Earth structures and slopes on roads

Geology Research Team

Soil Mechanics and Dynamics Research Team
Construction Technology Research Team

Geology and Geotechnical Engineering Research Group

Public Works Research Institute

Tofugaura, Noda Village (6. Photo 23-29)

Akita Pref.
Iwate Pref.

Koganezawa, Kesennuma City

(7. Photo 31,32)
Kurauchi(Photo 30(a)),
Koizumi(Photo 30(b)(c)),
Kesennuma City (6.)

Yamagata Pref. Miyagi Pref.

Shizugawa(Photo 33),
Kamidaibou(Photo 34),
Minamisanriku Town (7.)
Narita, Ishinomaki City (4.)
Fushiogami, Fukushima City (2.)

Niigata Pref.
Tamachi, Yabuki Town (3.)

Fukushima Pref.
Kamikamato, Iwaki City (5.)

(Map by Geospatial Information Authority of Japan)

Fig.1 Location map of damaged sites mentioned

1. Summary
Damage to earth structures and slopes on roads is minor,
in general, but there are some characteristic cases like the
following pages.
Damage was mainly caused by the main shock and
tsunami on 11th March, and an aftershock on 11th April.
Main types of damage are collapse of embankment filling
up the valley, settlement of embankment on the soft ground,
collapse of the loosened slope, landslide on the slope of
Neogene rocks, and damage to embankments and slope
protection works by tsunami.
Retaining walls were not damaged without damage of back
filling soil.

2. Collapse of the embankment filling up the

valley close to the national road
Collapse volume : about 11,000m3
Collapse was caused by the main shock on 11th March,
and closed the national road.
The embankment was developed as a residential area by
private company about 40 years ago.
The embankment fills up the valley. Filling material mainly
consists of excavated soil of pyroclastic deposits.

Photo 2

Photo 4

Photo 5
National road

Photo 1 Collapse of the embankment of residential area constructed filling up the valley close to the national road

Photo 3

Photo 2 Upper part of the collapse

Photo 3 Head of the collapse

(Photo by Fukushima Office of River and National Highway, MLIT)

Photo 4 Middle part of the collapse and moved road surface

Photo 5 Toe of the collapse covering the national road

3. Damage of the embankment of the

prefectural road on the soft ground
Damage was caused by the main shock on 11th March.
Settlement of the embankment occurred, and many cracks
appeared on the top of the embankment (road surface).
The foundation ground of the embankment was soft ground
consisting of clayey soil (about 3 in N-value and 15m in
thickness). Cracks also appeared on the foundation ground.

Photo 6 Settlement in the embankment of the

prefectural road (red arrows)

Photo 8 Cracks on the road embankment

Photo 7 Cracks on the foundation ground of the

embankment (red arrows)

4. Collapse of the loosened slope on

the national road
Collapse volume : unknown (because depth is unknown)
Collapse was caused by the main shock on 11th March,
and collapsed again 3 days after the main shock.
The geology of the slope is Triassic slate.
Deep loosening of the slope is estimated from the aerial
photographic interpretation result and boring.

Boring point (above the slope)

Photo 12

Photo 13

Photo 10, 11

Photo 14
(Photo by Sendai Office of River and National Highway, MLIT)

Photo 9 Damage of the national road by slope failure

Red broken line : collapsed area by the earthquake
Red dotted line : scarp in the upper slope

(Photo by Sendai Office of River and National Highway, MLIT)

Photo 10 Disaster site about 10 hours after the main shock

Photo 12 Scarp in the upper slope (between red arrows)

(Photo by Sendai Office of River and National Highway, MLIT)

Photo 11 Disaster site about 3 days after the main shock

Photo 13 Deformed slope

Red arrows : cracks in the slope

depth(m)

depth(m)

Photo 14 Left side of the toe

Photo 15 Core obtained from a borehole above the collapsed slope

0 12m : Core is well weathered and yellow/brown in color.
Many cracks and clay filling cracks are observed.
Bellow 12m : Core is relatively hard and grayish in color. Many
cracks and clay filling cracks are also observed.
(Photo by Sendai Office of River and National Highway, MLIT)

(Photo by Geospatial Information Authority of Japan)

Fig.2 Aerial photographic interpretation map of surrounding slope

5. Damage of the prefectural road by

landslide
Landside volume : unknown (because depth is unknown)
Landslide was caused by the aftershock on 11th April, and
closed the prefectural road.
The geology is Neogene tuffaceous sedimentary rocks.
Ground anchor works measured on the cut slope (toe of
the landslide) were damaged.

Photo 22

Photo 21
Photo 17

Photo 18, 19

Photo 20

(Photo by Fukushima Pref.)

Photo 16 Damage of the prefectural road by landslide
Red broken line : landslide area occurred by the earthquake
Blue arrow : direction of the landslide movement

Photo 17 Left side of the toe

Photo 19 Damaged ground anchor works

Photo 18 Uplift of the road surface at the toe

Photo 20 Right side of the toe

Landslide body

Depression zone

Photo 21 Cracks in the landslide

Photo 22 Head of the landslide

6. Damage of the slope protection works

on the national road by tsunami
There were some cases of damage to slope protection works
caused by the tsunami after main shock on 11th March.
One case is damage of concrete frame (precast concrete
frame and cast-in-place concrete frame) as follows.
Precast concrete frame : Stones inside the frame and soil
back of the frame were washed away. The frame members
were also washed away partially.
Cast-in-place concrete frame : Shotcrete inside the frame and
soil back of the frame were washed away. The frame members
were broken at many points.
Another case is stripping of shotcrete on the slope.

Photo 24

Photo 25

Photo 23 The site of damage of slope protection works

(precast concrete frame) by tsunami

Photo 24 Damage of precast concrete frame

Photo 25 Opening back of the precast concrete frame by

the washout of soil

Photo 29

Photo 28
Photo 27

Photo 26 The site of damage of slope protection works

(cast-in-place concrete frame) by tsunami

Photo 28 Damage of the concrete frame member

Photo 27 Damage of concrete frame

Photo 29 Damage of the concrete frame member

(a)

(b)

Photo 30 Stripping of the shotcrete on the cut slope on

road in the area struck by tsunami
Tsunami reached over the top of the shotcrete in every
case of (a)-(c).
(c)

7. Embankments and retaining walls

in the area struck by tsunami
Various scales of damage to embankments were caused by
the tsunami after the main shock on 11th March.
There was a case of the loss of the retaining wall in case that
the embankment back of the retaining wall was damaged.
No damage of retaining wall was observed, unless the back
filling soil was damaged.

Photo 31 Damage of the embankment by tsunami

Photo 33 Concrete block retaining wall on the cut slope

in the area struck by tsunami
Tsunami reached over the top of the retaining wall, but
no damage of the retaining wall was observed.

Photo 32 Damage of the embankment by tsunami

Retaining wall at the foot of the embankment was lost
in the part where embankment was damaged.

Photo 34 Concrete block retaining wall on the road

embankment in the area struck by tsunami
Tsunami reached over the road surface, but no
damage of the retaining wall was observed.