Stability of Sensitive Clay Slopes

Experiment 2 used the nees@UCDavis small geotechnical Schaevitz centrifuge to study the static/cyclic softening of plastic, sensitive clay slopes. Based on the significant geo-hazards such as recent submarine landslides and quick clay failure, sensitive clay material is vulnerable to strength loss and large deformation. A new, novel technique to artificially produce cemented clay in the laboratory was developed for centrifuge modeling. Through multiple centrifuge tests the mechanisms of instability and deformation of sensitive clay slopes was investigated. In particular, the effects of cementation degree, sensitivity, and peak ground motion on the strain softening were studied.