Correlating groundwater level and shear strength: Kotkai Pakistan landslide as case study

Abstract

Earth-fill dam failure and landsliding during heavy rainfall and flooding is a common problem observed all over the world. This paper examines and discusses the causes of landsliding due to rainfall and flooding. Climatic rainfall data are interconnected with rainfall precipitation and its effect on the increase in pore water pressure inside soil slopes. Various soil slopes with different geometries and material properties are analysed, and the variation in pore water pressure and the slope factors of safety (FSs) are calculated. Correlations between the groundwater level (GWL) and slope FS are developed in both seismic and non-seismic situations. Correlations between shear strength (τ), shear stress (σ) and FS are also developed. The Kotkai landslide in Pakistan is considered a case study for cross-checking the correctness of the developed correlations. These correlations can be applied to design a safe soil slope in intense flood and rainfall areas.