Experimental Study of Ugat Canal Soil for Slope Stability

Slope stability is one of the major aspects of geotechnical engineering and plays significance on large-scale infrastructure projects such as highways, railways or canals. Slope failure is the major problem in earthen canal due to seepage problem. Due to excess imposed loads, discharge forces, erosion and gravity forces, drainage and irrigation canals may suffer from a full or restricted slope failure. Side slope failures of irrigation at Ugat canal located near Jahangir Pura, Surat, will possibly suffer from heavy catastrophes with destructive damages to public lives and belongings. The reason of canal slope failure is due to piping in salt influenced or distributive soil, discharge forces in soft clayey or sandy soil, deficient standard of the soil mass mound same as in black cotton soil, i.e., soft clay or loose sand and accordingly dissolution due to immoderate use of irrigation water or utilizing surface irrigation method at places near to the bank. There is no generalized method of restoration for slope failures because of the distinctiveness of the attributes and situations of each site. Hence, based on characteristics of sites, each site needs to be studied individually. To prevent the failure, the side slope of the embankment is strengthened by coconut husk which reduces slope failure in earthen canal. There is significant increment in load carrying capacity of soil by adding coconut husk at various contents such as 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% replacement by soil. At 0.5, 1.0 and 1.50% replacement, the strength increment is 1.52, 1.70 and 2.11 times of normal soil.