7/4/2015

Abdul Rahman bin Hilmi

SCM 010-412

Shear Strength Analysis

on Slope Failure

Introduction Project Background

The

shear strength of a soil mass is defined as the magnitude of the

shear stress that a soil can sustain. (Wikipedia)

The

shear strength is defined by the Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope:

Slope Failure Info & Statistics

A research

by JKR indicated that from 322 failed slopes, 89% are cut
slopes & only 1% are natural slopes.

In

Slope Design Guideline by JKR stated that human factor attributed

to 57% of failed slopes & only 14% are due to geological factor.

Ir.

Neoh (2001) stated that slope failure eventually occurs if the

shearing resistance is equal to or less than the shearing force.
(Practical Design Aspects for Slopes in Mountainous Terrains)

Higgins

& Potts (2004) mentioned that slope failure is often

progressive, it does not occur simultaneously at all points of the slope
involved in rupture (The Skempton Conference, Vol. 2, pg.1009)

Landview of Slope Failure

View

from the toe up vertically

Problem Statement
Main

factor of failure excess rainwater infiltration due to poor

drainage system maintenance

Palm

oil plantation sits on slope head, rainwater eroded the topsoil into
the drain. The drainage became heavily silted the drain became
effectively shallower than designed depth.

Growth

of excess vegetation causes obstruction to water flow they

trap water and reduce water flow

Consequence

- Draining capacity is significantly reduced.

slope head V-drain

mid slope V-drain

main drain - cascade

Thick soil and excess vegetation in major part of the drainage system

 Rain

overflowing from the drain infiltrated the slope head thus causing
the toe to saturate, increasing moisture content reducing toe strength.

Pore

water pressure is increased reducing strength.

Krystina,

Lenka & Pavla (2013) indicated in their research - shear

strength of soils is highly affected by moisture conditions, especially if
the soil contains clay materials.

Finally,

the shearing force from slope weight > shearing resistance of

slope materials = landslide

Type

of failure Flow (Department of Geotech, UTM)

Currently,

slope rectification work is halted, but necessary tests have

been done

Research Objectives
To identify

the basic soil properties at the selected location

To determine

and compare the shear strength of non-failure and failed

slope
To evaluate

the accuracy of laboratory experiment by comparing the

results obtained in the laboratory to the one obtained in professional
field test.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Shear Strength Parameters From Previous Studies

A landslide

study in Simpang Pulai-Lojing Highway done by Andrew Malone

(2007) revealed that friction angle of landslide weak sample was 23 and the
sample from strong sample was 42

In

a study in USM, Damanhuri, Fauziah & Roslan (2014) obtained 229 shear
strength parameters from 29 failed slopes and 35 parameters from 10 stable
slopes around Penang,
Soil Type

Parameters

Range for
Failed Slope

Range of
Stable Slope

Residual soils

C (kN/m 2)

0.20-36.20

0.20-59.40

3.20-44.40

8.60-65.80

minimum

value of effective friction angle = 23.2

Effect of Sampling Disturbance to Lab Test Soil Properties

Gilbert

(1992) stated in his research paper that Undrained shear

strength increases as disturbance in soil samples decreases.
Depending on the degree of disturbance in the clay involved, undrained
shear strength can be 50 percent less in disturbed tube samples.

Robert

Day (1980) in his soil testing manual stated that Sample

disturbance can cause the greatest reduction in shear strength of any
other factor.

Research Constraints

Direct

Shear Test is used because the triaxial test equipment is currently

not working.

Undisturbed

sample would require the use of dedicated tools i.e.

borehole which is currently not available, thus undisturbed sample will
be used.

Research Methodology
Collect

soil samples at 2 sites failed slope and non-failure slope

besides it. Hoe and hand shovel will be used.

samples of 2 kg each will be collected on each slope 3 near slope

head, 3 near slope toe at depth of 1 meter. Total of 12 samples.

Keep

samples in labelled plastic bags.

Atterberg
Direct

limit test to classify soil

Shear test to determine shear strength

Project Methodology
Failed Slope
Samples
Atterberg
Limit Test

Obtain 6
samples each
from failed &
normal slope

Normal
Slope
Samples

Liquid Limit,
Plastic Limit,
Plasticity
Index

Air dry
samples for
lab tests
Failed Slope
Samples
Direct Shear
Test

Normal
Slope
Samples

Cohesion &
Friction
Angle

Failed Slope
Soil
Identification

Normal Slope
Soil
Identification

Shear Strength
of Failed
Slopes

Shear Strength
of Normal
Slopes

Shear
Strength of
Failed Slopes
Compare &
Evaluate both
shear strength
parameters

Shear
Strength of
Normal Slopes

Result as
expected?

Yes

Compare lab test

results with field
test results

Conclusion
on Lab Test
Accuracy

No

State possible
reasons

Thesis Final
Conclusion

Expected Outcomes of Research

Atterberg

limit test is expected to reveal soil at sites are of clay, as

observed during preliminary site visit.

It

is expected that shear strength of failed slope is lower than the nonfailure slope.

Field

test was conducted on undisturbed samples, thus the shear

strength obtained is a closer representation to in-situ soil higher shear
strength is expected for undisturbed samples than the lab-measured
values.

References
Niroumand

H., Kassim K, Ghafooripour A, Nazir R, Zolfeghari S (2012)

Investigation of Slope Failures in Soil Mechanics, Department of geotechnical
engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Public

Works Department Malaysia (2006) Guidelines on Slope Maintenance in

Malaysia

Neoh,

Cheng Aik. (2001). Practical Design Aspects for Slopes in Mountainous

Terrains. Proceedings of National Slope Seminar 2001.

Public

Works Department Malaysia (2010) Guidelines for Slope Design

Gilbert,

Paul. (1992) Effect of Sampling Disturbance on Laboratory-Measured

Soil Properties, Washington: US Army Corps of Engineers

References
Day,

Robert. (1980) Soil Testing Manual: Procedures, Classification

Data, and Sampling Practices, McGraw Hill

Damanhuri

J., Fauziah A., Roslan ZA., (2014) Threshold Values Of

Shear Strength Parameters Of Soils Taken From Slope Failures And
Stable Slopes In Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia

D.

M. Potts, K. G. Higgins (2004), Advances in Geotechnical

Engineering: The Skempton Conference