Failure mechanism of a landslide in structurally complex clays

摘要

A landslide in structurally complex clays which occurred in Sicily (Italy) has been studied with the aim of defining a ground model and identifying those factors which are crucial for the instability in an area which is repeatedly affected by slope movements. Previous back-analyses based on scanty monitoring data and conventional laboratory tests on standard size samples were not able to give a consistent explanation of the failure mechanisms. A detailed field study and an accurate geotechnical investigation helped to back-analyse the landslide and to prove that laboratory testing on large-size samples are the most effective way to determine the operational strength of the clay mass.