Numerical modelling of rainfall-induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopes
The hydro-mechanical responses of vegetated deposited slopes are complex and far from clear. On one hand, the soils in deposited slopes are typically poorly consolidated and widely graded, making them vulnerable to internal erosion during rainfall infiltration. On the other hand, vegetation plays a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775525001684 |
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| author | Xiaoqin Lei Weiyu Zhang Siming He Shishu Zhang Zongji Yang Changbing Qin Xiaoqing Chen |
| author_facet | Xiaoqin Lei Weiyu Zhang Siming He Shishu Zhang Zongji Yang Changbing Qin Xiaoqing Chen |
| author_sort | Xiaoqin Lei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The hydro-mechanical responses of vegetated deposited slopes are complex and far from clear. On one hand, the soils in deposited slopes are typically poorly consolidated and widely graded, making them vulnerable to internal erosion during rainfall infiltration. On the other hand, vegetation plays a significant role in influencing the hydro-mechanical properties of the soil at the slope surface. This paper presents a coupled seepage-erosion model to investigate the rainfall-induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopes and its impact on slope stability. The detailed seepage-erosion coupling processes were simulated for a series of 1D rooted soil columns with varying root distributions, as well as 2D vegetated layered slopes under both light and heavy rainfall conditions. The numerical results reveal that roots can significantly mitigate rainfall-induced internal erosion, even with shallow root lengths. However, their protective effect on the slope increases as the root density in the superficial soil layer increases. Transpiration can rapidly restore matric suction in the shallow soil during rain intervals, slowing the rainfall-induced seepage-erosion process and thereby increasing slope stability. However, in the absence of transpiration, roots may either accelerate or inhibit the seepage-erosion process, depending on the specific rainfall conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c3a36b41c06c41e288c27e798435b0f7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1674-7755 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-c3a36b41c06c41e288c27e798435b0f72025-08-20T04:00:28ZengElsevierJournal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering1674-77552025-08-011785170518710.1016/j.jrmge.2025.02.013Numerical modelling of rainfall-induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopesXiaoqin Lei0Weiyu Zhang1Siming He2Shishu Zhang3Zongji Yang4Changbing Qin5Xiaoqing Chen6State Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Engineering Resilience, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS, Chengdu, 610041, ChinaSichuan Expressway Construction and Development Group Co., Ltd, Chengdu, 610041, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Engineering Resilience, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS, Chengdu, 610041, China; Corresponding author.Power China Chengdu Engineering Corporation Limited, Chengdu, 610072, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Engineering Resilience, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS, Chengdu, 610041, China; Corresponding author.School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Engineering Resilience, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS, Chengdu, 610041, ChinaThe hydro-mechanical responses of vegetated deposited slopes are complex and far from clear. On one hand, the soils in deposited slopes are typically poorly consolidated and widely graded, making them vulnerable to internal erosion during rainfall infiltration. On the other hand, vegetation plays a significant role in influencing the hydro-mechanical properties of the soil at the slope surface. This paper presents a coupled seepage-erosion model to investigate the rainfall-induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopes and its impact on slope stability. The detailed seepage-erosion coupling processes were simulated for a series of 1D rooted soil columns with varying root distributions, as well as 2D vegetated layered slopes under both light and heavy rainfall conditions. The numerical results reveal that roots can significantly mitigate rainfall-induced internal erosion, even with shallow root lengths. However, their protective effect on the slope increases as the root density in the superficial soil layer increases. Transpiration can rapidly restore matric suction in the shallow soil during rain intervals, slowing the rainfall-induced seepage-erosion process and thereby increasing slope stability. However, in the absence of transpiration, roots may either accelerate or inhibit the seepage-erosion process, depending on the specific rainfall conditions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775525001684Deposited soilVegetationInternal erosionSlope stabilityFinite element method (FEM) |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoqin Lei Weiyu Zhang Siming He Shishu Zhang Zongji Yang Changbing Qin Xiaoqing Chen Numerical modelling of rainfall-induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopes Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering Deposited soil Vegetation Internal erosion Slope stability Finite element method (FEM) |
| title | Numerical modelling of rainfall-induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopes |
| title_full | Numerical modelling of rainfall-induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopes |
| title_fullStr | Numerical modelling of rainfall-induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Numerical modelling of rainfall-induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopes |
| title_short | Numerical modelling of rainfall-induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopes |
| title_sort | numerical modelling of rainfall induced internal erosion process within vegetated deposited slopes |
| topic | Deposited soil Vegetation Internal erosion Slope stability Finite element method (FEM) |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775525001684 |
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