Limit equilibrium method-based 3D slope stability analysis for wide area considering influence of rainfall

We propose a method for evaluating the risks of slope failure induced by heavy rain over a wide area by combining infiltration analysis, surface flow analysis, and slope stability analysis based on three-dimensional limit equilibrium method. The influence of the resolution of terrain data is also examined. To determine rainfall-induced water transportation, we employ an infiltration analysis, using the Green-Ampt model, and a surface flow analysis, using the diffusion wave model. For the slope stability analysis, a three-dimensional arc-slip calculation applying the Hovland method is used. The infiltration depth is obtained from the results of the infiltration analysis, whereas the simulated data are used as input data for the slope stability analysis. A region in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, where slope failures were observed during typhoon Hagibis on October 12 and 13, 2019, is selected in this study as the target area and a series of analyses are performed. The topographical survey data by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) observed before and after the typhoon are used to identify the actual collapse locations and compare them with the results of the slope stability analysis. In addition, high-resolution topographic data of the target area using UAV data is created and differences in the factor of safety distribution with and without the UAV data for terrain data are compared and discussed. The obtained results revealed that the proposed method can roughly represent the actual slope failure, which is useful for evaluating rainfall-induced slope failure hazards. The results derived from utilizing detailed terrain data by UAV show the importance of using a high-resolution terrain model for evaluating the stability of microtopography, such as forest roads. • Rainfall-induced slope failure over a wide area is evaluated by 3D LEM. • Effects of rainfall are considered by infiltration and surface flow analysis. • Performance of the proposed method is discussed by reproducing an actual disaster. • Effect of high-resolution terrain data on the analysis is also investigated.