Analysis of rainfall-induced slope failures

The hydro-mechanical behaviour of a pyroclastic soil layer covering a steep slope has been numerically investigated by performing plane strain analyses using a finite element code. The mechanical behaviour of the volcanic soil has been simulated by means of an elastic-plastic constitutive model extended to unsaturated conditions. The influence of the geometry and soil properties on the slope response has been studied by modifying the slope angle, the permeability law and the water retention curve of the pyroclastic cover. A comprehensive analysis of the slope response during the pre-failure phase is presented focusing attention on the evolution of the more significant hydro-mechanical variables and the displacement fields.