Stability Analysis of Landslide Susceptible Areas Using PLAXIS 2D

Abstract

Landslide occurrences are largely controlled by different causative factors. Geotecnical properties of soil viz-a-viz type of soil, density, cohesion, angle of internal friction, hydraulic conductivity, etc. affect the natural stability of slopes and therefore, these data can be utilized to determine the susceptibility of a slope to landslides. In this project, an attempt is made to analyze the stability of slopes especially in landslide prone areas in the Thrissur district. For this, three different areas are selected viz-a-viz, Vilangan hills, Kuranchery and Akamala in Kerala. These study areas have experienced several slope failures in the past few years. With the help of soil data from laboratory experiments, rainfall data of the study area, and slope stability analysis using PLAXIS 2D software, the factor of safety of slopes in these study areas are obtained. Software modelling can provide analytic frameworks for quantifying and understanding the underlying patterns of landslides under various local conditions. The results obtained from stability analysis, is useful in categorizing study areas into different classes based on their susceptibility to landslides. Such a study would be helpful for future land use planning and landslide mitigation in the study areas.