Damage to Natural and Engineering Slopes (Dam Slopes) Caused by Water: Mechanism, Risk Assessment, Monitoring, Warning, and Prevention Technology

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrogeology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 428

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Geo-Hazard Prevention and Geo-Environment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China
Interests: rock mechanics; soil mechanics; geohazards; glacial lake outburst floods; tailings ponds; red beds

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Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
Interests: solid waste utilization; tunnel engineering; tailing pond; soil mechanics; rock mechanics

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Geo-Hazard Prevention and Geo-Environment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China
Interests: fluid flow; heat transfer; phase change; geohazard; ice avalanche; hydraulic rock mechanics; permafrost

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water is regarded as a critical factor in triggering slope collapses. The increasing frequency of human activities and extreme weather events brings a heightened risk of water-induced instability to both natural and engineered slopes. However, the diversity of natural geological environments and their variations across different geographical conditions complicate the mechanisms and risk assessment of water-induced slope failure. With advancements in slope hazard monitoring and early warning technologies, it has become feasible to rapidly detect changes in slope conditions and achieve early warnings. Against this background, studying the mechanisms of water-induced slope destabilization, risk assessment, monitoring and warning systems, and prevention technologies is of great significance. Such research provides a scientific basis and technical support for future disaster prevention and engineering design.

This Special Issue collects research articles on basic and cutting-edge scientific advances related to water-induced slope problems. We welcome submissions on topics such as geotechnical experiments, in situ testing, theoretical analysis, numerical modeling, data fusion, and field investigations using remote sensing. Studies related to geological and environmental hazard assessment and prevention are also encouraged. We particularly welcome research on water-related geohazards aimed at addressing multi-scale and interdisciplinary challenges.

This Special Issue focuses on, but is not limited to, the following aspects:

  • Mechanisms of rainfall-induced slope instability;
  • Hydrological and mechanical interactions in slope stability;
  • Effects of rainfall infiltration and surface runoff on slope erosion;
  • Groundwater dynamics and its influence on slope failure;
  • Numerical modeling of slope destabilization processes;
  • Geotechnical tests;
  • Theoretical and experimental studies on the evaluation of the stability of rock masses on complex slopes;
  • Case studies of slope stability;
  • Development of new monitoring technologies and predictive models for early warning systems;
  • Geohazard prevention;
  • Geohazard risk assessment.

Prof. Dr. Wensong Wang
Dr. Yonghao Yang
Dr. Jie Tan
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • water-induced geohazard
  • slope stability
  • geotechnical tests
  • hazard assessment
  • monitoring
  • early warning

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 22633 KiB  
Article
The Toppling Deformation and Failure Criteria of a Steep Bedding Rock Slope—The Case of a Bank Slope at the Duonuo Hydropower Station
by Tiantao Li, Xuan Li, Kaihong Wei, Jian Guo, Xi Heng, Jing Yuan, Weiling Ran and Xiangjun Pei
Water 2025, 17(4), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17040594 - 18 Feb 2025
Viewed by 295
Abstract
In this study, statistical analysis was conducted to categorize a large number of actual typical cases and analyze the formation conditions of toppling deformation in bedding rock slopes. Based on geological prototypes and similarity theory, a bottom friction test was conducted on the [...] Read more.
In this study, statistical analysis was conducted to categorize a large number of actual typical cases and analyze the formation conditions of toppling deformation in bedding rock slopes. Based on geological prototypes and similarity theory, a bottom friction test was conducted on the toppling deformable body while considering the excavation process. Based on the deformation and failure phenomena observed in the bottom friction test model, along with the displacement curves at key points, the deformation process in steep bedding rock slopes can be divided into the following five distinct stages: the initial phase, the unloading–rebound phase, the tensile failure phase, the bending creep phase, and the bending–toppling damage phase. To evaluate the stability, a new constitutive model of the nonlinear viscoelastic–plastic rheology of rock masses was developed. This model is based on a nonlinear function derived from analyzing the creep test data of rock masses under fractional loading. Furthermore, a mechanical equilibrium differential equation for rock slabs was formulated to quantitatively describe the aging deformation and failure processes of slopes with delayed instability. Finally, a stability criterion and a quantitative evaluation model for toppling deformation slopes that considered time-varying factors were established. The stability of the model was calculated using a hydropower station slope case, and the results were found to be in good agreement with the actual situation. Full article
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