Alternative Title
Paper No. 2.10
Location
St. Louis, Missouri
Date
10 Mar 1998, 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Abstract
This paper describes a slope instability case history involving swelling clay. A 9-m high slope was cut in 3 sedimentary layers during the construction of a single-carriage road. A complex slope failure mechanism was identified during site investigation, consisting of: (a) a progressive surficial degradation, particularly of the lower swelling clay layer. (b) a deep-seated slope failure, and (c) the toppling failure of the upper stronger layers. Site investigation included SPT testing, undisturbed sampling and in situ suction measurement. Laboratory testing consisted of: (a) soil characterization by X-ray diffraction analysis, particle-size analysis and Atterberg limits tests; (b) evaluation of effective shear strength parameters using direct shear tests and ring shear tests: and (c) determination of soil-water characteristic curves. Slope stability analyses were carried out followed by comparison with observed field performance.
Department(s)
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Meeting Name
4th Conference of the International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering
Publisher
University of Missouri--Rolla
Document Version
Final Version
Rights
© 1998 University of Missouri--Rolla, All rights reserved.
Creative Commons Licensing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Document Type
Article - Conference proceedings
File Type
text
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Bressani, L. A.; Bica, A. V. D.; Gehling, W. Y. Y.; and Bianchini, M. R., "A Slope Instability Case History Involving Swelling Clay in Southern Brazil" (1998). International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering. 22.
https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/icchge/4icchge/4icchge-session02/22
A Slope Instability Case History Involving Swelling Clay in Southern Brazil
St. Louis, Missouri
This paper describes a slope instability case history involving swelling clay. A 9-m high slope was cut in 3 sedimentary layers during the construction of a single-carriage road. A complex slope failure mechanism was identified during site investigation, consisting of: (a) a progressive surficial degradation, particularly of the lower swelling clay layer. (b) a deep-seated slope failure, and (c) the toppling failure of the upper stronger layers. Site investigation included SPT testing, undisturbed sampling and in situ suction measurement. Laboratory testing consisted of: (a) soil characterization by X-ray diffraction analysis, particle-size analysis and Atterberg limits tests; (b) evaluation of effective shear strength parameters using direct shear tests and ring shear tests: and (c) determination of soil-water characteristic curves. Slope stability analyses were carried out followed by comparison with observed field performance.
