A Review of the Evolution Characteristics and Argillization of Clay Interbeds in Rockslides

Abstract

Weak interlayers in rockslides often become the controlling factor for slope deformation due to their poor physical properties and tendency to undergo argillization. Achieving a comprehensive understanding of the weak interlayers will help us comprehend the mechanism of rock slope failure and protect people’s property. Some weak interlayers will develop into clay interbeds after tectonic activity and long-term groundwater action. A comprehensive review of clay interbeds includes a discussion on the formation conditions, the governing factors of the argillization process, and the investigation methods. The clay minerals in clay interbeds, illite, montmorillonite, and Kaolinite, play a major role in the acceleration of the argillization process. The argillization process can be observed through scanning technology and investigated using nonlinear dynamics, statistics, and numerical modeling methods, which may result in limitations for extracting parameters. It is necessary to conclude a unified evaluation standard to find the basic commonness during the argillization process of clay interbeds. It would be a future trend to establish the quantitative relationships among the mechanical strength, micro-structure and content of clay minerals of the clay interbeds during the argillization process.