Showing papers in "Engineering Geology in 2015"

TL;DR: In this paper, a multiple response-surface method for slope reliability analysis considering spatially variable soil properties is proposed and the effect of theoretical autocorrelation functions (ACFs) on slope reliability is highlighted since the theoretical ACFs are often used to characterize the spatial variability of soil properties.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated fracture coalescence by loading rock-like specimens with two and three pre-existing flaws made by pulling out the embedded metal inserts in the pre-cured period.

TL;DR: In this paper, a hydraulic servo pressure testing machine was used to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of two types of rock types, namely, granite and sandstone, after high-temperature treatment.

TL;DR: Zhang et al. as mentioned in this paper quantified land subsidence over the period 2003 to 2010, grasp the evolution of the process, and investigate the relation with the triggering factors in the northern area of the Beijing plain.

TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of root-induced changes in SWRC with plant evapotranspiration (ET) on suction responses in clayey sand were investigated and compared using a tree species, Schefflera heptaphylla.

TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors studied the formation and moving characteristics of the landslide and subsequent debris flow in the southern Dagou Village of Mapaoquan Town, Tianshui City, Gansu Province of China on July 21, 2013.

TL;DR: In this paper, a mathematical procedure using spherical harmonics to characterize and reconstruct the particle micromorphology in three dimensions is introduced, where the basic geometric properties of natural sand particles, volume and surface area, and two empirical engineering indices, sphericity and angularity, are investigated using spherical harmonic analysis.

TL;DR: In this paper, the impact of water content, pore water pressure and hydrological hysteresis on safety factor reconstruction was analyzed by applying two different models (Lu and Godt's and SLIP models) to a monitored slope located in Oltrepo Pavese (Northern Italy).

TL;DR: In this article, a numerical analysis of the behavior of dry granular flows generated by the collapse of prismatic columns via 3D Distinct Element Method (DEM) simulations in plane strain conditions is presented.

TL;DR: In this paper, the traditional limit equilibrium and finite element methods are expanded to unsaturated conditions using a generalized effective stress framework, where effective stress is represented by the suction stress characteristic curve (SSCC) and the soil water retention curve (SWRC) have been unified with the same set of hydromechanical parameters.

TL;DR: In this paper, a new basal entrainment model taking advantage of both Coulomb and Voellmy frictional laws is proposed, providing a unified formula to simulate the stop-and-go process of debris flows.

TL;DR: In this article, the effect of joint orientation, size and joint mechanical properties on jointed block strength, deformability, stress-strain relation and failure modes at the joint-block level was studied.

TL;DR: In this paper, genetic algorithms were applied to find the best factor combination among 16 factors available for the study area, Macka District of Trabzon, Turkey, and the results revealed the robustness of the GA when searching the optimal landslide conditioning factors among a large number of factors.

TL;DR: In this paper, crack coalescence between two non-parallel flaws is studied numerically using parallel bonded-particle models in which one flaw does not overlap or partially overlaps the other (varying α) and in which the other flaw completely overlaps and overlaps α and β.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the results of a field campaign performed during the summer 2012 at the Super-Sauze landslide, southern French Alps, with a network of wireless low-cost GPS.

TL;DR: In this article, the response of a natural silty soil to thermal cyclic loading in drained conditions is investigated, and an extension of an existing thermoelastic-thermoplastic constitutive model is proposed to tackle the accommodative response.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the specimen size effect on the strength properties of cemented paste backfill through unconfined compressive strength tests and found that the highest strength was obtained from the C-D samples cast in the mold 5×-10cm, followed by the U-D, C-U and U-U samples.

TL;DR: In this article, an attempt has been made to bring out the influence on strength and volume change behavior of fabric changes and new cementitious compound formation in a soil upon addition of various lime contents and with curing periods.

TL;DR: In this paper, a large number of rockburst tests were performed and their information collected, stored in a database and analyzed. Data Mining techniques were applied to the database in order to develop predictive models for the rockburst maximum stress (σRB) and rockburst risk index (IRB) that need the results of such tests to be determined.

TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors used discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) to verify the mobility of earthquake-induced landslides, and the results showed that seismic loading could eventually help increase the run-out of landslides.

TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors proposed a mitigation method and design principle based on the transport capacity of the main river, and a series of check dams with various opening sizes was designed by investigating and analyzing existing cases.

TL;DR: Application results demonstrate that the proposed multiple ANNs switched prediction method can significantly improve model generalization and perform similarly to, or better than, the best individual ANN predictor.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a method for the calculation of the normal spacing of persistent and non-persistent discontinuity sets using 3D point cloud datasets considering the three dimensional relationships between clusters.

TL;DR: In this paper, a nonparametric regression procedure known as multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) was used to assess the capacity energy required to trigger liquefaction in sand and silty sands.

TL;DR: In this article, an innovative quasi-distributed fiber-optic sensing network based on the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) technology was developed to monitor the strain distributions of the soil nails, the slope subsurface displacements, and the internal strains of soil mass, together with laser displacement transducers for surface displacement measurement.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used finite element simulations (OOF) with polymineralic microstructures to investigate the thermal-elastic response of granites to high temperatures.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors applied dynamic compaction with a maximum energy level of 12,000kN·m to a collapsible loess site in the city of Qingyang in the Gansu Province in northwestern China.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluate a hazard management strategy for transportation corridors exposed to steep slopes involving the identification of rockfall precursors prior to significant slope failures using terrestrial Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR).

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed the petrophysical and mechanical properties of two porous limestones that were used in the construction and restoration works at the castle of Chambord in France, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

TL;DR: In this article, a series of 2D distinct-element numerical models aimed at clarifying interactions between earthquakes and large rock slope instabilities are presented to explore the role of amplification in enhancing co-seismic slope deformation.