GEOLAB - Transnational Access project RELIAS - REliability analysis of retrogressive, Large deformation failure in quIck clAy with SPH framework

Quick clay is characterized by complete collapse when sheared beyond its peak strength and by its liquid-like mobility when remoulded. Quick clay is found primarily in Norway and Sweden, but also exists in Finland, Russia, Canada and Alaska. Quick clay landslides, with their retrogressive characteristics and extreme mobility, pose significant risk to lives, infrastructure, property and surrounding ecosystems, as the example of Gjerdrum quick clay landslide. Quick clay is unfortunately often found in some of the most fertile low-lying areas in affected countries. These areas are normally densely populated requiring establishment of many critical infrastructures (CIs) such as roads, railways, building.  Quick clay landslide therefore poses a significant threat to safety and resilience of these CIs.

Characteristics of quick clay make it very challenging to model quick clay failure numerically. In addition, spatial variability in ground condition adds another level of complexity in dealing with quick clay hazard. Spatial variability is well-known factor affecting geotechnical assessment and can exhibit, for example, as a variation of shear strength with location. This project, “REliability analysis of retrogressive, Large deformation failure in quIck clAy with SPH framework (RELIAS)”, will develop a stochastic numerical model which accounts for both spatial variability and large deformation. The model will be calibrated based on field data from Tiller-Flotten quick clay research site and at the Gjerdrum quick clay landslide in Norway. 

Transnational Access project RELIAS is funded through the 3rd call for proposal for the GEOLAB project. This project aims to investigate spatial variability characteristics of quick clay and deliver a Smoothed-particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) framework which is capable of dealing with both large deformation and spatial variability in quick clay. The outcome will be demonstrated through real case studies with field experimental data obtained through GEOLAB transnational access. 

This project, RELIAS, investigates spatial variability characteristics of quick clay and develop a stochastic numerical model for large deformation retrogressive failure typically in quick clay based on experimental data from quick clay sites in Norway. 

 The objectives of the RELIAS are as follows:

 to collect cone penetration test (CPTu) data from the Tiller-Flotten quick clay benchmark test site and from Gjerdrum quick clay landslide to characterise statistical parameters (i.e. mean, standard deviation) and correlation lengths of relevant parameters (shear strength, void ratio) typically for quick clay

to utilize/improve a smoothed-particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) framework developed at Monash University for large deformation and failure analysis of saturated porous media to assess stability of quick clay slopes probabilistically.