Deformation behavior of model valley fills during shaking experiment

Abstract

The 1995 Kobe earthquake triggered numerous landslides in hillside urban districts between the cities of Nishinomiya and Kobe. Landslides occurred mainly in artificial valley fills, hereafter referred to as fills. According to previous statistical analysis of topographic characteristic of fills, earthquake-induced deformation of the fills is strongly dependent on the width-depth ratio. However, the mechanism of deformation growth during an earthquake is not yet clear . Here, 1-G shaking-table tests were conducted on a model embankment constructed of dry sand as part of a comprehensive research program on the effect of 3-dimensional fill shape factors on earthquake - induced failure. Shaking table tests should that wide-shallow model fills (i.e., high width-depth ratio) with very low side friction were least stable. The present research, although limited to the imposed boundary conditions, agree with previous statistical analyses and field investigations in damaged valley fills.