Civil Engineering Professional Engineer Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Comprehensive Guide to Exam Success!

The phenomenon that can lead to the failure of slopes and embankments is effectively represented by soil erosion and landslides. This is because both erosion and landslides directly affect the stability of soil structures.

Soil erosion, caused by water, wind, or human activity, removes the protective top layer of soil, which can weaken the structure and lead to failure over time. As the soil becomes less cohesive due to removal of its upper layers, it can lose its ability to support weight and resist sliding, especially during periods of heavy rain when the soil is saturated.

Landslides are a movement of rock, earth, or debris down a sloped section of land, often triggered by factors such as heavy rainfall, seismic activity, or human disturbances like excavation and construction. When the forces acting on the slope surpass its shear strength, a landslide can occur. This reflects a failure of the balance between gravity trying to pull material down the slope and the resistance provided by the soil's cohesion and structure.

While other options can contribute to slope instability, such as groundwater presence or tree root growth, they are more indirect influences. Groundwater can indeed increase pore water pressure and decrease soil cohesion, leading to conditions favorable for landslides, but