Water content and its effect on a slope failure in Bangladesh

Most of Bangladesh is flat. However small areas of the country including Sylhet, Chittagong, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachari and Cox’s Bazar are hilly. Slope failures are common in Bangladesh during the monsoon season. As a consequence, every year both property and lives are lost due to slope failure on hilly areas. In this study, the causes of slope failure and the remedial measures required are discussed with a case study of slope failure at Himsory of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. Stability analyses of the failed slope have been investigated by adding water in different proportions to get the critical condition of this slope. From the test results, it is found that shear strength parameters of the soil decrease with an increase of water content. As a result the slope failure occurs when the slope becomes saturated.