Effects of climate change on slopes for transportation infrastructure

D. G. Toll, J. Mendes, C. E. Augarde, M. Karthikeyan, K. K. Phoon, D. Gallipoli, K. Q. Lin

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

    8 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The paper reports on two studies of the expected effects of future climate change on slope stability in the UK and Singapore. In the UK the BIONICS project is investigating the role of climate in the stability of embankments for transportation infrastructure. The project involves a full-scale instrumented embankment that has been constructed with facilities for climate control. A novel instrumentation system is described that is being used to observe changes in pore water pressures (suctions) due to rainfall. In Singapore a national study is being carried out to investigate the impact of climate change, one aspect of which is slope stability. The mode of slope failure due to rainfall infiltration is reviewed and the need to use unsaturated soil mechanics to explain the observed behaviour is emphasised. Numerical modelling has been carried out using the finite element code SEEP/W to allow the effects of future climate events to be investigated. The identification of appropriate parameters for unsaturated flow modelling is described and limitations in commercial finite element codes are identified.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationAdvances in Transportation Geotechnics - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Transportation Geotechnics
    EditorsEd Ellis, Hai-Sui Yu, Glenn McDowell, Andrew R. Dawson, Nick Thorn
    PublisherTaylor & Francis
    Pages507-513
    Number of pages7
    ISBN (Print)9780415475907
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2008
    Event1st International Conference on Transportation Geotechnics, ICTG-1 - Nottingham, United Kingdom
    Duration: 25 Aug 200827 Aug 2008

    Conference

    Conference1st International Conference on Transportation Geotechnics, ICTG-1
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    CityNottingham
    Period25/08/0827/08/08

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