How to design a slope to fail? 1

[NoStrainNoPain]

I am interested in learning how to forced a consistent failure in a slope. My company has developed an inexpensive IoT based tilt sensor that is intended to monitor slope failure around critical assets and provide real time data on the angle of inclination. Our problem lies in testing. Based on some reading that I have done, I think that excavating the toe of a hillside would be the most pertinent test and would appropriately simulate the real world application. A crude representation follows. The vertical red lines indicate that this will be an iterative purpose where we will periodically reduce the stability of the slope to accelerate the results of the test.

I was hoping for some direction to a some literature that I could read that may help design a controlled failure for this test. As I am sure that you can tell, my background is not civil related, I am intrigued by the field and would love to learn about the factors that need to be controlled to ensure the test simulates a slope failure in a way that tests the effectiveness of our low cost monitoring strategy. Of course, I will keep everyone posted with the results of the test in case I strike anyone's curiosity.

Thanks for all of your help!

 

[SlideRuleEra]

A granular material, like sand, has a relatively well defined "angle or repose":

Create a pile of the granular material with this natural slope, excavate at the bottom as you have proposed, and you will soon get slope failure.

 

[GeoEnvGuy]

You may find this experiment from New Brunswick of interest to obtain a consistent failure.

Experimental Study on the Critical Height of an Unsupported Vertical Cut

https://geovirtual2020.ca/wp-content/files/328.pdf

 

[1503-44]

I would not have thought that inclination angle changes appreciably before slope failure. That's why failures occur seemingly overnight. Nobody notices a change in slope inclination until it typically becomes oversaturated with wrainater and fails more or less instantly. Are you saying that there is indeed a slow, measurable change of inclination that can be detected in time to ensure preventive measures can be taken?

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[fattdad]

build an MSE (mechanically stabilized earth) retaining wall. Install a perforated pipe in the reinforced zone. Provide no wall drainage. Use clayey sand backfill and poor backfill. Instrument it.

Charge the perforated pipe with water.

Watch what happens.

f-d

ípapß gordo ainÆt no madre flaca!

 

[1503-44]

Stand back.

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I take no responsibility for any damages or injuries of any kind that may result.

 

[LittleInch]

Interesting idea.

However I can't see how the angle of inclination of a slope of cohesive soil can change?

Many other things usually cause slope failure including water content, slip planes, presence of clay or silt layers, changes to superimposed load etc etc. But not angle of the slope which doesn't change.

If you wanted to embed hundreds of strain guages or position of the soil then you might have something which could give you some sort of prior warning but many slope failures are very sudden and result from a rain storm.

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[1503-44]

What about avalanches?

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[LittleInch]

what about them?

It's just another unstable slope made of frozen water.

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[1503-44]

My point exactly.

Statements above are the result of works performed solely by my AI providers.
I take no responsibility for any damages or injuries of any kind that may result.

 

[1503-44]

Attached might be of interest to you

Statements above are the result of works performed solely by my AI providers.
I take no responsibility for any damages or injuries of any kind that may result.

 

[FacEngrPE]

The design changes needed to protect the public are subject to our understanding of the physics involved. Here is some information on a relevant misunderstanding where the common language of medical professionals and environmental scientists divided us in a way that adversely impacted our understanding of covid transmission.

The 60-Year-Old Scientific Screwup That Helped Covid Kill
All pandemic long, scientists brawled over how the virus spreads. Droplets! No, aerosols! At the heart of the fight was a teensy error with huge consequences. (wired)

 

[LittleInch]

FacEng

Fascinating. I've reposted this in the failures and disasters forum and name checked you.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.