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Dynamic modelling of retrogressive landslides with emphasis on the role of clay sensitivity
Author(s) -
Zhang Xue,
Sloan Scott W.,
Oñate Eugenio
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal for numerical and analytical methods in geomechanics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.419
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1096-9853
pISSN - 0363-9061
DOI - 10.1002/nag.2815
Subject(s) - landslide , geotechnical engineering , viscoplasticity , parametric statistics , geology , failure mode and effects analysis , constitutive equation , finite element method , sensitivity (control systems) , failure mechanism , structural engineering , engineering , mathematics , statistics , electronic engineering
Summary This paper presents a detailed numerical study of the retrogressive failure of landslides in sensitive clays. The dynamic modelling of the landslides is carried out using a novel continuum approach, the particle finite element method, complemented with an elastoviscoplastic constitutive model. The multiwedge failure mode in the collapse is captured successfully, and the multiple retrogressive failures that have been widely observed in landslides in sensitive clays are reproduced with the failure mechanism, the kinematics, and the deposition being discussed in detail. Special attention has been paid to the role of the clay sensitivity on each retrogressive failure as well as on the final retrogression distance and the final run‐out distance via parametric studies. Moreover, the effects of the viscosity of sensitive clays on the failure are also investigated for different clay sensitivities.