Unravelling failure mechanisms of rainfall-induced debris slides through material characterisation and reduced-scale flume experiments

Abstract

Rainfall-induced debris slides are a major geological hazard in the Himalayan region, where slopes often comprise heterogeneous debris—a complex mixture of rock and soil. The complex nature makes traditional soil or rock testing methods inadequate for assessing such debris's engineering behaviour and failure mechanisms. Alternatively, reduced-scale flume experiments may aid in understanding the failure process of debris slopes. Here, we present findings from reduced-scale laboratory flume experiments performed under varying slope angles (ranging from shallow to steep), initial volumetric water contents (ranging from dry to wet), and rainfall intensities (ranging from light to heavy) using debris materials with a median grain size (D₅₀) 20.7 mm sampled from a rainfall-induced debris slide site in the Himalayas. Hydrological variables, including volumetric water content and matric suction, were monitored using sensors, while slope displacement was tracked indirectly, and rainfall was monitored using rain gauges. The entire failure process was captured via video recording, and index and shear strength tests were performed to characterize the debris material. Our results reveal that the failure of debris slopes is not driven by sudden increases in pore water pressure but by the loss of unsaturated shear strength due to reduced matric suction and a decreased frictional strength from reduced particle contact between grains during rainfall. We also find that the saturation of debris slope by rainfall was quick irrespective of the slope angles and initial moisture contents, revealing the proneness of debris slopes to rainfall-induced failures. These findings provide critical insights into the stability of debris materials and have important implications for improving risk assessment and mitigation strategies for rainfall-induced debris slides in the Himalayas and similar regions worldwide.