Effects of Rainfall Patterns on Slope Stability: Insights from Physical and Numerical Modelling

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4. Effects of Rainfall Patterns on Slope Stability: Insights from Physical and Numerical Modelling

This study examines the impact of rainfall patterns on the hydraulic response and stability of a sandy slope model. Laboratory experiments were conducted on a 35° slope model instrumented with soil moisture and suction probes and exposed to constant, increasing, and decreasing rainfall patterns, each delivering the same total infiltrated water volume. The role of initial soil moisture was also investigated under a constant intensity of 80 mm/h. Results show that rainfall patterns and initial conditions significantly influence soil moisture and suction evolution, yet no deformations or signs of failure were observed in any test. To complement the experiments, numerical simulations were carried out to replicate the hydraulic processes, followed by limit equilibrium stability analyses. Preliminary results highlight some distinct trends in how rainfall patterns affect hydraulic behaviour and slope stability. These findings form part of a broader ongoing research project aimed at exploring additional soil types, including fine-grained soils, and more complex rainfall patterns. The work contributes to advancing understanding of rainfall-driven slope responses - an increasingly critical topic under changing climate conditions.

3rd International Workshop on Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction (RootS2025)

2a. Experimental laboratory characterisation of the multiscale bio-hydro-chemo-mechanical behaviour of rooted soils