Heating-induced strengthening or weakening of clays during slow to fast shearing at landslide stress levels

Abstract

Changes in temperature in landslide shear zones can derive from frictional heating but also groundwater flow or heat exchange with the atmosphere. This is especially relevant in shallow landslides under seasonal and long-term climatic forcing. How temperature controls the shear resistance in these landslides is poorly constrained. We explored the response of two pure clays (Ca-bentonite and kaolin) under landslide stress levels (50-150 kPa) and slow-to-rapid shearing (0.018-44.5 mm/min). We modified a ring-shear device to permit temperature control (20-50 C). We observed important heating-induced strengthening in bentonite during slow shearing, but also weakening and again strengthening during faster shearing. Effects in kaolin were generally of opposite sign and lower magnitude compared to those in bentonite. Although more analyses are warranted in natural soils and in a lower temperature range, we argue that the thermal sensitivity of clays may matter not only in fast and large, but also in slow and shallow landslides in clay soils. However, case-by-case investigations should be performed to evaluate how thermal sensitivity combines with concurrent processes of atmosphere-soil interaction.