An Instrumented Flume to Investigate the Mechanics of Rainfall-induced Landslides in Unsaturated Granular Soils

The mechanics of rainfall-induced flowslides in pyroclastic soils have yet to be completely clarified. The complexity of phenomena (rainfall-induced failure in initially unsaturated granular deposits, post-failure transition to flow-like landslide) requires the use of a well-equipped small-scale flume. To this aim, flume experiments at the Second University of Naples were performed to analyze the fundamental aspects of such phenomena. A new experimental program is now being carried out to assess the performance of a time domain reflectometry device and optical fibers as indicators of impending failure. The paper describes the instrumented flume and the procedures adopted for monitoring the major aspects of slope behavior. Our first experimental results are very promising in this respect.