Experimental study on disaster mechanism of completely weathered granite landslide induced by extreme rainfall

Abstract

Abstract With the increased frequency of extreme weather, landslides induced by extremely heavy rainfall pose a major threat to human lives and property safety. Taking the 7.23 Fanling landslide in Laoshan, Qingdao, a typical strongly weathered granite area, as an example, based on the similarity criterion, three groups of indoor model tests under different extreme rainfall conditions were conducted using a large landslide model test box. The rainfall infiltration responses under different rainfall intensities, deformation processes, and failure modes of the slope were analyzed. The inducing mechanism and rainfall disaster process of granite landslides induced by extreme rainfall in strongly weathered areas were summarized. The results showed that (1) a completely weathered granite landslide induced by rainfall had four stages, i.e., infiltration erosion, surface deformation, damage deepening, and overall instability, and the slope was characterized by "sheet slip". (2) With greater rainfall intensities, the rainfall infiltration rate was higher, the changes in soil pressure, pore water pressure, water content, and matrix suction were faster, and the hysteresis effect was weaker. (3) A certain spatial distribution pattern was observed between slope deformation/damage and rainfall infiltration, and the research results could provide references for landslide warning and treatment in strongly weathered granite areas.