Abstract
Several areas of St. Louis County, Missouri have been classified as unstable for any type of construction because of the presence of highly plasticity soil/shale on sloping bedrock. These areas have the potential of becoming unstable due to change in any natural condition that can change its moisture content and/or its steepness. One of the structures constructed in this area showed significant movements several years after its construction. The primary goal of this investigation was to analyze site slope configurations in these problematic areas. A parametric study of two site slope profiles, natural and modified, was performed to investigate the effects of various variables such as slope configuration and shale properties, on the stability of a site where potential of site instability exists due to the presence of a shale/clay layer above sloping bedrock. From the results of the parametric study, design charts were developed that incorporate all variables studied in this investigation. These charts will help engineers make informed decisions and help them recognize conditions, which may cause the site slope to become unstable.
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Kumar, S., Hall, M.L. Parametric study of site instability due to presence of a weakening shale layer above sloping bedrock. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering 22, 361–374 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:GEGE.0000025042.89133.f7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:GEGE.0000025042.89133.f7