CONTRIBUTION OF “SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS” TO STUDIES ON RAINFALL-INDUCED SLOPE FAILURE

Abstract

The many recent slope failures due to heavy rainfall have been accompanied by significant loss of life, and massive damage to infrastructures and heritage. Many studies have been done to investigate the mechanism of rainfall-induced slope failures and establish a prevention system for slope disasters. In this paper, the state-of-the-art research works on slope failures due to rainfall published in the journal of Soils and Foundations (S&F) during the latest 50 years are reviewed and summarized. This report is written with the perspective that knowledge of unsaturated soil mechanics is necessary to elucidate the mechanism of rainfall-induced slope failure.