The Journal of Engineering Geology ISSN:1226-5268(Print) 2287-7169(Online) 지질공학

This study examines the effect of collector well installed to reduce groundwater level in the regions with the occurrence of landcreep, a soil mass movement triggered by instability on slopes. Slopes are prone to failure as a result of instability caused by its internal, topographic and geological properties as well as due to external factors such as rainfall and earthquake. In Korea during the rain season, rainfall infiltration affects the groundwater level in soil, building up porewater pressure and load, and finally drives slopes to collapse. Slope failure caused by rainfall infiltration has been leading to a drastic forest degradation. The studied slope is located adjacent to a valley, its terrain corresponds to piedmont gentle slope, while the upper part of the failure surface is steep. After reinforcing the terrain where landcreep had occurred and installing collector well on the slope, we measured the changes in the groundwater level. In order to analyze the relationship between the well and the slope, we calculated the ratio of groundwater level to rainfall before and after the installation of the collector well. As a result, it is confirmed that the ratio increases after the installation of the well, which in turn reduces the groundwater level. Analysis of the change in groundwater level after 3, 7, 15 days antecedent rainfall showed that the higher the overall groundwater level, the less the value (r_p) of groundwater level-rainfall ratio is, while the value becomes relatively greater when the groundwater level is low. In particular, if a slope has a large catchment basin as is in the case of the studied site, antecedent rainfall affects groundwater level in the order of 3 < 7 < 15 days.