Overview

  In order to prevent and mitigate the ground disasters in soil structures (slopes, levee, embankments, etc.) caused by heavy rainfall, this study aims to evaluate the applicability and development of hydrophobic soil material as new ground materials including its shear strength and water retention characteristics. The hydrophobic soil material is made by the silanization process on natural ground materials in order to improve permeability and water retention characteristics. Since this material has water repellency not found in natural soil materials, if this is used as the surface layer and covering layer of soil structures, the infiltration of rainwater into soil structures can be suppressed, and mitigation of the ground disasters is expected. In order to verify the application method of such hydrophobic ground material, the indoor model experiments and numerical simulations (infiltration flow analysis and stability analysis) are carried out.

Expected effects

  By the application of hydrophobic soil material, the infiltration of rainwater into the ground is suppressed 100%, and the safety of soil structures can be improved. Therefore, it is expected that this can be a measure for creating a safe ground environment.