The impact of vegetation on the stability of loose fill slopes
The impact of vegetation on the stability of loose fill slopes
This study investigates the stabilising effect of vegetation on loose fill slopes using centrifuge and numerical modelling by comparing two models prepared to similar initial conditions: one unvegetated, and one with vegetation at the toe. The vegetated slope exhibited soil suctions of 1040 kPa between the toe and mid-section, compared with near-zero pore pressures in the unvegetated slope, indicating an increase in effective stress due to transpiration. When subjected to a rising water table, vegetation reduced the rate of pore pressure rise, reflecting lower hydraulic conductivity due to increased suctions. Numerical analyses demonstrated that introducing minimal vegetation at the toe increased the factor of safety (FoS) by over 7%. The vegetation allowed for the height of the upstream side of the phreatic surface to be increased by an additional 1.4 m before an FoS similar to that of the unvegetated case was reached. These results highlight that even localised vegetation at a slopes toe can substantially improve slope stability, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional post-construction interventions.
T. C. Wistow; S. F. Slaughter; Tawfeg Elmrom; P. A. Crous; A. V. Tiago Gaspar
3rd International Workshop on Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction (RootS2025)
2a. Experimental laboratory characterisation of the multiscale bio-hydro-chemo-mechanical behaviour of rooted soils
https://doi.org/10.53243/RootS2025-28
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