LANDSLIDE TREATMENT USING DEEP DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, REINFORCED SOIL

STRUCTURE AND PILE DRIVING SYSTEM

Nicolae Boţu,
Faculty of civil Engineering, Iaşi, Romania
Dan Carastoian,
Proexrom, Iasi, Romania

ABSTRACT: In the past 10 years, 500 m length of Romanian National Road DN15, built along the lakeshore of “Bicaz” Lake
was affected by serious landslide phenomena and differential ground settlement. Torrential and heavy rain in the past two years,
2005 and 2006, increased the activity of landslides and posed serious threats to infrastructure of the road, affecting the entire traffic
in the area. The infiltration of the pluvial water under the road infrastructure increased the water table level and decreased shearing
strength parameters. Finally, using siphon and electro pneumatic drain system we achieved an optimum design solution, which
provide a safety factor for slope stability and eliminated the activity of land slides.
The siphon and electro pneumatic drain system are modern and efficient solutions to deal with potential sliding zone by lowering
the water table. Keeping an artificial low water level is a solution to the problem of localized water pressure above the sliding area.
The great advantage of the siphon drain solutions is that it works without energy. The electro pneumatic drains work using an
electro pneumatic pump by lowering the water table deeper.

Keywords: Landslide; Siphon drain; Electro pneumatic drain; Deep drainage; Water table; Road; Slope stability

1. INTRODUCTION lifted by a siphon. Other techniques are similarly

limited in their efficiency, for example:
Since 1986, French engineers have developed a
technique using one or more lines of vertical wells - Electric submerged pumps need a rather high
with gravity extraction of water, through minimum flow and need frequent maintenance.
continuously primed siphon pipes, for use where - Well points using vacuum are limited to a depth of
soil permeability and consequently abstraction 6 meters lower than the level of the pump
flows are low; a technique named siphon drains.
Today about 200 siphon drain® sites have been
installed to stabilize shallow landslide areas in 2. SIPHON DRAIN AND ELECTRO
France, Switzerland, Italy and Romania. PNEUMATIC DRAIN PRINCIPLE
Each well is pumped individually through a 2.1. Siphon Drain Principle
siphoning pipe where the diameter is adjusted to the One of the main triggers for landslides is high
flow to be pumped. Each siphon pipe is regulated groundwater levels within the unstable soil mass.
by a hydraulic accumulator equipped with an Drainage is therefore a proven method for
internal siphon inducing a flushing effect, needing stabilizing landslides.
no power, and no moving parts. In the landslip, small diameter siphon drains are
placed in vertical drilled drainage wells. These
wells are generally spaced at between 3 to 6 meter
Siphon drains are a novel technique for landslide
centers and must be sufficiently deep to reach the
stabilization, but their efficiency in vertical drains is
layers to be drained. The wells are pumped using
limited to 9 meters from the top of each siphoning
siphon tubes and the slope of the ground under the
pipe, to lower the water surface since this is the
influence of gravity [1,4], by introducing the
theoretical maximum height of water that can be
upstream ends of pipes of variable diameters all the

1
way down to the bottom of each well and the down same level as in the accumulator. The water level
stream end towards an outlet manhole, situated will then again rise in both the well and
along the slope (Figure 1). accumulator flushing system up to the
predetermined level and then the flushing cycle
If the water level rises in the well, the siphon will
starts again. The siphon system is shown in Figure 2
flow and abstract water out of the well. The flow
and 3.
will continue until water levels in the well fall,
provided that the flow rate in the siphon is sufficient
to keep the siphon primed. As the water rises PVC hydraulic
accumulator
Flushing
system
Complete
system

towards the top of the siphon the pressure falls, and

may approach a perfect vacuum. In the upstream
section the low pressure causes small bubbles to Siphon
pipe

appear. These bubbles tend to coalesce into larger H

ones further downstream. Two forces act on the
bubbles, firstly buoyancy and secondly hydraulic Horizontal
plan of
force due to the flow in the pipe. If buoyancy reference
Tank always full
becomes the major force, the bubbles will collect at with water placed
into well
the summit of the pipe and combine into a single U shape turned
upwards
large bubble, which in time would break the siphon
flow. This can be avoided by using a system that Figure 2. Siphon tubing and flushing system
automatically flushes out bubbles by turbulent flow.
Well Flushing system

Water table
Level

Siphon pipe
from the well

Figure 3. Flushing system running

Fig. 1. Cross section of a siphon drain network

The flushing system consists of an arrangement of 2.2. Technical Description - Siphon Drain
PVC pipes at the downstream end of the siphon The implementation of a deep drainage system
pipe which acts as a hydraulic accumulator [3]. using siphon drains requires a network of wells,
When the water level in the upstream end in the manholes and interconnecting ducts through which
drainage well is nearly the same as the accumulator the siphon tubes run. The main components
there is no flow in the siphon pipe. When the water comprise:
in both the well and PVC accumulator rises and • Well manholes, minimum 1.5m depth and
reaches a certain level, the stored water is quickly 1.2m diameter (Figure 4)
emptied by a simple flushing. The sudden lowering • The wells, typically 100-200mm diameter
of the level of water in the accumulator causes flow well with slotted PVC casing and fine gravel
in the siphon pipe which is sufficient to flush out filter surround, are installed through a pre-
any air bubbles within the siphon (Figure 3). It is formed opening in the base of each manhole
important that both the siphon pipe and pipe work • A polyethylene duct up to 300mm diameter
in the accumulator is correctly sized to achieve a between each manhole for siphon tubing
sufficient flow rate and duration to remove the air (Figure 4)
bubbles from the siphon tube. The flow continues • Spacing between each well generally between
until the water level in the well is lowered to the 3m and 6m (Figure 1)

2
 cabling, the pipes for water discharge and the
compressed air supply. The wells are equipped
with slotted PVC well casing of 110 mm internal
diameter and centralizers and fine gravel filter to
ensure its central location and filtering of incoming
water.
The compressor and the air tank can be located up
to 3000 meters away from the control panel, if the
configuration of the site needs it, and the air coming
into the control panel is cleaned and dried by an air
dryer and filters.
Operating principle:
The electro-pneumatic pump is installed in each
well at the required drawdown depth. When the
Figure 4. Typical manhole with siphon tubing and well. groundwater rises in the well, it enters in and fills
the pump through a non-return ball valve at its base.
• The duct is linked to an outlet manhole The rising water level first reaches a low level
(Figure 5), downhill of the well location, into electrical water level sensor and continues to rise,
which the accumulator flushing systems are and when it finally reaches the high level sensor, an
installed, one per well. electrical connection is made by water conductivity.
• Downstream of the outlet manhole, the water These two sensors (Figure 6) are linked to a relay,
is discharged to a suitable sewer or water which opens a solenoid. Compressed air then passes
course. through the inlet air tube to the electro-pneumatic
• The siphon tubing varies from 10mm to pump, filling it with air and pushing water out of
20mm diameter allowing a flow of around the pump through the outlet tube to the ground
2.9m3/day to 24m3/day respectively. surface to a suitable discharge point. A non-return
ball valve prevents any water coming back in the
pumping chamber.

Figure 5. Outlet manhole and flushing system.

2.3. Electro-pneumatic Drain Principle

The electro-pneumatic pump has been developed to
stabilize landslides by intercepting groundwater at Figure 6. Electro-pneumatic drain principle
greater depths or lowering groundwater to lower
levels than that capable using siphon drain An electrical cable, which is connected to the water
techniques [2]. The electro-pneumatic drains are level detector, is linked through the duct to a control
designed similar to that for the siphon drains with a panel. The control panel (Figure 6) contains a relay
network of manholes and ducting for electrical and solenoid that controls the operation of the

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compressed air-supply pumps. The solenoid switch inversion. The Geologic aspect belongs to the mid-
controls the compressed air supply allowing it to cretaceous and limits of Jurassic period. The zone id
pass from the air compressor and its air tank to the covered by sedimentary deposits quaternary-
compressed air inlet tube to the pump. diluvium, gravity and alluvium. The zone is
characteristic of the tectonics structure at the limit
of sub Carpathians aria with the fundament dobroja-
3. CONSOLIDATION WORKS DESCRIPTION hercynian.
3.1. Introduction 3.3. Existing Pavement Condition
The site is located on road DN 15, 4Km distance of The road DN-15 was built in the early 1960s. Since
the viaduct from Poiana Largului, toward Bicaz then the main intervention was required for
Town. There is a mountain zone with an altitude maintenance and road structure affected by soil
494-503 above sea level on earth. stabilization. Between 1975 and 1976, the
The area of the road affected by landslide (Figure 7) configuration of the road had changed. The subject
is on the second third of hillside in the right side of intervention consisted of a retaining wall,
the Bicaz Lake, between “Izvorul Muntelui” Dam footbridge and drainage system. In the area of the
and “Poiana Largului” on Bistrita valley. The radius proposed site, no intervention was necessary. The
of the road curve is large enough to have a normal current landslide appeared after 2005 due to
visibility. In the past, the configuration of the torrential rains. The only construction along the
original road had been change because of segment of the road is a retaining wall. The subject
successive landslides. Presently, the road is few retaining wall is 90 meters in length; width is 0.25-
hundred meters longer. 0.35 meters and the height at 1.50 meters. The
The grade along existing centre line of the road is retaining wall was constructed using masonry
3.80% slope. The slope of the transversal profile is natural stone units with cement mortar and
28-30%. constructed on a stone rigid foundation. The
dilatation joints were installed at every 6 to 10
meters along the retaining wall. In addition, along
the subject segment of the road there are water
sewers that service private developments. For many
years on NR-15, a landslide mass movement
occurred that developed debris-flow on the
upstream hillside toward road. As a further result of
the torrential, heavy rains, this debris-flow was
activated. A great quantity of soil debris seeped
over the retaining wall, spilling onto the road in turn
preventing traffic. As a result, the mentioned debris
required cleaning.
The resulting debris-flow seepage of the road did
not create tremendously significant damage
Figure 7. General view however; it posed a risk that it can re-occur at any
time causing further problems. Therefore,
3.2. Geology, Geomorphology and Hydrogeology immediate action needed to be taken to prevent
Under geomorphologic aspect, the zone is at the future debris flow.
limit of the Moldavian Sub Carpathian with Presently, the existing damages are due to a slow-
Central-Nordic group of the Eastern Carpathian moving landslide on the downstream hillside .The
surrender by hills with a Geosynclinals origin, with landslides had the following characteristics: length
a monocline and folded structure, with clear of 160 m and width being approximately 12 m-30 m
tectonics layers and the prominent erosion. The (at the top level of retaining wall). The slope of
analyzed zone is located in the top of a folded hillside is 30% and elevation difference between
structure formed in new phases of folded alpine upstream and down stream is a variation from 501m
with a multiple changing over the years. The relief and 545m (accumulative of 44m). The area affected
is selective with a conglomerate and calcareous

4
by landslide (Figure 8) is 3500 sq m and volume of soil from the proximity of road, towards
mass soil movement is 12.200 cm. The maximum downstream, producing erosion to the soil. The
depth of landslide is between 6 to 15 m. The phenomenon had growth in a very short period
previously described debris has a composition of leading, in the end to a local landslide which
marl, sandstone and clay fragments. affected the good running of the road.
On the downstream hillside there is a relatively flat
areas where the accumulated water minimally
ponds. This flat area has a negative slope in certain
areas, which further promotes ponding. The
residents from downstream surrounding areas
complain that the spring excessively ponds
randomly after torrential precipitation.

4. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The damages caused to the road NR-15 are by the
infiltration of the pluvial water leading to
destructive debris-flows activity, one of which
blocked the road. On second turn, the presence of
the underground water at low depths and the storage
Figure 8. Surface Landslide of the soil from the road at the superior section of
the downstream hillside, leading to landslide from
The retaining wall did not visibly incur a large this area.
amount of damage however, vertical cracks and
wall movement (particularly at top masonry units) This phenomenon was facilitated by the insufficient
was observed (Figure 8). The retaining wall was height of retaining wall and the steep slope (30%)
built without a drainage system and the water of the hillside.
approaching the wall could not drain sufficiently On another hand entire the drainage system build in
into the ditch along the roadside. The ditch was 1961-1962 presently are not functional, the drains
clogged due to the continuous debris flow. are clogged with fine sediment accumulated over
the years.
On the downstream we notice two types of
landslides. First landslide is that of the earth Another visible aspect that contributed to aggravate
accumulated at the downstream hillside edge, the landslides is the lack of forest and vegetation on
nearby the road, earth resulted form the upstream hillsides affected already.
hillside flows over the retaining wall, directly on the Proper design can minimize many landslides and
road. The storage of this material was made without debris flows. Presently the soil is very loose due to
compacting, resulting a decreasing of the slope previous soil mass-movement (Figure 8) so is
stability which can be produced at anytime when a necessary to be compacted mechanically. Between
serious freshet strikes. In the second queue because the stable and the affected areas, the slope should be
of accumulation of the earth in the superior part of smaller that the existing slope (22%). Along of the
the downstream hillside, the safety factor of the modeled surface, in the middle of it, to be installs a
respective slope was reduced. The lifting of the ditch toward retaining wall.
underground water level and the pluvial flows leads On the entire length of the ditch and 2.5m of each
to landslides which will have negative effects on the side, will be installed a geo-cells with concrete
nearby buildings. system with height of 5cm. The rest worked area,
Because of the fact that the water which was sloop 1.50m left, to be cover with the seeded top soil
from the upstream hillside were not captured by the layer. In the final phase, to diminish the water
gutters from the front of the retaining wall and quantity infiltrated in soil shall plant trees with
evacuated through sloop footbridge, this one has pivoting roots.
flowed gravitational crossing the road at about 30 m A trench drain network across the landslide, of
upstream the studied area. Because of the high debit which, the main central drain of 55m and secondary
and the important flow speed, the water washed the ditch drainage with length of 6m will be executed.

5
The secondary drains will be building up at a reinforced concrete footing, in section „ L”. The
distance of 5m so that the water resulted form length of footing will be 63.91m. The thickness of
infiltrations to be totally captured at the base of this the horizontally reinforced concrete footing is 70cm
construction. The drain section dimensions are: ( strength reason), but the vertical side will be 60cm
Main network: height 2.00 m, wide 0.80 m high providing the foundation for guide rail, a
Secondary ditch drainage: height 2.00 m, wide 0.80 traffic protection system, which will be installed
m The drains will be filled on a height of 30cm after the reconstruction of the road
from base with gravel 3-7 mm, the rest till to For general slope stability we applied next technical
arranged soil (minus 30cm at surface where will be solutions:
realized a impermeable clay stopper) with ballast.
• the siphon drains solution, by lowering the
Round about will be used a geo-textile with the role
water table within 10m depth.
of filter. At base will be placed a rippled PVC pipe
covered in geo-textile, through which will flow the • the electro pneumatic drains, by lowering the
meteoric drained water. water table within 20-25 m depth.
The filtrated water will be evacuated through the Finally, using these procedures we achieved an
retaining wall from ordinary masonry through optimum design solution, which provide a safety
creating of some weepers. From here the waters will factor for slope stability and the eliminated the
be captured by the existing ditch located along of activity of land slides.
left side of the road.
The structure will be founded on a ballast layer of
30 cm over which will lay a geo-textile layer. The REFERENCES
retaining structure will have a high of 2.54 m and
1. Boţu, N., Carastoian, D. (2003) Slope stabilization with
will be compounded from 11 layers displaced siphon drains, International Consortium of Landslides,
arranged one over other. Behind this one will be Second Annual General Meeting, Vancouver.
compacted a granular material 0-70mm, till the 2. Bomont S. (2002) Drainage with electro pneumatic
level of road platform. In front of this will be drains, Conference JNGG 2002 Nancy – France.
executed a ditch of concrete which will assume the
3. Gress, J.C. (1996) Dewatering a landslip through
pluvial waters which leaching form upstream, siphoning drain – Ten years experiences, Proc 7th
followed on a distance of 3.50m by a geo-cells International Symposium on Landslide (Trondheim)
mattress of 5cm, filled with soil.
The retaining structure has a total length of 78m. 4. Boţu, N., Carastoian, D. (2004) Metodă modernă de
stabilizare a versanţilor prin coborârea pânzei de apă
GENERAL CROSS SECTION
freatică, The 10th National Geotechnical Conference,
siphon drain II: 465-470,

electro pneumatic
clay with
sand layers
drain
initial water level
clay with
sand layers

drawdown pile driving system landslip surface

clay
clay

Figure 9. Typical cross section.

System piles provide an affordable and efficient
solution to foundation setting and slope
stabilization. The piles in the model foundation
have the 18cm diameter and they are line up in 3
rows along a 63.36m road. The poured concrete
piles will be extended to a depth of 7m and
reinforced with longitudinal bares and hooped
reinforcement. In the top, all 44 concrete piles will
be tied together providing the base for the road, a