Effect of strain softening on the prediction of post-failure runout in sensitive clay landslide

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4. Effect of strain softening on the prediction of post-failure runout in sensitive clay landslide

Due to extensive post-peak strain softening and subsequent remolding of sensitive clays, landslides in these soils result in catastrophic progressive or retrogressive failures. Analysis and prediction of failure initiation and runout of sensitive clay landslides are crucial to reducing their impact; however, the post-failure behavior of such landslides is very complex. The use of advanced numerical techniques capable of accounting for large deformations and the strain-softening of the material is vital to accurately predicting post-failure movements. This study uses the material point method (MPM) to evaluate the influence of strain-softening behavior on the post-failure mechanism and runout of sensitive clay landslides. The simulation has been performed using Anura3D software with a strain-softening Mohr-Coulomb constitutive soil model. In particular, parametric studies are performed on the controlling parameters of the strength-degradation equation to assess strain-softening effects on retrogression and runout distances. The results showed that an increased rate of softening increases post-failure movement. For a fixed peak and remolded shear strength, there is a limiting value of strain-softening factor below which retrogressive failure does not occur.

10th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering (NUMGE2023)

2. Finite element, finite difference, discrete element, material point and other methods