Stability analysis of an unsaturated soil slope considering rainfall infiltration based on the Green-Ampt model

Based on the principle of saturated infiltration and the Green-Ampt model, an unsaturated infiltration model for a soil slope surface was established for either constant moisture content, or depth-varying moisture content and the slope. Infiltration parameters in the partially saturated slope were revealed under sustained rainfall. Through analysis of the variation of initial moisture content in the slope, the ponding time, infiltration depth, and infiltration rate were deduced for an unsaturated soil slope subject to rainfall infiltration. There is no ponded water on the surface of the slope under sustained low-intensity rainfall. The results show that the infiltration parameters of an unsaturated slope are influenced by the initial moisture content and the wetting front saturation, the soil cohesion and rainfall intensity under sustained rainfall. More short-term slope failures can occur with the decrease of cohesion of the soil of the slope. The ponding time and infiltration depth differ considering constant or different initial moisture content respectively in the soil slope. Then, best-fit curves of the infiltration rate, ponding time, and infiltration depth to the wetting front saturation were obtained with constant or different initial moisture contents. And the slope failure time is roughly uniform when subject to a rainfall intensityI>5 mm/h.