Assessing Slope Stability of Clay-Dominated Sediments Based on Ionic Concentrations Using Liquid Limits

Abstract

Clay minerals typically exhibit high specific surfaces with negative charges, which result in a sensitive response against the change in the ionic concentration of pore water. In this study, the liquid limits of kaolinite, illite, and bentonite were determined as functions of the ionic concentration, and the results were used to obtain the cohesion and friction angle based on the empirical relationship for evaluating slope stability through numerical simulations. The experimental and numerical results revealed increased liquid limits and a decreased strength-reduction factor as the ionic concentration increased. Based on the numerical results, the influence of ionic concentration on the slope stability of clay-contained soils was analyzed.