ABSTRACT
A series of centrifuge tests on fully saturated slope samples was performed to investigate the unstable behaviour of statically liquefied slopes. The samples were saturated with a viscous fluid to satisfy the time scaling factors of generation and dissipation of pore pressures. The pore pressures were monitored inside the slopes. The behaviour of these models under increasing g-level were also simulated using the Finite Element Method (FEM). The 2D plane strain FE simulations indicate that the stress states of the soil elements of a slope fall inside the instability zone. However, the centrifuge tests showed that a global flow slide failure is unlikely to occur if a triggering mechanism is applied to a limited extent of the soil body due to the radial dissipation of the excess pore pressures. The results are applicable to offshore pile driving projects.
