4th International Conference on Problematic Soils

21-23 September 2012, Wuhan, China

SLIDE STABILIZATION IN PERUVIAN RESIDUAL SOILS

Arnaldo Carrillo-Gil*, Arnaldo Carrillo-Acevedo
*

P.E., Dr. Eng., F. ASCE

Principal Professor Ricardo Palma University, Lima, Per
e-mail: acsac01@speedy.com.pe , webpage: www.acingenieros.com

Keywords: Residual soils, Slide stabilization

Abstract. This paper describes the developing of a different method of slide

stabilization carried out in the riverbanks of the Amazon River and in the
Peruvian jungle. This method uses sand-cement bags as another form of
reinforcement by confinement, erosion protection and emergency repair. Many
cases of this slide stabilization method have been successfully implemented, and
the performance monitoring of one of these repairs is discussed, along with, a
history of the slide, description of the tropical soils, and the mechanism of failure.
The application of this method of slide stabilization is also evaluated.
1

INTRODUCTION

From the practical point of view, empirical correlations are established between the plasticity
characteristics of the tropical soils, and probably classification that can be used for preliminary
designs with the Peruvian Amazon soils.
In Peru, the majority of tropical soils are saprolitics. This means, they are clay soils mixed
mainly with lime and sand. Several results from shear stress tests include, from the
conservative side, saturated lab-tests, and from the other side, field test that provides more
confident and reliable results. Average values between the lab and field data are taken with the
help of statistical methods that allow us to have better values closer to realistic scenarios, and
to consider influences of suction. In the Amazon rain forest, there are some cases of slope
stability problems due to rain precipitation. This is because slopes failures take place during rain
season, leaving the soil in a saturated condition. The suggested procedure consists in verify the
stability of the slope in its extreme conditions: at natural humidit y, and at saturated condition.
An intermediate factor of safety value has to be used for a specific suction level.
2

SITE CONDITIONS

The general description of the geomorphology of the Amazon region indicates that the low
jungle is substantially flat and its height varies between 80 to 400 meters above the mean sea
level. Due to this small difference of elevation, rivers flow slowly, getting in dry season the
appearance of lakes. This region of the Amazon plain can be indicated as advance erosion type.
The Amazon plain is characterize by its great humidity and soil covered by a dense tropical
1
vegetation (Carrillo-Gil, 1997) .
Studies establish that in the high jungle and in the limits of the low jungle are found so much
igneous rocks as sedimentary, while in the low jungle prevail saprolitic soils originated by the
______________________________

P.E., MSCE, M. ASCE, Member of the Board AC Consulting Engineers, Lima, Peru

sedimentary rocks of the tertiary, and quaternary and they are formed mainly by sandstones,
shales, and clays (Carrillo-Gil, Dominguez, 1996) 2.
The general geology considers that a large part of the Amazon region has stayed covered
during the interglacial periods of the quaternary by an interior sea of shallow water when the
level of the oceans had 100 meters above of the existing now (330,000 years ago) it also to
fluctuate during several glacial and interglacial periods forming terraces throughout the water
courses, dropping to 100 meters below of the original level during the last Glacial Era (17,000
years ago) and remaining in these deep channels the large rivers, between them the Amazon
river, raising afterwards to the current level (6,000 years ago).
3

SLOPE FAILURE MECHANISM

The most common failure in the Peruvian jungle happens in the riverbanks of the main jungle
rivers. The failure of slopes in subjacent tropical soils is because of ascend and descend movement
action of the water during the stage of water level decrease in the river. These rivers form meanders
over a soft soil of variable thickness. The meanders flow downstream producing erosion and
sedimentation. The continuo deformation of the upstream meanders modifies the riverbed and
originates effects in the riverbanks during the stages of rapid draw down that results in dangerous
landslides.
The statistical analysis of the movement of the Amazon River performed between the years 1991
and 1996 clearly established that the landslides have occurred during the stage of water level
decrease in the river. We consider that as a phenomenon of rapid drawdown that affects the bank,
because of the water level decreases to an average of 12 meters in a very short time (CarrilloCarrillo, 1999)3.

LEVELS OF THE AMAZONAS RIVER

HEIGHT (m.a.s.l.)

1st LANDSLIDE 1992

NORTHERN ZONE P.T. IQUITOS

3rd LANDSLIDE 1994

NORTHERN ZONE P.T. IQUITOS

2nd LANDSLIDE 1993

NORTHERN ZONE P.T.
IQUITOS

JAN

FEB

MAR APR MAY JUN JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT NOV DIC

MONTHS

Figure 1: Landslide ocurrence at the Amazon River drawdown season

This rapid drawdown is interpreted as a process that increases the undrained deformation of the
saturated zone in the affected banks. In other words, the reaction of the stability of the banks to the
rapid movement when the water level decreases is similar to the response occurred in an open cut in
which is produced a forced alleviation, due to material that previously was offered as lateral support
and that was suddenly removed. In this case, as a consequence of the imbalance produced by the

rapid drawdown of the river, there is water that remains within the porous structure of the soil, since
its level does not decrease to the same speed that the water level. This phenomenon causes an
increase in the weight of the bank body, as in the pore pressure with the soil. This effect reduces the
shearing strength of the soil, which, together with the effects of the river, causes the landslides (if it
has not been possible to evacuate the water tricked within the soil of the bank).

SECTION
COLLAPSED

Figure 2: Typical landslide at the Amazon River Banks

INVESTIGATIONS POST LANDSLIDES

In the last years, a geotechnical instrumentation was installed in the most critical areas
where dangerous landslides occurred. The results that we have obtained from the geotechnical
instrumentation have permitted to study the phenomena showed previously.
The analysis of the instrumental measures was performed by the years 1996 and 1997, 19981999, and between 2008-2009. It can be appreciated that the current average movements are
not very significant. They are compared with the river movement to establish that the critical
stage for the drawdown of water level is produce by the forward movement towards the river
while at the rise of the river happens the opposite. This phenomena shows that any defense
construction has to be designed in the most flexible way possible and not in a rigid way because
it will be very expensive.
The results of the final piezometrics measures indicate that, as a rule, the dissipation of the
pore pressures in almost all cases has been effected in correspondence with the decrease and
increase of the water level of the Amazon River. We found a good behavior in the drainage
system installed at the critical zones. The slope stability analysis performed in high pore
pressures gives factor of safety less than one. However, when it is installed an adequate sub drainage system where pore pressures are neutral or even lower, high factor of safety are
obtained. This indicates that the best solution is not necessary retention structures; a good
drainage system needs to be included (Carrillo-Gil, 2009)4.

RIVER LEVEL (m.a.s.l.)

PORE PRESSURE (Kpa)

PORE PRESSURE

MONTHS

RIVER
LEVEL

Figure 3: Variation of pore pressures and water levels at the Amazon River

METHODOLOGY FOR RIVERBANKS SLOPE PROTECTION

Taking in account all previous studies, it has been solved some critical landslides problems
using a variety of methods from structures of rigid retention to systems of geo-textiles
reinforced soil wall. But the method that we have applied is the most economical and reliable
solution for this type of project.
The use of this kind of protection and flexible retaining structure in the Peruvian tropical region
is quite simple. It does not need any special equipment and it provides jobs for local population.
The sand cement bags are placed one over the other in the flexible walls.
The design of this kind of structure follows the same procedures used for the design of
conventional retaining walls.
This project includes 20 sub-horizontal drains placed in two rows with spacing of 5 m with each
other. The minimum penetration is 30 m. this setting is performed in order to dissipate pore
pressures that affect the mass soil of the slope during the drawdown season of the river. This
setting ensures better stability and less weight to the slope (Figure4).
In addition, it was proposed a synthetic drainage system to be placed at the back zone of the
flexible walls. The special system is a plain drain that contains a geo-red between two geotextile phases. These geo-textiles, at the lower part, wrap a perfored tube where the captured
water flows to the installed drainage canals at each extreme of the protected area.
For the slope erosion protection due to the Amazon River, it is adopted an economical solution
of polypropylene bags filled with cement and sand very similar to the ones proposed in the
retaining walls. These bags are placed over the slope in a special disposition wh ere they are
lock to each other. They are anchored with steel bars of 3/8 inches. This setting does not allow
the movement of any of these elements. This type of protection slope avoids also the framing
and the use of geo-synthetic materials that have higher costs.

UNIVERSIDAD RICARDO PALMA

Figure 4: Protection method for slopes at the Amazon Riverbanks

46

INSTRUMENTAL MONITORING INTERPRETATION

The analysis from the gathered instrumental data from the south and north area, as well as
contain available data, has allow to establish slopes behavior. It was considered the detected
accumulated landslides from the inclinometers compared with river levels and pore pressures
measures with respect the time in between measurements periods.
The slope general behavior indicates that during the season of high water levels, the movement
oscillates with a slight tendency to back up. While the season of drawdown, the movement of water
go straight to the river. However, these tendencies could be influenced by many factors such as the
occurrence of rainfall, drainage facilities, and other unusual events like the increase of water levels
during the cold waves season.

SOUTHERN ZONE

Figure 5: Actual conditions of Southern Zone research area

NORTHERN ZONE

Figure 6: Actual conditions of Northern Zone research area

High pore pressures can be seen at the southern zone because the instrumentation was installed
more deeply, among other reasons. Lower variations can be observed at the northern zone (range
between 25 KPa to 40 KPa). Comparing these pressures with the available database and with their
water level, it can be observed that for similar water levels, pore pressures are higher during the
drawdown period. In the superficially installed instrumentation was observed that pore pressures
increased proportionally with the river water levels up to certain high where correlation increases
exponentially. This is very important to considerate because once the maximum water levels are
reached, a rapid drawdown happens resulting slopes with no support and extremely high pore
pressures at upper soil layers. According to the last results, values are found above average from the
previous seasonal readings which means that drainage systems capacity has decreased since its
installation (Figure 7).
The worst case scenario could be considerate as a main event where the river shows a maximum
high water levels and a maximum low drawdown levels in a very rapid way. Secondary factors are
normal delays and poor performance of superficial and deep drainage systems during medium to
high precipitation events that do not consider high water levels but high pore pressures due to
infiltration.

Figure 7: Maximum and mnimum water levels at the Amazon River for the last 50 years

FINAL COMMENTS

Finally, all the acquired experience from past projects, either the ones with good
performance or the ones that fail, a solution of protection and stability has been implemented in
slopes of tropical soils using the described system of sand-cement bags displaced conveniently
to form retention walls and to offer protection against slope erosion. All the projects, using this
system, showed very good results and their behavior were adequate for the local weather, soil,
and special conditions of construction at the Peruvian jungle.

REFERENCES
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

Carrillo-Gil, A., Peculiarities of tropical saprolitic soils of Peru, XIV International Conference on
Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Hamburg, Germany (1997).
Carrillo-Gil, A & Dominguez, E., Failures in Amazon riverbanks, Iquitos, Peru, Seventh
International Symposium on Landslides, Trondheim, Norway (1996).
Carrillo-Gil, A & Carrillo-Acevedo, A., Slope Stabilization in residual soils of Peru, International
Symposium on Slope Stability Engineering, Matsuyama, Japan (1999).
Carrillo-Gil, A., Monitoring and performance in landslides control, II International Conference on
Environmental Management, (ICEM2) University of Wollongong, Australia (2009).