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<p>Azazga, located in the mountainous Kabylie region of northern Algeria, is highly affected by recurrent and progressive landslides controlled by complex geomorphological and hydro-climatic conditions, posing major constraints on infrastructure and urban development. The increasing frequency and intensity of landslides events over the past two decades underscore the necessity for accurate identification of failure mechanisms, particularly the depth and geometry of the sliding surface, in order to guide stabilization strategies and ensure sustainable urban development. Although inclinometer monitoring remains the reference method for detecting slip surfaces, its high cost and long observation time limit its applicability for rapid geotechnical investigations. This study evaluates the accuracy and reliability of Pressuremeter Test (PMT) as a rapid and practical alternative for detecting sliding surfaces, calibrated and validated using inclinometer measurement, piezometric monitoring, and laboratory geotechnical tests on several active landslide-affected slopes in the Azazga urban area. The adopted methodology combines : (1) detailed landslide inventory mapping, (2) deep boreholes equipped with inclinometers and piezometers, (3) continuous PMT profiling, and (4) laboratory geotechnical testing. The landslide inventory map reveals a significant active landslides, covering an area of 2.883 km<sup>2</sup>, representing 31.4% of the urbanized perimeter. PMT profiles systematically show marked reductions in limit pressure (Pₗ) and shear modulus (Eₘ) at depths corresponding to shear zones identified by inclinometer displacement profiles, with differences generally less than ± 1–2&#xa0;m, demonstrating strong agreement between the two methods. The detected slip surfaces are associated with clayey marl interlayers characterized by low strength and high plasticity. Time-series analysis of rainfall, piezometric level, and displacement reveals a delayed hydro-mechanical response ranging from 0 to 2 months, with Pearson correlation coefficients between rainfall and displacement varying from <i>r</i> = 0.48 to 0.94. Displacement acceleration occurs when the estimated degree of saturation exceeds Sr ≈ 0.85%, indicating a hydro-mechanical activation threshold controlled by pore-pressure increase. These results demonstrate that PMT calibrated with limited inclinometer data provides a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective method for sliding-surface detection, thereby improving landslide characterization, hazard assessment, and stabilization design in mountainous Mediterranean environments.</p>

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Accuracy and validation of pressuremeter tests for determining sliding surface depth in landslide-affected slopes: case study of Azazga, Algeria

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月19日

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  • Hamid Bourenane,
  • Kahina Azoug

摘要

Azazga, located in the mountainous Kabylie region of northern Algeria, is highly affected by recurrent and progressive landslides controlled by complex geomorphological and hydro-climatic conditions, posing major constraints on infrastructure and urban development. The increasing frequency and intensity of landslides events over the past two decades underscore the necessity for accurate identification of failure mechanisms, particularly the depth and geometry of the sliding surface, in order to guide stabilization strategies and ensure sustainable urban development. Although inclinometer monitoring remains the reference method for detecting slip surfaces, its high cost and long observation time limit its applicability for rapid geotechnical investigations. This study evaluates the accuracy and reliability of Pressuremeter Test (PMT) as a rapid and practical alternative for detecting sliding surfaces, calibrated and validated using inclinometer measurement, piezometric monitoring, and laboratory geotechnical tests on several active landslide-affected slopes in the Azazga urban area. The adopted methodology combines : (1) detailed landslide inventory mapping, (2) deep boreholes equipped with inclinometers and piezometers, (3) continuous PMT profiling, and (4) laboratory geotechnical testing. The landslide inventory map reveals a significant active landslides, covering an area of 2.883 km2, representing 31.4% of the urbanized perimeter. PMT profiles systematically show marked reductions in limit pressure (Pₗ) and shear modulus (Eₘ) at depths corresponding to shear zones identified by inclinometer displacement profiles, with differences generally less than ± 1–2 m, demonstrating strong agreement between the two methods. The detected slip surfaces are associated with clayey marl interlayers characterized by low strength and high plasticity. Time-series analysis of rainfall, piezometric level, and displacement reveals a delayed hydro-mechanical response ranging from 0 to 2 months, with Pearson correlation coefficients between rainfall and displacement varying from r = 0.48 to 0.94. Displacement acceleration occurs when the estimated degree of saturation exceeds Sr ≈ 0.85%, indicating a hydro-mechanical activation threshold controlled by pore-pressure increase. These results demonstrate that PMT calibrated with limited inclinometer data provides a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective method for sliding-surface detection, thereby improving landslide characterization, hazard assessment, and stabilization design in mountainous Mediterranean environments.