National Geofest 2014

SLOPE FAILURE ANALYSIS: FAILURE DUE TO WATER SEEPAGE

Mr. Mohhammad Nasir Bin Mohammad Taher
Affiliation, Faculty Of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit
Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor.

ABSTRACT
The issue of slope stability is a core concern to geotechnical engineers. Traditional methods of slope
analysis have potentially ignored the effects of surface cracks and vegetation. It is also known that higher
seasonal rainfall and seepage through surface crack are closely associated with slope failure. In this study two
different rainfall intensities are analysed for rainfall induced surface cracked slope failures. Surface cracks can
change an existing seepage pattern and increase the soil moisture content into deeper layers at wet season.
Therefore, a surface crack is likely to decrease the stability of the soil and increases the tendency of a slope to
fail.

INTRODUCTION
Permeability of a soil is a measured the
capacity of the fluid or gas flow ,which in
Geotechnical Engineering more concern in liquid
rather than gas. Void in soil particles are
interconnected which enables of water to pass
through in term of the larger the pore space the
more permeable the material. This usually happen
in strongly aggregate soils like sand grains.
Thousand people are killed by slope
failure. Slope failure is a phenomenon that are slope
collapse due to weakened self-retain ability of the
earth under the influence of a rainfall infiltration
through the soil cracks and increases moisture
content in deeper layer through the seepage. The
slope fail in different way, depend on the angle of
slope the water content, types of earth material
involved and the local environmental factors.
Example of this phenomenon is happen in china on
2012. When more water move into the deeper layer
of soil this will reduce the soil shear strength and
cause slope failure. Slope failure factors:

Gravity can be divided into components

acting parallel to a slope and perpendicular
to the slope.
Failure is more likely to occur if the effect
of friction on the potential sliding surface
is reduced.
The physical properties of the slope
materials such as cohesion between grains
may reduce the potential for slope failure.
The angle of repose is the maximum slope
generated when loose unconsolidated
material is formed into a pile.
The addition of excess water may
destabilize slopes by adding weight,
destroying cohesion between grains, and
reducing friction.

OBJECTIVE
I.
II.
III.

To identify the permeability occur at

the slope failure
To identify the permeability
in
different soil
To identify the slope failure on clay
soil

APPLICATION
2.1

Introduction

The
relationship
between
permeability and range properties of soil
has interested researchers from the
beginning of modern geotechnic. Which is
how to design and modelling permeability
equation and the behaviour of it due to the
slope stabilization. In terms of how
sediments deform and pore fluid flows
during the shearing process has not been
precisely determined for the variety of
styles of landslides. While some failures
may occur at a stratigraphic discontinuity,
others may occur within the sediment
column. When failure is within the
sediment, to what extent that failure is
localized is uncertain. Not knowing when
and where failure may start happed field
observations of failure initiation and
progression.

2.2

Permeability In different
soil.

Hydraulic
Conductivity
(K)
depends on the properties of the porous
medium as well as the fluid moving
through it. K depends on the size of the

National Geofest 2014

grains and their subsequent distribution as
well as the shape, packing and orientation
of the sediment particles. This determines
the rate of flow of a fluid through a cross
section of a porous mass under a unit
hydraulic gradient.
Darcy Formula K = v/ i (relationship
between discharge velocity and the
hydraulic gradient)
Water can permeable between
granular void or pore spaces, and fractures
between rocks. The larger the pore space,
the more permeable the material.
However, the more poorly sorted a sample
(mixed grain sizes), the lower the
permeability because the smaller grains fill
the openings created by the larger grains.
"The most rapid water and air movement
is in sands and strongly aggregated soils,
whose aggregates act like sand grains and
pack to form many large pores".
The type of soil consist different
value of K where it is classify by the
texture of particles show below:-

Figure 1 : Permeability Chart for Typical

Sediments

2.2.1 Permeability
Measured

Laboratory

The permeability of saturated soils can be

measured in either the laboratory or the
field. Because of the very large range of
permeability in soils, no single method is
suitable for all cases. The types of
equipment most generally used are:
i.

ii.

2.3

The constant head permeameter,

for permeabilitys above 10-4
m/s, (gravel and sand )
The falling head values of k
between 10-4 and 10-7 m/s (clay,
silt and fine sand)

A smaller but more frequently

occurring landslide category is the surficial
slump. This is a form of slope instability in
which a relatively thin zone of soil,
generally parallel to the slope face, slides
down the slopes. The surficial slump is the
most common form of land sliding, but is
not typically referred to as land sliding.
In natural slopes, this form of
instability is generally limited to topsoil
profiles and occasionally a weathered
portion of the underlying formational
material. I graded slopes; the problem is
typically manifested in the weathered soil
zone near the surface. According, the
problem in graded slopes is most prevalent
in compacted fill slopes composed of
expansive clayey soil. When the outer face
of an expansive fill material swells even
slightly, soil particles in the swelling zone
move apart ever so slightly. Nonetheless,
as the soil porosity increases even slightly,
the permeability of soil parallel to the
slope face increases significantly.
Once permeability differences
develop between the outer zone of the
slope and the compacted inner core,
seepage occurs parallel to the slope face I
response to prolonged heavy rainfall.
When this seepage does occur, the buoyant
effect is triggered, the soil strength is
roughly cut I half, and the slumping
begins. Occasionally, granular fill slopes
and bedrock slopes may be impacted by
surficial slumping. The failure mechanism
is controlled by the steepess of the slope,
permeability differences, and the soil or
rock strength characteristics. In order to
initiate a failure, sufficient water is
required to saturate the soil and cause
seepage to develop essentially parallel to
the slope surface.

Figure 2 : Permeability Chart for Typical

Sediments

Permeability occurs in slope.

National Geofest 2014

Table 1 : Relationship permeability between

2.4.2

Low Permeability

porosity and shear stress due to slope failure

Advantages
In submarine soil, slope
happen give benefits to geology
oil researcher where slope failure
in base soil submarine pumping
the oil or petroleum and gas.
Disadvantages

2.4

The Advantages and

Disadvantages of High and Low
Permeability in slope
stabilization
2.4.1

Seem that disadvantages

of low permeability already know
that it is enemy to due slope
failure happen. Which is the
infiltration of water below the
ground surface are slow and when
heavy rain occur the water will
floating at above make the
pressure from water above push
the soil and the shear stress
between particle become faster.
Show that, the slope failure
happen faster in heavy rain when
the water cannot permeable
faster.

CASE STUDY

High Permeability
Advantages
In hill construction, high
permeability is the main slope
stabilization from failure. Where
the evidence show that more
construction in high soil that the
soil content coarse soil and
granular are more long time from
slope to failure. In addition, high
permeability also is good for
influence water flow drainage
from slope soil to the main
drainage ground.
Disadvantages
High permeability also
have their weakness where at
desert there are rock formation
become high show that rock with
no combination between small
particles and high porosity will
easier the slope rock collapse.

3.1
Study Case 1: Slope
Failure at Highland Tower, Ulu
Klang, Malaysia
The Highland Towers ollapse was
an apartment building collapse that
occurred on 11 December 1993 in Taman
Hillview, Ulu Klang Selangor, Malaysia.
The collapse of Block One of the
apartments caused the deaths of 48 people
and led to the complete evacuation of the
other two blocks due to safety concerns.
The Highland Towers consist of three 12storey blocks, built in phases between
1975 and 1982 at the western base of a
steeply sloped hill which was later terraced
extensively in the early 1980s. Each block
was respectively named: Block 1 (built
1977, southern-most), Block 2 (built 1979,
north-northwest of block 1, slightly
elevated than the other two, closer in to the
hill) and Block 3 (built 1981, northwest of
block 1, west of block 2). A swimming
pool was located between northwest side
of Block 2 and northeast rear of Block 3.
Block 1 collapsed when 10 continuous
days of rainfall led to a landslide after the

National Geofest 2014

retaining wall behind the Tower's car park
failed.
Behind the Towers was a small
stream of water known as 'East Creek'.
East Creek flowed into the site of the
Towers before the Towers' construction.
Later, a pipe system was built to divert the
stream to bypass the Towers. In 1991, a
new housing development project known
as Bukit Antarabangsa Development
Project commenced on the hilltop located
behind the Towers. As a result, the hill
was cleared of trees and other landcovering plants, exposing the soil to land
erosion that will cause land slide. The
water from the construction site was
diverted into the same pipe system used to
divert the flow of East Creek. Eventually,
the pipe system became overly pressurized
with the water, sand and silt from both
East Creek and the construction site. The
pipes burst at various locations on the hill,
and the soil had to absorb the excessive
water. The monsoon rainfall in December
1993 further worsened the situation. The
water content in the soil had exceeded a
dangerous level, and the soil had literally
turned into mud. By October 1992, the hill
slope had been almost flooded with water,
and it was reported that water was seen
flowing down the hill slopes and the
retaining walls. Soon after, a landslip took
place and destroyed the poorly-constructed
retaining walls. The landslide contained an
estimated 100,000 square meters of mud, a
mass equivalent to 200 Boeing 747 jets.
The soil rammed onto the foundation of
Block One, pushing it forward for a while
before causing it to snap and bringing
down the apartment block. A month before
the building fell, in November 1993,
residents began to see cracks forming and
widening on the road around the Highland
Towers, a sign of collapse but
unfortunately, no further investigation was
carried out.
The official death toll released by the
authorities was 48, though other sources
gave a number greater than 55. The
victims are mainly Malaysian, with 12
foreigners who are includes a Briton, a
Japanese, 2 Indians, 2 Koreans, 3 Filipino
and 3 Indonesian. Rescuers heard
knocking and voices right up to the
seventh day after the collapse. Only three
people, including an infant, were pulled
out from the rubble alive, and only within
the first 24 hours. One of them died later
in hospital. There were plans to repair the
two remaining blocks and re-occupy them

back in 1995, but unfortunately, researches

revealed that the blocks were no longer
structurally safe and the only thing that
could be done is demolish them. But, after
the tragedy, The Highland Towers
memorial stone was placed at the site of
Block 1, but sadly it was a victim of much
vandalism. Block 2 and Block 3 of the
Highland Towers still remain stand until
today although they are now abandoned
and almost completely overgrown by the
dense jungle.

Figure 4 : Slope Failure at Highland Tower

3.2

Case Study 2: Landslide

at Pos Selim, Cameron
Highland Highway,
Malaysia

The Pos Selim,

Cameron
Highland is one (package 2) of the 8
packages of road that link Simpang Pulai
in Perak & Kuala Berang in Terengganu;
the 3rd East-West Highway in Peninsular
Malaysia, after the KL-Karak and GerikJeli Highway. The construction of the 35
km highway was started in 1997 and was
scheduled to be completed on Apr 2000,
but having confronted with slope failures,
the opening of the highway to the public
had been delayed to 2004. One of the
major failures was the deep-seated,
structurally-controlled massive cut slope
failure between CH23000 CH24500. A
series of failures on this slope was first
reported in April 2000 after a long period
of intense and heavy rainfall which
triggered further retrogressive slips in the
upper catchment. The deep-seated failure
mode exhibited by these failures had
prohibited the adoption of stabilization
measures using active anchors, passive soil
nails, sprayed concrete etc.
Eventually, the Main Contractor
had no alternative but to adopt the
rehabilitation scheme involving slope re-

National Geofest 2014

profiling. Despite the efforts by the Main
Contractor to stabilize the slope by reprofiling, the high cut slope at between
CH23000-CH24560 is still experiencing
deep-seated slope movement. Ground
water conditions and rainfall contributed
significantly towards reducing the shearing
resistance along discontinuities. The slope
movement is reported to be still active,
notably during and after prolonged
rainfalls. The large-scale landslide is
mainly
attributed
to
unfavorable
orientation of major discontinuities with
respect to the cut slope orientation. The
failure is a deep seated failure and still
active, notably during heavy and
prolonged rainfalls. Based on findings in
the field and results of kinematic analysis,
elements of instability still exists even
though the slope is cut further inwards.

likely where rock is covered by a thick mantle of

regolith.
Efforts to stabilize slopes include
improving slope drainage or attaching the slope
material to bedrock with physical restraints (e.g.,
chicken wire, cement, or rock bolts). Alternatively,
supporting the base of the slope with retaining walls
or planting vegetation on the slope will inhibit
failure.

REFERENCES
1)

Laurence D. Wesley, (2010) Geotechnical

Engineering in Residual Soils. John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. Hoboken, New Jersey.

2)

Harry R. Cedergren, (1989) Seepage Drainage

and Flow Nets 3rd ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A Wiley interscience publication.

3)

B. H. C. Sutton (1986) Solving Problems in

Soil Mechanics. British Library publication.
Longman Scientific & Technical.

4)

Iqbal H. Khan, (2008) Textbook of

Geotechnical Engineering, 2nd Ed. New Delhi.
Asoke K. Ghosh.

5)

M.J. Smith, (1981) Soil Mechanics, 4th Ed.

George Godwin Ltd. Longman Scientific &
Technical.

6)

Chan, H. T. and Kenney, T.C, (1973).

Laboratory Investigation of Permeability Ratio
of New LisAkeard Varved Soil. Canadian
Geotechnical Journal, Vol. 10, No. 3, 453-472.

7)

Mary C. Bourke and Martin Thorp, (2005).

Rainfall-triggered slope failures in eastern
Ireland
http://www.ucd.ie/gsi/pdf/38-1/failure.pdf

8)

Akmal Hiswan Bin Arbaeni, (2006) Analysis

of Slope Failure Due to Strength Reduction
Induced By Rainfall
http://www.efka.utm.my/thesis/IMAGES/3PS
M/2006/3JGP/Part1/akmalhiswanaa010034d06t
tp.pdf

Figure 5 : Landslide at Cameron Highland

CONCLUSION
Surface failure of slope can occur due to
many reasons, but they are more likely to occur in
certain seasons if they are triggered by weather
events such as rain. Slope is inactive during dry
times and become active during or following
extended periods of infiltration from rain. Besides
reducing the overall strength of slope areas, the rain
infiltration will increase the water pressure in the
ground and trigger seepage flow in the soil.
Seepage reduces the stability of a slope by making
it easier for the soil particles to slide over each
other during failure.
Physical weathering results in rock falls at
high elevations (ice wedging) and may create
suitable conditions for rockslides along sheeting
joints (unloading). Rockslides may occur
preferentially on surfaces that have been weakened
by chemical weathering. Slopes in regions of rapid
chemical weathering may fail by slumping where
moisture is relatively low or by mudflows or debris
flows where water is plentiful. Rock fall may still
occur in high elevations but rockslides are less