Abstract: This paper presents a case history examining the effect of precipitation on the stability of slopes in Nanjing at Fangshan Caidiegu Landslide. By analyzing the engineering and geological characteristics of the landslide, it is concluded that this landslide is a typical rainfall-induced landslide. Based on the actual precipitation conditions in Nanjing, the influence of the different precipitation conditions on the slope stability is analyzed by using a twodimensional finite element software based on the historical precipitation data. The results show that the stability of the Caidiegu slope is closely related to the precipitation which is the main factor inducing sliding. The infiltration of the rainwater results in a gradual increase of the moisture content in the slope. Then, the previously unsaturated zone becomes transiently saturated, and progressively extends downward from the surface. Therefore, the pore water pressure is continuously increased, resulting in a decrease in effective stress and the shear strength of the soils; the slope stability is very sensitive to the rainfall intensity, and the greater the rainfall intensity, the faster the stability declines.

Key words: Fangshan Landslide, Precipitation, Slide, Slope Stability