Experimental study on heterogeneous slope responses to drawdown

In order to investigate the responses of the heterogeneous slope to drawdown, four slope models with different structures were made using the silty soil, mixed soil and medium sand. Three testing schemes with different drawdown rates were carried out. In the testing, some partial failures were observed along the surface of each slope model. The partial failures displayed the influence of the structure and material of the slope model on its stability. The pore water pressure was measured using the piezometer tubes buried in the models. The testing results indicated that the pore water pressure was much affected by the material of the slope model, but was very little affected by the thin middle layer in the slope model.