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STUDY OF LANDSLIDES IN MEDITERRANEAN BYPASS ROAD: CASE OF JEBHA

Article  in  Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences · November 2019

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 VOL. 14, NO. 21, NOVEMBER 2019 ISSN 1819-6608
ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2019 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

STUDY OF LANDSLIDES IN MEDITERRANEAN BYPASS ROAD:

CASE OF JEBHA
Soukaina Meziane, Lahcen Bahi and Latifa Ouadif
L3GIE Laboratory, Mohammadia Engineering School, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
E-Mail: soukaina.meziane@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The Mediterranean Bypass road in the North of Morocco is frequently subject to landslides. In this paper, the case
of Jebha is studied to deduce trigger factors and then to suggest reinforcement solutions. Between the PK5+300 and
PK6+000, a slip of the slope is occurred even if it was stabilized during project work. To analyse soil consistency,
geotechnical recognition is established. Based on material characteristics, slope mechanism model is done using 2D finite
elements modelling using Plaxis software. Results show that vulnerable geotechnical nature of materials, rugged
topography and saturated soil in El Jebha cause slippage. Therefore, to ensure safe traffic flow comfortably, solutions of
reinforcement are proposed.

Keywords: jebha, landslide, modelling, mediterranean bypass, stability.

INTRODUCTION DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE

Jebha is located on the north Rif of Morocco On the Mediterranean Bypass, the road alignment
belonging to the Chefchaouen Province. The area knows a is often in laces (Figure-1) at different altitude, higher in
Mediterranean climate semi-arid with wet winter and dry rising track and lower in descending way. Alternatives to
and warm summer. The study area is a mountainous area this type of projects are tunnels but the project for the
marked by variable altimetry and by tender deposits with development of the Bypass road will be more expensive
lithological and tectonic conditions combined with the especially that the road crosses an important linear which
recent seismic activity, which affect the stability of slopes connects the entire region of the Rif. Because of the
and generate landslides in this portion of the rugged topography and the vulnerable geotechnical nature
Mediterranean coastline (Maurer [1] and Meziane [2]). In of soil, the construction of the bypass road between 2007
addition, the effect of precipitation is to be taken into and 2012 was particularly difficult and the stabilization of
consideration. In fact, the amount of the annual rainfall is slopes was crucial during the execution of the work. In this
effective only with the conjunction, during the same rainy article, the section between the PK5+300 and PK6+000
year of intensity and the pace of precipitation (Mokhtari from El Jebha is studied. The route alignment is presented
[3]). As well, this dynamism represents, in this region, a in laces with traffic of 1684 cars per day. Despite the slope
handicap to the realization of potential development was stabilized with 2/3 angle of repose with berm without
projects. bolting because the soil was considered rocky, a landslide
This work concerns the study of landslides in the has recently triggered.
area of El Jebha. In fact, a section between PK5+300 and This study initiates firstly geotechnical
PK6+000 of the Bypass Mediterranean is subject of a recognition of soil then analyses characteristics of the field
landslide. Therefore, a detailed description of the area to deduce the factors triggers of the landslide. On the basis
and the consistency of the soil on the section is first of the geotechnical investigation, a finite element model is
presented. Then, taking into account the characteristics of established for modelling the mechanism of the landslide
the materials, the mechanism of the landslide is and to predict the degree of danger that can cause the slip
analyzed through a numerical finite elements model using on the road and its users.
the PLAXIS software [4]. Finally, if later slippage occurs,
several solutions are recommended.

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ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2019 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

Figure-1. Extract of satellite image of the area of study.

The characteristics of the soil and triggering factors of a geotechnical study is required. In fact, on 120 ml, four
instability boreholes are conducted to the PK5 + 762, PK5 + 846,
The main factors of instability are the mechanical PK5 + 897 and PK5 + 950 of the Mediterranean route
characteristics of materials (cohesion and friction), the from El Jebha.
particle size distribution (the fine fraction FF) and the Table-1 summarizes the characteristics of soil
plasticity index IP (Gokceoglu, [5]; Remondo [6]; Faleh extract from boreholes.
[7]; Labriki [8]). To deal with land instabilities,

Figure-2. 4 Boreholes carried out respectively at PK 5 + 762, PK5 + 846, PK5 + 897 and PK5 + 950
of the Mediterranean road from El Jebha.

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ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2019 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

Table-1. Characteristics of soil extract from boreholes.

AtterbergLi
Particle size analysis
Borehole Borehole Depth mit Water
Soil nature Φ C
No. at KP (m) content
%<0.08 %<2 %<50 Dmax
Wl Ip
mm mm mm (mm)
-3.9 - - - - - - - 9.3
sandstone presence 18 10
-4.9 of yellowish sandy NM NM 23.5 62 78.7 100 7
1 5+762 silt
Alternation of
-10 limestone, marl, - - - - - - - 32 30
argillite and siltite

AtterbergLi
Particle size analysis
Borehole Borehole Depth mit Water
Soil nature Φ C
No. at PK (m) content
%<0.08 %<2 %<50 Dmax
Wl Ip
mm mm mm (mm)
-2.4 - - - - - - - 18.7
-3.4 - - - - - - - 10.2
Sandy silt 18 10
2 5+846 -4.9 sandstone ++ 29 13 17.9 34.6 92.1 80 5.1
trace of Marne
Alternation of
limestone, marl, - - - - - - - 32 30
argillite and siltite
-1.9 - - - - - - - 11.3
-3.5 - - - - - - - 5.5
-3.8 - - - - - - - 4.9 18 10
3 5+897 Sandstone +sandy
-5 31 14 10.7 22.4 86.1 100 3.4
silt
Alternation of
-10 limestone, marl, - - - - - - - 32 30
argillite and siltite
-1.7 - - - - - - - 7.3
-5.10 - - - - - - - 5.3 18 10
Altered sandstone
-7.3 41 23 13.6 23.5 77.3 100 7.7
4 5+950 +trace of Marne
Alternation of
limestone,
-10 - - - - - - - 32 30
marl, argillite,
siltite

The landslide is located on a mountainous area analysis of the soil characteristics is summarized in the
(β=30%) where the soil is made up of soft little-plastic to Table-2.
plastic materials with presence of the fine fraction. The

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ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
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Table-2. Summary of the analysis of geotechnical characteristics.

Factor Class Description

c'=< 10 Soft material (Low Cohesion)
Cohesion
25< c'=<45 Solid material (average cohesion)
β =30° > φ=18 Area at risk of instability
Friction and slope
β =30° < φ=32 Area of low stability
1 FF =62 >= 35% Behavior of fine fraction
Fine fraction (%<2mm) 2 12 <FF=34.6 < 35% Sandy soil and gravel with presence of the fine fraction
to survey no. 3 12 < FF=22.4< 35% Sandy soil and gravel with presence of the fine fraction
4 12 < FF=23.5< 35% Sandy soil and gravel with presence of the fine fraction
2 05 < ip=13 <=15 Little plastic ground
Plasticity index for the
3 05 < ip=14 <=15 Little plastic ground
ground No.
4 15< ip=23 <=40 Plastic

Thus, the analysis of the components of the soil A. Analysis of current state
gives that approximately two layers of soils can compose
the soil:
- A middle-altered layer of 5m in thickness
constituted by the detrital material with yellowish
and reddish silt based on sandstone highly
fractured with presence of greenish pelites. This
layer is highly fragile. In the presence of water,
the risk of slipping and the gully erosion
increases and the slope may occur. As well, their
stabilization and the remediation of slope
becomes crucial to prevent the infiltration of
water to the deeper layers causing landslides in
large scale.
- A substratum constituted by an alternation of
limestone, marl, argillites and siltstones with Figure-3. Profile of the slope.
presence of gravel and blocks.
The profile of the slope shows a 2/3 angle of
SLIP MODELLING BETWEEN THE PK5+300 AND repose where the road cut the slope on three sections with
PK6+000 a charge due to maximum traffic estimated during
The slop modeling isdone by PLAXIS 2D v8 [4]. the simultaneous passage of heavy weight truck with three
The software is a finite element package for the analysis of axles.
deformation and stability in geotechnical From the geotechnical campaign above, the
engineering. Many studies have used PLAXIS in 2D necessary ground characteristics for modeling
deformation modeling (Akhssas [9]; Zheng [10-11]; Baba are summarized in the following Table-3:
[12]; Ouadif [13]).

Table-3. Summary of soil 1 and soil 2 characteristics.

Ɣ𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒂𝒕 (KN. m3) Ɣ𝒔𝒂𝒕 (KN. m3) K (m.s) Γ E (MPa) C (KPa) Φ (°)
Soil 1 19 20 1. E-4 0.3 17 10 18
Soil 2 20 23 1. E-4 0.3 50 30 32

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ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences
©2006-2019 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

Fs=0.9

Figure-7. Total displacements if none draining correctly.

Figure-4. 2D Deformation mesh of slope by Plaxis V8.
The more water continues to infiltrate in deeper
layers, the more slip is important (Figures 6 and 7). The
presence of tender materials (alternation of limestone,
marl, argillites and siltstones) with solid materials (gravels
and blocks) on a ground not drained leads that the
mechanical characteristics of fine elements become weak
and their resistance drops in the presence of water.
Therefore, materials pass from the plastic state to the
liquid state causing landslide but this time on large scale
even in presence of gravel and rock blocs.

DISCUSSIONS
The land stabilization requires a regular
Figure-5. Total displacements.
maintenance [14-15]. Sometimes, in later slippage,
repairing solutions are recommended as follows:
The slop modeling (Figures 4 and 5) shows that
 Need to evacuate and purge the remolded materials
the landslide occurred because of the collapse of the top
layer scarped of 2/3 angle of repose. As the silty material  Excavate the bedrock to support the alternative
is laid on the fractured sandstone and due to rainwater materials
infiltration, the mechanical characteristics of the soil  Rebuild the slope 1/1 of repose angle from the bottom
become weak because of the abundance of the fine to the top by the establishment of rockfill, which plays
fraction in which the resistance drops when the free water the role of filter and blocks of fine elements
appears during the wet periods. Thus, soft materials pass  Requires restoring berms continuity to ensure storm
from plastic state to liquid state causing the slipping under
its own weight. water flow
In case the draining is not addressed correctly,  To restore water flow on berms, the voids between the
huge ground movements can occur and becomes then a riprap will be filled by Sandy gravels and then
real danger for route and its users. covered by large concrete
 If important slip occurs, a stabilization study must be
B. Modeling in the case of non- repair of the slope redone to take account of the new conditions by
adopting the most appropriate solution without on-
sizing the workings.

CONCLUSIONS
The slip between the PK 5+300 at PK6+000 of
the Mediterranean Bypass from El Jebha is only an
example of landslides in the Rif region. Because of the
vulnerable geotechnical nature of ground, its rugged
topography, its tectonic activity (overlap of two normal
faults), its saturated and watered soil (high precipitation
and important presence of sources), El Jebha knows land
Figure-6. Mesh deformation in the event of non- instabilities. Therefore, to ensure safe traffic flow
processing of the Remediation. comfortably, the maintenance of supporting walls and
storm water drainage are important.

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©2006-2019 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.

www.arpnjournals.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS [9] Akhssas A., Bahi L., Lahmili A., Ouadif L. 2011.
The authors thank the anonymous readers for Study of the stability of rock slope. Canadian Journal
their comments and suggestions that have helped to on Scientific and Industrial Research. 2(2): 35-39.
improve the quality of manuscript.
[10] Zheng H., Liu D. F., Li C. G. 2005. Slope stability
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