Investigation Of Rainfall Patterns And Its Impact On Highway Embankments

Author

David Burrows, Prairie View A&M University

Date of Award

12-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)

Degree Discipline

Civil Engineering

Abstract

Rainfall-induced slope failure is a common geotechnical hazard in Texas. Rainfall infiltration results in a reduction in soil matric suction and shear strength, leading to the instability of highway slopes. Rainfall intensity and duration have been identified as one of the major causes of earthen slope stability problems. In response to varied rainfall events, the unsaturated soil behavior differs depending on the soil type. The rainfall and soil data were used to develop a pattern which identified the slopes which proved unstable. The objective of this paper is to investigate the influence of different rainfall characteristics on slopes constructed on problematic expansive soil in Harris County (HC), Texas by using the finite element method (for seepage analysis) and the limit equilibrium method (for slope stability analysis). Few soil samples collected from different sources of Harris County were tested in the laboratory to characterize its strength properties. Most critical rainfall events of the HC were identified from the past twenty years rainfall history. Based on the weather radar network evaluation, few critical rainfall events were identified to be vulnerable for slope stability. Out of that, the rainfall intensity and duration during hurricane Harvey was observed much vulnerable for the stability of highway slopes.

Committee Chair/Advisor

Md Jobair Bin Alam

Committee Member

Ramalingam Radha

Committee Member

Abdul Choudhury

Publisher

Prairie View A&M University

Rights

Date of Digitization

2-16-2023

Contributing Institution

John B Coleman Library

City of Publication

Prairie View

MIME Type

Application/PDF

Recommended Citation

Burrows, D. (2022). Investigation Of Rainfall Patterns And Its Impact On Highway Embankments. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/pvamu-theses/1514