Research

Geomechanics and Geohazards

Flow Liquefaction and Flowslide in Tailings Materials (and other intermediate soils)

A core focus of GeoSRL is on using laboratory testing and physical modelling to better understand the pre-failure deformation and the initiation of a flowslide, with a focus on analyzing the onset of flow liquefaction in flowslides in intermedium soils (including tailings materials). These studies are critical for the development of an analytical and numerical framework for the initiation mechanism of brittle failures in tailings materials under the framework of critical state soil mechanics; the results showed that soil structure can impede or facilitate the onset of flow liquefaction depending on the state of the soil. We have also conducted multiple centrifuge tests to explore the deformation process related to the changing phreatic surface and slope geometry in silty loess and to analyze the effects of drained-to-undrained transition and the resultant perturbation of pore-water pressure on slope stability. The Geotechnical Centre at the University of Alberta hosts a new 50 g-tonne beam centrifuge facility. Our research group has a long-term collaboration on centrifuge and physical modelling with the State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (SKLGP) at the Chengdu University of Technology in China.

Selected references:

Zhao K, Xu Q, Liu F, Gao D, Peng D, Chen W (2024) Centrifuge modeling of loess slope failure induced by rising water level utilizing intact sample. Engineering Failure Analysis, 108572.
Macedo JE, Sotelo G, Orellana S, Vergaray L, Liu F, Jaffal H, El Mohtar C (2023) Geotechnical characterization of collapsible salty sands subjected to monotonic and cyclic loadings - A case study for areas with high seismicity. Soils and Foundations, 63(1):101252.
Liu F, Xu Q, Zhang Y, Macedo JE (2022), Influence of fines content on the undrained flow instability of loess. Géotechnique Letters, 12, 1-7.
Liu F, Xu Q, Zhang Y, Frost JD, Zhang X (2019) State-dependent flow instability of a silty loess. Géotechnique Letters, 9(1), 22-27.
Qi X, Xu Q, Liu F (2018) Analysis of the retrogressive loess flowslides in Heifangtai terrace, China. Engineering Geology, 236, 119-128.

Constitutive Model and Granular Behaviours

We are implementing constitutive models (including Norsand and CSUH models) and developing new models to directly compare the mechanical behaviours of a natural cemented soil at its intact and reconstituted states, i.e., the effect of de-structuration, while everything else is equal, as well as to quantify the effects of structure, including de-cementation and layering in intermediate soils. Our recent study shows that the structure effects on flow instability is most pronounced for HFT silty loess the confining stress around 100 kPa.

Selected references:

Zhao R, Liu F (2025) Modelling the effects of structure on the mechanical behaviour and instability of a silty loess. Computers and Geotechnics, 179, 107011.
Zheng L, Jin L, Liu F (2022). NorSand modelling for evaluating the triggering of flowslides in loess. Proceedings of the 75th Canadian Geotechnical Conference (GeoCalgary 2022).
Jin L, Zheng L, Fuggle A, Liu F (2022) Back-analyzing the triggering of a retrogressive loess flowslide. Proceedings of the 8th Canadian Conference on Geotechnique and Natural Hazards (Geohazards8).

System and Geosystem Resilience

Post-disaster Community Recovery Estimation

The ongoing study at the GSR lab focus on post-disaster recovery estimation to address the ‘resilience inequality’ within a physical and/or a social system. The ongoing study analyzes the post-earthquake recovery of representative communities; this is to improve resource reallocation after a disaster and aid recovery, especially in developing countries where recovery plans and critical infrastructure are often inadequate.

Selected references:

Acharya P, Sharma K, Liu F (2024) Türkiye’s road to recovery after the 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquake: Lessons from Chile, Japan, and Nepal. Natural Hazards Review, 25(4), 04024031.
Acharya P, Zhao Y, Liu F (2023) A Bayesian-based approach for post-disaster recovery estimation enhancement. International Conference on Construction Resources for Environmentally Sustainable Technologies (IC-CREST 2023).

Advanced Geosystems Sensing

The GSR lab is to develop an integrated multi-platform sensing infrastructure to improve the operation, closure and reclamation of TSF via the development and Al-enabled integration of multi-dimensional data to support predictive maintenance. Through the implementation of sensing and algorithms on landslide failures, we have developed surface sensing-based and image-based methods for advanced monitoring of soil/rock slope and infrastructure performances. The GSR lab has also developed new remote sensing monitoring frameworks for mining and tailings geotechnical and geoenvironmental monitoring.

Selected references:

Acharya P, Beier N, Liu F (2024) Cloud-based geotechnical monitoring for tailings pond using Sentinel remote sensing images. Proceedings of the 77th Canadian Geotechnical Conference (GeoMontreal 2024).
Li X, Li B, Liu F, Li T, Nie X (2023) Advances in the application of deep learning methods to digital rock technology. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 8(1).
Acharya P*, Liu F (2023) Spectral index monitoring for temporal changes in mining areas. Tailings and Mine Waste 2023.

Resilient Landslide and Debris-Flow Mitigation Systems

The GSR lab investigates the mitigation measures for landslide and embankment failures via fieldwork, laboratory testing, and advanced physical modelling. In particular, a significant increase in debris flow occurrence was observed after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, which can be attributed to the increase in sediment flux caused by a large number of co-seismic landslides. We performed a systematic quantitative evaluation of the performance of the post-earthquake debris-flow mitigation system, including the design of a novel resilient debris-flow mitigation system in the Wenjia gully.

Selected references:

Xu Q, Zhao K, Liu F, Peng D, Chen W (2021) Effects of land use on groundwater recharge of a loess terrace under long-term irrigation. Science of the Total Environment: 142340
Liu F, Xu Q, Yu B, Dong X, Frost JD, Li H (2017) Design and performance of a novel multi-function debris flow mitigation system in Wenjia gully, Sichuan. Landslides, 14(6), 2089-2104.

geoAR (for fun...)

Site information is perishable and typically collected below the desired level of resolution both spatially and temporally. We are proposing a framework for integrating an Augmented Reality (AR) system to enhance pre-/post-disaster reconnaissance and education for landslides. We incorporated Point Cloud data of the post-disaster geomorphological information of a landslide to generate 3-D visualizations to better present, share, and collaborate over a web-based AR platform.

You can access our geoAR by scanning the following QR code using your smart device and placing the virtual landslide over the Hiro marker.

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