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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/M37387/01
Title: NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF SLOPE FAILURE INDUCED BY INFILTRATION
Principal Investigator: Addenbrooke, Dr T
Other Investigators:
Potts, Professor DM
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Civil & Environmental Engineering
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 31 March 1999 Ends: 30 March 2002 Value (£): 138,644
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Ground Engineering
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Extreme rainfall events induce slope failures which can cause significant loss of life and costly destruction of infrastructure and property. The possible mechanisms of infiltration and the developing mechanism of failure in such circumstances are yet to be demonstrated, and the appropriate effects are yet to be measured in the field. This research programme will employ fully coupled finite element analysis to analyse the massive Pak Hog slope in Hong Kong. The slope has moved 4 times after heavy rainfall in the last 8 years. It has been instrumented to measure pore pressures and displacements. First, the advanced finite element code will be developed to model rain infiltration through partly saturated soil (many of the necessary models and boundary conditions already exist in the code). Secondly, the Pak Hong slope will be analysed, predicting displacements as well as seepage pressures. Reproduction of the observed movement will form an independent check on the effectiveness of the solution. Successful demonstration of the mechanism of rain infiltration and slope failure will enable more accurate assessment of slope stability, the design of effective preventative measurements. It will also be possible to effectively position field instrumentation to measure the appropriate effects in the field.
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Organisation Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk