Rainfall-induced transportation embankment failure: A review

Abstract Rainfall is one of the leading causes of transportation embankment failure. Similarly, the fill material properties and the loading conditions of the embankment serve as principals for assessing the mechanisms of potential failures that are derived from rainfall-related events. These events affect the hydro-mechanical behaviors of embankment fills and cast doubt on the construction and service life of most transportation-infrastructure. This article presents a review, of existing available records to critically examine rainfall-induced transportation embankment failures, causes, mechanisms, existing measures, and prevention techniques. Consequently, a review of the susceptibility assessment of infrastructures due to rainfall-induced failures, particularly in China, and embankment characteristics and their effects on the duration, magnitude, and safety of the infrastructures was carried out. The study was able to classify rainfall conditions as they influence embankment stability. We suggest the development of local and global rainfall-embankment fill material relationships that will give unique information on how rainfall-events change the behavior of fill material and to what extent they trigger failures. A summary of some of the active processes leading to transportation embankment failures is presented. Finally, we concluded by identifying future and prospective rainfall-induced transportation embankment failures that will enhance monitoring and mitigation of instability in embankments.