Pore water pressures and slope stability: A joint geophysical and geotechnical analysis

Abstract

Slope stability is influenced by many factors, among which are subsoil structure and pore water pressure distribution. This paper presents a multi-disciplinary approach for the determination of these two factors and for the construction of a reliable model of the subsoil for the slope stability analysis. The case of a clay slope located in the Southern Apennines (Italy) is presented and discussed. Geophysical imaging (2D electrical resistivity tomography - ERT), in situ geotechnical monitoring (measurements of pore pressures and horizontal displacements) and laboratory geotechnical tests (for the determination of index, hydraulic and mechanical properties of soils) have been carried out. The comparison and the integration between ERT images and direct observations of the material extracted from boreholes have allowed us to reconstruct the subsoil stratigraphy with continuity. Thus, a reliable 2D model of the subsoil has been obtained, with well-defined boundaries on which it has been possible to apply appropriate hydraulic conditions. This geotechnical model has been used for studying the pore water pressure distribution and for analysing how the hydraulic boundary conditions - among which rain events - influence the slope stability. Our findings demonstrate the powerful skill of the ERT, if integrated with borehole data, to generate an accurate subsoil model. It is also evident that geophysical imaging can be a source of ambiguity and misjudgement if interpreted without a comparison with geotechnical data. © 2008 Nanjing Institute of Geophysical Prospecting.