Loess collapse-type lateral pressure may have a landslide-promoting effect in loess slope areas. A study on the variability of loess collapse-type lateral pressure in the Heifangtai area and its sliding mechanism has been analysed. Collapse tests and numerical simulations were conducted according to local safety field theory. The results indicate that the Heifangtai loess is self-weighted collapsible loess. As the depth or moisture content increases, the lateral pressure gradually increases, and correspondingly the deformation becomes greater. In a saturated state, the maximum lateral pressure reaches 123 kPa, and the lateral pressure coefficient increases up to 1.4 times. As the water content increases from 4% to 20%, the total slope displacement is predominantly horizontal, increasing from 12 to 140 mm, the lateral pressure coefficient gradually increases and the increase range gradually expands; the failure area becomes gradually wider until the slope toe is penetrated. Collapse action leads to tensile stresses in the upper part of the slope, making it prone to collapse-type crack formation, resulting in dominant channels of surface water infiltration and forming landslide scarps. Furthermore, collapse action also enables the formation of compressive stresses in the lower part of the slope, resulting in outward extrusion of deep soil, increased sliding force and landslide formation.
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Research Article|
January 16, 2025
Effect of collapse-type lateral pressure induced by irrigation on loess landslides
Guo-Qiang Yu;
Guo-Qiang Yu
1
Key Laboratory for Geo-Hazard in Loess Area
, Ministry of Natural Resources
, Xi'an Center of China Geological Survey
, Xi'an 710119, China
2
Shaanxi Province Engineering Research Centre of Water Resources and Environment
, Xi'an 710119, China
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Xia Zhang;
Xia Zhang
*
3
State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region
, Xi'an University of Technology
, Xi'an 710048, Shaanxi, China
*
Correspondence: [email protected]
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Li-Feng Zhu;
Li-Feng Zhu
1
Key Laboratory for Geo-Hazard in Loess Area
, Ministry of Natural Resources
, Xi'an Center of China Geological Survey
, Xi'an 710119, China
2
Shaanxi Province Engineering Research Centre of Water Resources and Environment
, Xi'an 710119, China
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Jun Zhang
Jun Zhang
1
Key Laboratory for Geo-Hazard in Loess Area
, Ministry of Natural Resources
, Xi'an Center of China Geological Survey
, Xi'an 710119, China
2
Shaanxi Province Engineering Research Centre of Water Resources and Environment
, Xi'an 710119, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Guo-Qiang Yu
1
Key Laboratory for Geo-Hazard in Loess Area
, Ministry of Natural Resources
, Xi'an Center of China Geological Survey
, Xi'an 710119, China
2
Shaanxi Province Engineering Research Centre of Water Resources and Environment
, Xi'an 710119, China
Xia Zhang
*
3
State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region
, Xi'an University of Technology
, Xi'an 710048, Shaanxi, China
Li-Feng Zhu
1
Key Laboratory for Geo-Hazard in Loess Area
, Ministry of Natural Resources
, Xi'an Center of China Geological Survey
, Xi'an 710119, China
2
Shaanxi Province Engineering Research Centre of Water Resources and Environment
, Xi'an 710119, China
Jun Zhang
1
Key Laboratory for Geo-Hazard in Loess Area
, Ministry of Natural Resources
, Xi'an Center of China Geological Survey
, Xi'an 710119, China
2
Shaanxi Province Engineering Research Centre of Water Resources and Environment
, Xi'an 710119, China
*
Correspondence: [email protected]
Publisher: Geological Society of London
Received:
02 Apr 2024
Revision Received:
10 Aug 2024
Accepted:
03 Dec 2024
First Online:
13 Dec 2024
Online ISSN: 2041-4803
Print ISSN: 1470-9236
Funding
- Funder(s):National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Award Id(s): 42177346
- Award Id(s):
- Funder(s):National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Award Id(s): U2243240
- Award Id(s):
- Funder(s):Shaanxi Provincial Key R&D Project
- Award Id(s): 2022SF-327
- Award Id(s):
- Funder(s):China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources
- Award Id(s): DD20230443
- Award Id(s):
- Funder(s):China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources
- Award Id(s): DD20242419
- Award Id(s):
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by The Geological Society of London. All rights, including for text and data mining (TDM), artificial intelligence (AI) training, and similar technologies, are reserved. For permissions: https://www.lyellcollection.org/publishing-hub/permissions-policy. Publishing disclaimer: https://www.lyellcollection.org/publishing-hub/publishing-ethics
© 2025 The Author(s)
Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology (2025) 58 (1): qjegh2024-058.
Article history
Received:
02 Apr 2024
Revision Received:
10 Aug 2024
Accepted:
03 Dec 2024
First Online:
13 Dec 2024
Citation
Guo-Qiang Yu, Xia Zhang, Li-Feng Zhu, Jun Zhang; Effect of collapse-type lateral pressure induced by irrigation on loess landslides. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology 2025;; 58 (1): qjegh2024–058. doi: https://doi.org/10.1144/qjegh2024-058
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Index Terms/Descriptors
- Asia
- China
- clastic rocks
- clastic sediments
- collapse structures
- compressive strength
- conglomerate
- deformation
- Far East
- fluvial features
- geologic hazards
- infiltration
- irrigation
- landslides
- loess
- mass movements
- mechanical properties
- natural hazards
- numerical analysis
- physical properties
- pressure
- sedimentary rocks
- sediments
- stress fields
- surface water
- Heifangtai China
- Heitai China
Latitude & Longitude
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