buildings or any structure, the first step is to understand the
suitability of the soil for proposed construction work.
• Method of Soil Test/Types of soil test of building construction:
• The water content of soil Tests
• Unit weight of soil test
• Shear strength of cohesive soil
• Permeability test
• Bearing capacity of soil by plate load test
 DYNAMIC FORCES

• Vibration, Blasting and shear stress effects are increased momentarily as

a result of dynamic acceleration of material and thus increases the stability
problem in slope face.
• It causes fracture of rock and ground motion.
• Seismic events, that is, low frequency vibration due to earthquake, could
be more dangerous for large scale slopes and seed.
 TEMPERATURE

• The effects of temperature influence the performance of a rock slope.

• Large temperature changes can cause rock to spall due to the accompanying
contraction and expansion.
• Freezing of water in discontinuities causes more significant damage by loosening
the rock mass. Repeated freeze cycles may result in gradual loss of strength.
 EROSION
• In this process, the soil particles are loosened or washed away in the valleys, oceans, rivers, streams or
faraway lands. This has been worsening due to human activities such as agriculture and deforestation.
• Soil erosion is a continuous process that occurs either slowly or at an alarming rate. It results in a
continuous loss of topsoil, ecological degradation, soil collapse, etc.
• The factors that influence erosion are:-
1. The amount and intensity of rainfall and wind velocity
2. Topography with special reference to slope of land.
3. Physical and chemical properties of soil.
4. Ground covers: nature and extent
 GEOMETRY OF SLOPE

• Parameters of slope geometry affecting its stability include:-

• Height
• Angle of Slope
The critical height of slope depends on:-
• Shear Strength
• Density
• Bearing Capacity of the slope foundation.
Slope stability generally decreases with increase in height of slope.
As the slope height increases, the shear stress within toe of slope
increases due to added weight.

With increasing slope angle, the tangential stress increases which

result in increase in shear stress thus reducing its stability
 VEGETATION

• Plant roots provide a strong interlocking network to hold unconsolidated

materials together and prevent flow.
• Plants are very effective in removing water from the soil, thus increasing the shear
strength.
• Although, the extra weight of plants may cause a slight destabilising effect.
• The loss or removal of slope vegetation can result in either increased rates of
erosion or higher frequencies of slope failure.