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Abstract: The international journal Landslides was initiated in April 2004. It is the core project (IPL-C100) of the International Programme on Landslides, a joint initiative of the International Consortium on Landslides and the United Nations and other global organizations. The aims of Landslides are to promote landslide sciences, technology, and capacity building and strengthen global cooperation for landslide risk reduction within the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. This paper presents an analysis of the first 5 years of Landslides, the study methods employed, the types and major causes of landslides, the number of different contributors per country, and the “times cited” per issue and most frequently cited papers and briefly discusses some of these. Strategies for future development of the journal involve obtaining input and suggestion from researchers and readers worldwide.

Abstract: The Mogao Grottoes have 750 caves, 45,000 m2 of wall paintings, 2,415 painted sculptures, five wooden temple fronts from the Tang and Song dynasties, and thousands of columns with carved designs of lotus flowers and ornamental tiles. The Mogao Grottoes are one of the largest and best-preserved Buddhist art treasure houses in the world. The diverse range of wall paintings and sculptures and the profound and varied Buddhist art at the site prompted UNESCO to list the grottoes as a World Heritage Site for its cultural values. The Mogao Grottoes consist of two areas: the Southern Grottoes Area and the Northern Grottoes Area. Almost all the Buddhist art treasures are located in the southern area. The northern area is mainly where the monks and the creators of the arts of Dunhuang resided. In this paper, the causes of damage to the grottoes are analyzed by investigating the geohazards occurring on the side slopes on the high cliff in the northern zone. This paper will analyze the causes of deterioration through the investigation of deterioration in the upper section of the cliff face and goes on to discuss the main causes of deterioration of the cliff body: the development of fissures, wind erosion, rain erosion, and flood scouring. The following measures have been undertaken to deal with the above problems: bolt anchoring, grouting of fissures, use of bracing supports in some areas, and stabilization of caves and cliff face. Through the above measures, the upper section of the upper face in the northern zone has been effectively treated according to the principles of “restoration to historic condition and not altering the historic appearance.”

Abstract: The morphological characteristics of bogflows, bog bursts and other types of peat failures suggest that the tensile strength of peat may have had a significant influence on their occurrence and development. This paper describes a method for the determination of peat tensile strength utilising small block samples (100 mm × 100 mm, up to 60 mm thick) in a newly developed laboratory apparatus. The results, demonstrating good reproducibility and being consistent with published data, were applied to a case example. The stability of a recent 35,000-m3 bogflow on Maghera Mountain, Co. Clare, Ireland, was analysed using a standard limit equilibrium technique. The breaking stress (i.e. maximum tensile strength) of the acrotelm peat at the Maghera bogflow was 5.35 kPa (range 2.9–7.6 kPa). Using this value to represent the overall strength of the acrotelm in the model, analyses showed that even above the crest of an escarpment, the acrotelm was strong enough to contain a large volume of low or zero-strength lower catotelm peat within the blanket bog upslope from the escarpment. Furthermore, simple analysis of single blocks of peat at the upslope edge of a retrogressively developing failure established the size of blocks that should develop, i.e. 3–4 m. The floating acrotelm rafts observed in the Maghera bogflow, typically up to around 3 m, were broadly consistent with this analysis. This paper therefore presents for the first time quantitative evidence of the importance of the acrotelm tensile strength in bogflows and a new method for routinely obtaining tensile strength data.

Abstract: This paper presents a simple procedure for calculating rockfall penetration and ground impact stress for design of pipeline burial depth. Rockfall may damage pipelines by penetrating through cover soils and damaging the pipeline by puncture or excessive impact stress. Design engineers may face a challenging question regarding what burial depth is required for adequate pipe protection. Greater burial depth may provide better protection; however, there are usually site and economic constraints. This paper discusses a simple procedure for calculating the maximum rock penetration and ground impact stress due to rockfall. The procedure may be used to estimate the minimum burial depth required to protect pipelines from rockfall damage. A case study involving a large boulder that fell down a slope and landed on a buried high-pressure gas pipeline is presented to demonstrate and verify the procedure. A calculation was performed before the removal of the boulder to evaluate whether any damage was made to the pipeline. The calculated results agreed well with the actual conditions observed after the boulder was removed.

Abstract: On February 6, 1994, a large debris flow developed because of intense rains in a 800-m-high mountain range called Serra do Cubatão, the local name for the Serra do Mar, located along the coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. It affected the Presidente Bernardes Refinery, owned by Petrobrás, in Cubatão. The damages amounted to about US $40 million because of the muck cleaning, repairs, and 3-week interruption of the operations. This prompted Petrobrás to conduct studies, carried out by the authors, to develop protection works, which were done at a cost of approximately US $12 million. The paper describes the studies conducted on debris flow mechanics. A new criteria to define rainfall intensities that trigger debris flows is presented, as well as a correlation of slipped area with soil porosity and rain intensity. Also presented are (a) an actual grain size distribution of a deposited material, determined by laboratory and a large-scale field test, and (b) the size distribution of large boulders along the river bed. Based on theory, empirical experience and back-analysis of the events, the main parameters as the front velocity, the peak discharge and the volume of the transported sediments were determined in a rational basis for the design of the protection works. Finally, the paper describes the set of the protection works built, emphasizing their concept and function. They also included some low-cost innovative works.

Abstract: The paper exposes the results of the study carried out in chain geological context where slopes, because of their lithology and local climate conditions, show to be historically affected by landsliding. The knowledge of the geologic context and of the geomorphological features characterizing an area represents the first step to identify the causes that led to landsliding and to describe its evolutive style. In geological chain areas, the physical properties and rock layering often facilitate slope instability and mass wasting. The study area belongs to the southern slope of the Peloritani Mountains (Sicily, Italy) and lies within the hydrographic basin of the Roccella torrent, an affluent of the Alcantara River. In this area, the slopes that are mainly constituted by flyschoid alternations tectonized during the formation of the Apennine–Maghrebian chain are affected by numerous landslides whose activity permits a detailed study of their evolution. The instability that characterizes the entire basin of the Roccella torrent is well represented by the complex rock slide–earth flow of Roccella Valdemone that has destroyed part of the village of the same name. The paper describes the last landslide event and suggests its previous evolutive history, along with the evolutionary tendency of the slope, through a comparison of several sections at a scale of 1:2,000 that was made on the topographic map carried out in 1970 and successively updated in 1990. Furthermore, the volume of mobilized rock and the erosion rate have been calculated from two different discrete element methods. The results are supported by borehole, seismic, and geoelectrical data confirming the analytical procedure’s validity, applied for complex landslides description, besides the acquisition of useful information for in situ investigation planning in analogous geological frameworks, where instability-induced phenomena are frequent and historical data are fragmentary or missing.

Catastrophic failures of blanket bogs, involving the escape and outflow of large volumes of semi-liquid basal peat, are well-known phenomena in Ireland but have only very rarely been reported from elsewhere in the world. Their precise causes and mechanisms are as yet unclear. The liquid limit (wL) was identified as a potentially useful indicator of the susceptibility of peat to such failure because peat has extremely high natural water contents and, as an index property, wLtakes no account of the properties or structures of highly heterogeneous intact peat. However, the usual procedure for determining the wLof peat is not fully standardised. Prepared samples will normally include potentially highly reactive particles of disrupted fibres and wood fragments that would not be present in such freshly disintegrated form in the field. This paper presents results from wLdeterminations of peat obtained from the scar margins of three bog failures in northwest Ireland, using four different test procedures including a method involving wet-sieving of the peat to separate the humified <425-μm fraction for testing without incorporating artificially fragmented particles of fibres. The sampled peat was classified as H8–H10according to the von Post humification scale. The fibre contents varied between the sites, but the ash contents were <3% in all but one test sample, and bulk densities (dry and field-wet) of the peat from all three sites were almost identical. wLresults from the wet-sieving method were 708–785%, compared with 633–980% from the standard method. The highest measured field water contents exceeded the wet-sieved wLfor all three of the field sites. Tests of cone penetration into intact peat cores demonstrated the influence of the reinforcing effect of in situ fibres. The results strongly suggest the need to adopt a fully standardised procedure for determining the wLof peat. Additional shear vane measurements of intact and remoulded peat from a bog failure in Northern Ireland indicated a very high ‘strength sensitivity’. This leads to the suggestion that a slight disturbance of basal peat can lead to a loss of strength that rapidly propagates as local stresses change and cause further remoulding as water contents exceed wL.Catastrophic failures of blanket bogs, involving the escape and outflow of large volumes of semi-liquid basal peat, are well-known phenomena in Ireland but have only very rarely been reported from elsewhere in the world. Their precise causes and mechanisms are as yet unclear. The liquid limit (wL) was identified as a potentially useful indicator of the susceptibility of peat to such failure because peat has extremely high natural water contents and, as an index property, wLtakes no account of the properties or structures of highly heterogeneous intact peat. However, the usual procedure for determining the wLof peat is not fully standardised. Prepared samples will normally include potentially highly reactive particles of disrupted fibres and wood fragments that would not be present in such freshly disintegrated form in the field. This paper presents results from wLdeterminations of peat obtained from the scar margins of three bog failures in northwest Ireland, using four different test procedures including a method involving wet-sieving of the peat to separate the humified <425-μm fraction for testing without incorporating artificially fragmented particles of fibres. The sampled peat was classified as H8–H10according to the von Post humification scale. The fibre contents varied between the sites, but the ash contents were <3% in all but one test sample, and bulk densities (dry and field-wet) of the peat from all three sites were almost identical. wLresults from the wet-sieving method were 708–785%, compared with 633–980% from the standard method. The highest measured field water contents exceeded the wet-sieved wLfor all three of the field sites. Tests of cone penetration into intact peat cores demonstrated the influence of the reinforcing effect of in situ fibres. The results strongly suggest the need to adopt a fully standardised procedure for determining the wLof peat. Additional shear vane measurements of intact and remoulded peat from a bog failure in Northern Ireland indicated a very high ‘strength sensitivity’. This leads to the suggestion that a slight disturbance of basal peat can lead to a loss of strength that rapidly propagates as local stresses change and cause further remoulding as water contents exceed wL.

Permafrost covers a significant area of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Slope instability problem in the region was often neglected, though it plays important roles in engineering construction and landform processes. In this paper, the slope instability phenomena in the permafrost regions on the plateau are discussed. The slope failures often occur in the forms of thaw-induced landslides and gelifluction. Thaw-induced landslides are closely related to active layer detachment and changes of permafrost conditions. Such landslides include retrogressive flow and thaw slump and are hazardous to engineering constructions. Gelifluction includes deep-seated movement and surface movement. It is an important factor in landform planation because it may spread over a large area and remain active for a long period of time.Permafrost covers a significant area of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Slope instability problem in the region was often neglected, though it plays important roles in engineering construction and landform processes. In this paper, the slope instability phenomena in the permafrost regions on the plateau are discussed. The slope failures often occur in the forms of thaw-induced landslides and gelifluction. Thaw-induced landslides are closely related to active layer detachment and changes of permafrost conditions. Such landslides include retrogressive flow and thaw slump and are hazardous to engineering constructions. Gelifluction includes deep-seated movement and surface movement. It is an important factor in landform planation because it may spread over a large area and remain active for a long period of time.

Mailuu-Suu is a former uranium mining area in Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia) at the northern border of the Fergana Basin. This region is particularly prone to landslide hazards and, during the last 50 years, has experienced severe landslide disasters in the vicinity of numerous nuclear waste tailing dams. Due to its critical situation, the Mailuu-Suu region was and still is the target area for several risk assessment projects. This paper provides a brief review of previous studies, past landslide events and a discussion on possible future risk scenarios. Various aspects of landslide hazard and related impacts in the Mailuu-Suu Valley are analyzed in detail: landslide susceptibility, historical evolution of landslide activity, size-frequency relationship, river damming and flooding as well as impacts on inhabited areas and nuclear waste storage zones. The study was carried out with standard remote sensing tools for the processing of satellite imagery and the construction of digital elevation models (DEMs). The processed inputs were combined on a GIS platform with digital landslide distribution maps of 1962, 1977, and 2003, digitized geological and geographic maps, and information from landslide monitoring and geophysical investigation.Mailuu-Suu is a former uranium mining area in Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia) at the northern border of the Fergana Basin. This region is particularly prone to landslide hazards and, during the last 50 years, has experienced severe landslide disasters in the vicinity of numerous nuclear waste tailing dams. Due to its critical situation, the Mailuu-Suu region was and still is the target area for several risk assessment projects. This paper provides a brief review of previous studies, past landslide events and a discussion on possible future risk scenarios. Various aspects of landslide hazard and related impacts in the Mailuu-Suu Valley are analyzed in detail: landslide susceptibility, historical evolution of landslide activity, size-frequency relationship, river damming and flooding as well as impacts on inhabited areas and nuclear waste storage zones. The study was carried out with standard remote sensing tools for the processing of satellite imagery and the construction of digital elevation models (DEMs). The processed inputs were combined on a GIS platform with digital landslide distribution maps of 1962, 1977, and 2003, digitized geological and geographic maps, and information from landslide monitoring and geophysical investigation.

This case study paper is about a large rotational rock and earth slide—earth flow located in the Secchia River Valley, in the Northern Apennines of Italy, that has displayed multiple reactivation phases between 2002 and 2004. The main geological constraints of the mass movement are related to the overlap of flysch rock masses over clayey complexes that allows rock slides to take place in the source area. The disarrangement and weathering of rock masses following slope movements causes large amount of fine-grained debris to be accumulated on the slope and mobilised by earth sliding and flowing. Analysis of rainfall data at the onset of reactivation events has proved that they occurred after periods with cumulated values higher than the averages of the last 30 years. The quantification of the morphological modifications induced by these reactivations has been made possible by comparing pre- and post-event digital elevation models. Depletion and accumulation has been in the range of 30 m in different parts of the slope. In particular, an advancement of the landslide toe of more than 400 m, which caused a 30-m thick landslide tip to deposit, has been clearly seen. Monitoring data regarding subsurface movements and surface tension crack widening (tension cracks so large as to be properly described at trenches) has shown that sliding surfaces as deep as 43 m exist in the upper part of the landslide, while the accumulation lobe has moved by sliding and flowing over surfaces as deep as some 10 m. Velocities of cm/day have been recorded in the deep surfaces and in widening trenches of the source area, while the advancement of the accumulation lobe has been estimated as having velocities of up to 10 m/day. Groundwater in the landslide body has been observed at depths of 5–15 m in the upper areas, while it is estimated as being at the ground level in the toe. On this basis, it is concluded that the landslide still has a high potential for further development, both in the upper landslide zone and in the toe area.This case study paper is about a large rotational rock and earth slide—earth flow located in the Secchia River Valley, in the Northern Apennines of Italy, that has displayed multiple reactivation phases between 2002 and 2004. The main geological constraints of the mass movement are related to the overlap of flysch rock masses over clayey complexes that allows rock slides to take place in the source area. The disarrangement and weathering of rock masses following slope movements causes large amount of fine-grained debris to be accumulated on the slope and mobilised by earth sliding and flowing. Analysis of rainfall data at the onset of reactivation events has proved that they occurred after periods with cumulated values higher than the averages of the last 30 years. The quantification of the morphological modifications induced by these reactivations has been made possible by comparing pre- and post-event digital elevation models. Depletion and accumulation has been in the range of 30 m in different parts of the slope. In particular, an advancement of the landslide toe of more than 400 m, which caused a 30-m thick landslide tip to deposit, has been clearly seen. Monitoring data regarding subsurface movements and surface tension crack widening (tension cracks so large as to be properly described at trenches) has shown that sliding surfaces as deep as 43 m exist in the upper part of the landslide, while the accumulation lobe has moved by sliding and flowing over surfaces as deep as some 10 m. Velocities of cm/day have been recorded in the deep surfaces and in widening trenches of the source area, while the advancement of the accumulation lobe has been estimated as having velocities of up to 10 m/day. Groundwater in the landslide body has been observed at depths of 5–15 m in the upper areas, while it is estimated as being at the ground level in the toe. On this basis, it is concluded that the landslide still has a high potential for further development, both in the upper landslide zone and in the toe area.

This paper is a contribution to an important aspect of the systematic and quantitative assessment of landslide hazard and risk. The focus is on site-specific and detailed assessment for rainfall-triggered landslides and, in particular, on the estimation and interpretation of the temporal probability of landsliding. Historical rainfall data over a 109-year period were analysed with particular reference to a site along the Unanderra and Moss Vale Railway Line in the State of New South Wales, Australia. It is shown that the recurrence interval of landsliding and hence annual probability of occurrence is subject to significant uncertainty and that it cannot be regarded as a constant. Accordingly landslide hazard varies spatially as well as being a function of time. For the example case study considered in this paper the annual probability of landslide occurrence was estimated to be in the range 0.026–0.172. However, the mean annual probability of landslide reactivation was estimated to be in the range 0.037–0.078. Utilisation of methods for probability assessment proposed in this paper will contribute to more realistic assessment of hazard and risk and, therefore, to more efficient risk management.

Abstract: This paper seeks to investigate the properties of volcanic soil from the Aratozawa landslide, the largest failure triggered by the 2008 Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku earthquake, Japan. The Aratozawa landslide, which extended about 1,200 m long and 800 m wide, consisted of a complex system of ridges and depressions, including a number of smaller failures that occurred within the slide body. Field investigation was carried out to study the geotechnical properties of pumice that was exposed at the scarp of two smaller slides. The pumice was found to be heavily weathered, having low dry density and high moisture content. Portable cone penetration tests were performed to evaluate the in situ properties of soil as well as to determine the thickness of the weathered zone. Laboratory examination included slake-durability tests, grain-size distribution analysis, and a series of cyclic loading triaxial compression tests conducted on undisturbed and reconstituted samples. Laboratory test data indicated that the soil had a high potential for generation of excess pore-water pressures, suggesting that liquefaction might have occurred in the weathered mass of pumice during the earthquake.

Abstract: Large rock falls and rockslides represent a risk for human communities in mountainous areas as they can cause fatalities and destruction of settlements and infrastructures. Assessing the associated hazard requires constraining the time frequency of such events. Since large rockslides are not common, estimating their frequency requires recording them over a long period of time. The Holocene period then appears as pertinent, which implies that rockslide features have to be dated with absolute chronology methods. This paper presents a characterisation and dating of the Lauvitel rockslide, one of the largest Holocene rockslides in the French Alps. Combining field observation with electrical tomography profiles performed on the rockslide deposit that constitutes the Lauvitel Lake dam allows estimating its volume at a minimum of 12 × 106 m3. In addition, cosmic ray exposure dating using in situ-produced 10Be concentration measurements has been applied to date seven samples collected both on the main sliding surface and on blocks lying on the dam and further downstream. Ages obtained are consistent with a single large rockslide event, which occurred at 4.7 ± 0.4 10Be-ka and formed two distinct deposits. However, from a mechanical point of view, these clearly separated deposits could hardly result from a single movement. A comparison of their reach angles with those reviewed in the literature highlights that the lower deposit must result from rock avalanches larger than 107 m3, while the upper one (the Lauvitel dam) must result from several events smaller than 106 m3. In the context of hazard assessment for land use planning, these events can, however, be considered as a unique event.

Abstract: Infiltration of rainfall into hillslopes is often an important factor in triggering landslides. Using underground water drainage works together with anti-slide piles has been an effective method of landslide control, yet their effectiveness is inadequately discussed in the literature. This paper studies the influence of rainfall on the change in the underground water level beneath a slope by real-time and synchronic monitoring of the rainfall, the underground water level in the boreholes, and the flow rate of the underground drainage tunnel. The effectiveness of the underground drainage tunnel in preventing the rise of the underground water level of the slope is discussed. The researchers also study the deformation behavior of the anti-slide piles by monitoring the lateral displacement of the piles and analyzing the thrust that the anti-slide piles bear by numerical inversion techniques. The results indicate that there is an apparent relationship between the lag in the rising of the underground water level caused by a rainfall and that caused by the immediately previous rainfall. When there is a rainfall accumulation before the occurrence of a heavy rain, this particular heavy rainfall will cause a rapid rise of the underground water level beneath the slope. The monitoring data analysis shows that the flow rate of the underground drainage tunnel increases first, and then the underground water level of the slope rises after a rainfall. In other words, the flow rate of the underground drainage tunnel increases at a rate faster than that of the rise of the underground water level. Hence, the underground drainage tunnel can effectively lower the rise of the underground water level induced by a rainfall. Besides, based on the monitoring data of the lateral displacement of the anti-slide piles and subsequent analysis, the working state of the anti-slide piles is justified. It thus indirectly validates the benefits of using underground drainage tunnel in landslide control.

Abstract: Statistical and deterministic methods are widely used in geographic information system based landslide susceptibility mapping. This paper compares the predictive capability of three different models, namely the Weight of Evidence, the Fuzzy Logic and SHALSTAB, for producing shallow earth slide susceptibility maps, to be included as informative layers in land use planning at a local level. The test site is an area of about 450 km2 in the northern Apennines of Italy where, in April 2004, rainfall combined with snowmelt triggered hundreds of shallow earth slides that damaged roads and other infrastructure. An inventory of the landslides triggered by the event was obtained from interpretation of aerial photos dating back to May 2004. The pre-existence of mapped landslides was then checked using earlier aerial photo coverage. All the predictive models were run on the same set of geo-environmental causal factors: soil type, soil thickness, land cover, possibility of deep drainage through the bedrock, slope angle, and upslope contributing area. Model performance was assessed using a threshold-independent approach (the ROC plot). Results show that global accuracy is as high as 0.77 for both statistical models, while it is only 0.56 for SHALSTAB. Besides the limited quality of input data over large areas, the relatively poorer performance of the deterministic model maybe also due to the simplified assumptions behind the hydrological component (steady-state slope parallel flow), which can be considered unsuitable for describing the hydrologic behavior of clay slopes, that are widespread in the study area.

Abstract: Landslides triggered by rainfall can be foreseen by modeling the relationship between the time occurrence of landslides and rainfall. This paper deals with the argument by adopting a hydrological model called Forecasting of Landslides Induced by Rainfall (FLaIR). The model is applicable for forecasting recurrent landslides and it is based on the identification of a mobility function Y(.) that links the occurrence of a slope movement to the antecedent rainfall. Once the mobility function is defined, it is possible to define its critical values, the exceeding of which indicates that new mobilizations could occur. The FLaIR model has been used to study some phenomena that happened in Lanzo Valleys, a Western Alps sector of the Piedmont region (Northern Italy) where slope debris flows are the predominant landslide type. The study has led to the development of an early warning system, called MoniFLaIR, for real-time monitoring and forecasting of slope hazard. This article describes some details of the system and its performance.

Abstract: The Research Centre on Prediction, Prevention and Control of Georisks, "Sapienza Università di Roma" (CERI) was selected as one of the World Centres of Excellence on Landslide Risk Reduction (WCoE) under the title of “Research and development of advanced technologies for landslide hazard analysis in Italy” in the period 2008–2011. The present paper provides background information on the activities carried out by the CERI, in the frame of the WCoE network. Pre-defined purposes have been achieved by the implementation of integrated monitoring systems and early warning systems for landslides movements. The application of GBInSAR technique for monitoring landslides interacting with infrastructures is discussed, and two case histories are presented. It is shown that this technique is particularly suitable for the displacements monitoring of landslides interacting with infrastructures, thanks to its peculiar features (i.e. areal mapping, operability under every weather and lighting conditions and continuous and completely remote monitoring). Hence, it can be considered a very important tool for the reduction of risks connected to the realisation and activity of large infrastructures.

Abstract: In the last 20 years, several catastrophic precipitation-induced landslides have hit villages, towns and roads in Campania (southern Italy), causing extensive damage and many fatalities. Although such phenomena have occurred since time immemorial, recent urbanisation and infrastructural development have produced a major increase in landslide risk. Due to climatic changes and further unavoidable increases in exposure, in the near future, the risk will become even greater. It is therefore high time to develop reliable criteria for landslide prediction. The paper discusses the main factors which affect the triggering of precipitation-induced landslides, highlighting the key role played by antecedent rainfalls which cannot be precisely accounted for using empirical criteria. We propose a simple 1D numerical approach able to predict the evolution of the key factors governing slope stability as a tool to predict the onset of slope failure, with potential benefits for early warning systems. The approach is calibrated through a well-documented case history.

Abstract: This paper describes the potential applicability of a hydrological–geotechnical modeling system using satellite-based rainfall estimates for a shallow landslide prediction system. The physically based distributed model has been developed by integrating a grid-based distributed kinematic wave rainfall-runoff model with an infinite slope stability approach. The model was forced by the satellite-based near real-time half-hourly CMORPH global rainfall product prepared by NOAA-CPC. The method combines the following two model outputs necessary for identifying where and when shallow landslides may potentially occur in the catchment: (1) the time-invariant spatial distribution of areas susceptible to slope instability map, for which the river catchment is divided into stability classes according to the critical relative soil saturation; this output is designed to portray the effect of quasi-static land surface variables and soil strength properties on slope instability and (2) a produced map linked with spatiotemporally varying hydrologic properties to provide a time-varying estimate of susceptibility to slope movement in response to rainfall. The proposed hydrological model predicts the dynamic of soil saturation in each grid element. The stored water in each grid element is then used for updating the relative soil saturation and analyzing the slope stability. A grid of slope is defined to be unstable when the relative soil saturation becomes higher than the critical level and is the basis for issuing a shallow landslide warning. The method was applied to past landslides in the upper Citarum River catchment (2,310 km2), Indonesia; the resulting time-invariant landslide susceptibility map shows good agreement with the spatial patterns of documented historical landslides (1985–2008). Application of the model to two recent shallow landslides shows that the model can successfully predict the effect of rainfall movement and intensity on the spatiotemporal dynamic of hydrological variables that trigger shallow landslides. Several hours before the landslides, the model predicted unstable conditions in some grids over and near the grids at which the actual shallow landslides occurred. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential applicability of the modeling system for shallow landslide disaster predictions and warnings.

Abstract: In order to define adequate prevention measures and to manage landslide emergencies, real-time monitoring is required. This paper presents two different applications of the remote sensing technique: the ground-based synthetic aperture radar interferometry, here proposed as a monitoring and early warning support for slope instability. Data acquisitions carried out through a ground-based synthetic aperture radar interferometer, operating in Ku band, installed in front of the observed slopes, are discussed. Two case studies, based on the use of the same apparatus (formerly developed by the Joint Research Center of the European Commission and by Ellegi-LiSALab srl), are reported: the first one concerns the monitoring of a large landslide, named Ruinon (Valfurva, Italy). The second one deals with the monitoring of the NW unstable slope in the Stromboli island aimed to implementing an early warning system. Acquired interferometric data are processed to provide displacements and velocity maps of the monitored area. The monitoring services ongoing on the Ruinon landslide and on Stromboli demonstrate the capability of this technique to operate in different operative settings (i.e., different phenomena and geological framework) and for different aims (monitoring for prevention, early warning, and emergency assessment). This methodology has also been proved by national and regional authorities of civil protection in order to provide a real-time monitoring for emergency management.

Abstract: A gigantic rapid landslide claiming over 1,000 fatalities was triggered by rainfalls and a small nearby earthquake in the Leyte Island, Philippines in 2006. The disaster presented the necessity of a new modeling technology for disaster risk preparedness which simulates initiation and motion. This paper presents a new computer simulation integrating the initiation process triggered by rainfalls and/or earthquakes and the development process to a rapid motion due to strength reduction and the entrainment of deposits in the runout path. This simulation model LS-RAPID was developed from the geotechnical model for the motion of landslides (Sassa 1988) and its improved simulation model (Sassa et al. 2004b) and new knowledge obtained from a new dynamic loading ring shear apparatus (Sassa et al. 2004a). The examination of performance of each process in a simple imaginary slope addressed that the simulation model well simulated the process of progressive failure, and development to a rapid landslide. The initiation process was compared to conventional limit equilibrium stability analyses by changing pore pressure ratio. The simulation model started to move in a smaller pore pressure ratio than the limit equilibrium stability analyses because of progressive failure. However, when a larger shear deformation is set as the threshold for the start of strength reduction, the onset of landslide motion by the simulation agrees with the cases where the factor of safety estimated by the limit equilibrium stability analyses equals to a unity. The field investigation and the undrained dynamic loading ring shear tests on the 2006 Leyte landslide suggested that this landslide was triggered by the combined effect of pore water pressure due to rains and a very small earthquake. The application of this simulation model could well reproduce the initiation and the rapid long runout motion of the Leyte landslide.

Abstract: The Wenchuan earthquake-induced geological hazards, such as rock falls, landslides, and debris flows, caused as much damage as the earthquake itself. In the complicated environment of the disaster area, seldom can a single remotely sensed imagery and a single classification method meet the needs of the interpretation task. In this paper, taking the Beichuan area as an example, the hierarchical stripping classification (HSC) framework, supported by human–computer interactive interpretation, was applied to tackle the problems caused by the earthquake, as well as the local complicated landform and weather environments. Different classification tools were used to detect specific objects under the HSC framework. Multi-source and multi-temporal data from satellite remote sensors (mainly CBERS-02B charge-coupled device and HR images), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), digital elevation model, and other auxiliary sources were utilized to detect the distribution of geological hazards. The classification results were compared with that of an overall supervised classification. The results show that the HSC framework and the related methods are effective and work well in the study area.

Abstract: This paper presents the study of a landslide induced by rainfall above a railway line in terms of site investigations, laboratory tests, finite element, and limit equilibrium analyses. The purpose of the study is to identify the cause and failure mechanism so as to prevent the recurrence of such failure. The slope concerned was composed of 3∼4 m thick fissured clay overlying highly weathered mica marble interbedded with quartz schist. The slope was cut into two steps and was protected by a masonry revetment and a thin masonry retaining wall at the toe. The region concerned suffered a whole month’s light drizzle in September, after which a rainfall of an intensity of 80 mm (in 48 h) occurred 5 days prior to the failure that happened on October 5, 2004. The rainfall infiltration and a failed drainage system behind the retaining wall resulted in high saturation of the clay and finally led to an undrained failure. The short-term slope stability using total stress parameters was examined by the finite element and limit equilibrium analyses. The factors of safety of the slope obtained by the finite element and limit equilibrium analysis were 0.935 and 0.854, which are in agreement with the occurrence of failure. Since the slide took place through the interface of the soil and rock, the exposure of rock has significant effect on the stability.

Abstract: Within the engineering profession and natural sciences, vulnerability is widely accepted to be defined as the degree of loss (or damage) to a given element or set of elements within the area affected by a threat. The value of vulnerability is expressed nondimensionally between 0 and 1. It is a fundamental component in the evaluation of landslide risk, and its accurate estimation is essential in making a reasonable prediction of the landslide consequences. Obviously, vulnerability to landslides depends not only on the characteristics of the element(s) at risk but also on the landslide intensity. This paper summarizes previous research on vulnerability to landslides and proposes a new quantitative model for vulnerability of structures and persons based on landslide intensity and resistance of exposed elements. In addition, an approximate function is suggested for estimating the vulnerability of persons in structures. Different methods for estimating the vulnerability of various elements to slow or rapid landslides are discussed. Finally, the application of the new model is illustrated through an example.

Abstract: This paper describes the application of detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate the formation and propagation of waves generated by the impact of landslide material with water. The problem is schematised as a multiphase–multicomponent fluid flow: compressible air, water and transported alluvial material. The landslide simulation is performed by means of a hybrid approach: as a rigid solid body slipping down along an inclined slope until it starts penetrating the water body. The CFD model solves the Navier–Stokes equations with the RNG k-ɛ turbulence closure scheme and the volume of fluid multiphase method, which maintains the interface as a sharp front. The governing equations are solved using the commercial CFD code, FLUENT. The computed results are compared with experimental data reported in the literature. The model is then applied to simulate the 1958 Lituya bay Tsunami event with a 2D a simplified geometry and the results are compared to others found in literature.

Abstract: Landslides are one of the most widespread natural hazards in high mountain terrains such as the Himalayas, which are one of the youngest tectonically and seismically active mountain ranges in the world. The crustal movements along the longitudinal thrusts and transverse faults give rise to earthquakes and in turn initiate landslides in the region. In fact, in addition to various static factors causing landslides, earthquakes are one of the major causes of landslides. It is thus imperative to incorporate seismic factor also while carrying out landslide susceptibility zonation map preparation in a seismically active areas like Garhwal Himalayas. In this paper, a study on the effect of earthquakes on landslide susceptibility zonation has been demonstrated by taking Chamoli earthquake as an example.

Abstract: This paper presents landslide susceptibility analysis around the Cameron Highlands area, Malaysia using a geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing techniques. Landslide locations were identified in the study area from interpretation of aerial photographs and field surveys. Topographical, geological data and satellite images were collected, processed, and constructed into a spatial database using GIS and image processing. Ten landslide occurrence factors were selected as: topographic slope, topographic aspect, topographic curvature and distance from drainage, lithology and distance from lineament, soil type, rainfall, land cover from SPOT 5 satellite images, and the vegetation index value from SPOT 5 satellite image. These factors were analyzed using an advanced artificial neural network model to generate the landslide susceptibility map. Each factor’s weight was determined by the back-propagation training method. Then, the landslide susceptibility indices were calculated using the trained back-propagation weights, and finally, the landslide susceptibility map was generated using GIS tools. The results of the neural network model suggest that the effect of topographic slope has the highest weight value (0.205) which has more than two times among the other factors, followed by the distance from drainage (0.141) and then lithology (0.117). Landslide locations were used to validate the results of the landslide susceptibility map, and the verification results showed 83% accuracy. The validation results showed sufficient agreement between the computed susceptibility map and the existing data on landslide areas.

Abstract: On June 5, 2009, a catastrophic rockslide-debris flow occurred at the crest of the Jiweishan Mountain in Wulong, Chongqing, China. Approximately five million cubic meters of limestone blocks slid along a weak interlayer of bituminous and carbonaceous shale. The source mass descended from the upper part of the slope rapidly, crossing a 200-m wide and 50-m deep creek in front of it. Blocked by the opposite steep creek wall, the sliding mass changed its direction and traveled a further 2.2 km along the creek in debris-flow mode, finally forming a large accumulation zone with an average depth of 30 m. This is one of the most catastrophic rockslide events in recent years in China. It buried 12 houses and the entrance of an iron mining tunnel where some 27 miners were working inside. Ten people died, 64 missing, and eight wounded. Immediately after this disaster happened, the government organized an expert team to assist the rescue work. As one of the geological experts, the author did a lot of field investigations and collected first-hand information. Multi-methods including the remote sensing, 3D laser scanning, geophysical exploration, and numerical modeling were used for analyzing the characteristics and the triggering mechanism of the Wulong rockslide. The preliminary investigation results reveal that this rockslide with poor geological conditions was mainly induced by the gravitation and the karst effect and also affected by the previous mining activities. The research in this paper is meaningful and useful for further research on such kind of rockslides that are geologically similar to the Wulong rockslide.

Abstract: This paper presents the preliminary results of a geomorphological survey of the Olvera area (Cadiz province, Betic Ranges, Spain) and the use of the Geographic Information System (GIS) Open Source (OS) software plus Database Management System (DBMS) for making available and distributing the landslide data over the Web. In the geomorphologic survey, different landforms have been identified in the area, including structural, anthropogenic, fluvial, karst, and slope forms. In particular, the majority of the slope forms are complex (from topple to rotational slides and falls), but there are also minor forms like debris flows and mudslides. To manage geomorphological data, an Open Source GIS was used, which contained the following components: QuantumGIS, System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses (SAGA), GIS and Geographic Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS), GIS for Digital Elevation Model (DEM) generation. A key aim was to make the project-derived data available over the Web. This was achieved using MapServer which allows for the representation of the derived geospatial data with pMapper providing the graphical Web interface. Our study highlights the process dynamics of run-off erosion in Olvera derived through the use of advanced computer-based mapping tools. The resulting map products and interpretations are available via the Internet. To date, derivative maps have been produced to improve maintenance of roads and transport and of the construction of new infrastructure.

Abstract: In 2007 and 2008, six big damaging rockfalls occurred at four sites in Wu Gorge, the second gorge of the Three Gorges, China. Detailed surveys and aerial-photographic interpretation identified 104 potentially dangerous rock masses. This paper reviews previous rock-mass risk ratings, examines dangerous rock-mass structure and presents a new assessment system for rockfall risk (ASRFR) in the Wu Gorge area. The ASRFR considers 15 factors: seven factors for hazard and eight factors for consequence. Relative importance weights for these factors are ascertained using an analytic hierarchy process. Using an equation to calculate the risk, the 104 dangerous rock masses were divided into three risk groups: high risk (33 sites), medium risk (33 sites) and low risk (38 sites). The ASRFR analysis can be used to divide the shipping route through the Wu Gorge into seven courses each of one of three classes: safe-route regions, yellow-alarm regions and red-alarm regions. The system provides geological information and a rockfall-risk management tool for local government and the shipment-route department.

Abstract: Most landslides occurring in Italy consist of shallow-translational movements, which involve fine, essentially clayey material. They are usually characterized by low velocities, typically of few centimeters per year. The main triggering factor is hydrologic, since movements are usually strictly connected to groundwater level fluctuations. This slow and periodical trend can be interpreted by a viscous soil response, and in order to catch the actual kinematics of the soil mass behavior, a dynamic analysis should be adopted. This paper discusses the case of the Alverà mudslide, located in the Northern Alps (Italy), for which a very detailed and almost 9-year-long monitoring database, including displacements and groundwater levels records, is available. A well-defined dynamic viscoplastic model, capable of returning a displacement prediction and a mobilized shear strength angle estimate from a groundwater level input, was considered. A first deterministic calibration proved the ability of the model to reproduce the mudslide overall displacements trend if a suitable reduction of the mobilized angle $$\varphi ^{\prime }_{0} $$ is allowed. Then, an uncertainty quantification analysis was performed by measuring the model parameters variability, and all parameters could be represented using a probability density function and a correlation structure. As a consequence, it was possible to define a degree of uncertainty for model predictions, so that an assessment of the model reliability was obtained. The final outcome is believed to represent an important advancement in relation to hazard assessment and for future landslide risk management.

Abstract: In the present study, the analysis of the international landslide literature is aimed. The landslide is perhaps one of the most complex natural phenomena. Also, due to landslides, a considerable amount of loss of lives and economic losses is encountered throughout the world. Although a vast amount of landslide papers is published in international journals, a statistical assessment on this literature is not encountered. For this reason, this study is performed. For the assessment of the international landslide literature, the Science Citation Index Expanded (WOS; Web of Science) published by Institute of Scientific Information (now Thomson Scientific), USA for the period 1945–2008, is considered. A total of 3,468 publications are found and this data is stored into Oracle XE database and queried by using Structured Query Language and Procedural Language/Structured Query Language. In the following stages, some statistical analyses are performed and the possible trends are discussed.

Abstract: The paper presents the characteristics of progressive movement and crack development observed in a loose fill slope reinforced by soil nails subjected to water infiltration. The purpose-built test slope was constructed by end-tipping completely decomposed granite on moderately gentle sloping ground with minimal compaction, and two rows of soil nails were installed after completion of the slope. Based on the field monitoring data obtained from a comprehensive instrumentation system, this field test has identified the initiation and development mechanism of deformation, including crack propagation in the test slope. The test results on the temporal and spatial variation of wetting-induced movement, water content distribution, and suction change as well as the formation and propagation of surficial cracks are presented. The causative mechanisms of wetting-induced deformations and their implications on the stability of nailed fill slopes are also presented and discussed.

Abstract: The article relates the main findings of a recent investigation aimed at modeling the triggering of shallow landslides. A simplified model for assessing the safety factor of potentially unstable slopes, directly related with rainfall trends, was developed. Based on the geometric characteristics of the slope, the geotechnical properties, and strength parameters of the soil, the model makes it possible to define a safety factor of a slope as a function of time. The model is based on the limit equilibrium method and takes into account the seepage of underground water. The safety factor is, in turn, related to the seasonal rainfall. The model was applied on a local scale to some historical cases which had occurred recently in Northern Italy. The paper shows how the results of the application of the model on a local scale achieve a good agreement between the instability condition and the real date of each considered event.

Abstract: The paper first proposes and validates a constitutive model simulating the change of resistance along a slip surface of clay for both the undrained and drained cases. The proposed model is based on (a) the critical state theory and (b) the assumption that the critical state changes once failure is reached, in terms of the further shear displacement. Under undrained conditions, the proposed model simulates the excess pore pressure generation and, subsequently, the continuous change of resistance along the slip surface from its initial value to the peak strength and then, at large displacement, the residual value. The latter can be measured in constant-volume ring shear tests. Then, the developed constitutive model is implemented in the multi-block sliding system model for the prediction of the triggering and deformation of slides. The improved model is applied at the well-documented Fourth Avenue landslide of the 1964 Alaska earthquake.

Abstract: In many slopes, overstressed zones can develop where the shear stress is larger than the available shear strength. Along a shear surface within a soil exhibiting a strain-softening behavior, the shear displacement increases while the available shear strength decreases. The excess shear stress is transferred from the overstressed zone to the adjacent zones, providing more shear strength. This stress-transferring mechanism induces stress redistribution within the slope and could enlarge the overstress zone. A one-dimensional model that satisfies the strain compatibility and force equilibrium is proposed for the stability analysis of a slope of strain-softening behavior. This paper’s objective is to facilitate the application of this model to estimate stress distribution along the failure surface of a strain-softening slope and thereafter the stability status. The study presents a set of specific solutions to this model by describing and demonstrating procedures to identify the pattern of a stress state and to calculate stress distribution within a one-dimensional, strain-softening slope. The progressive failure mechanism is also investigated by using the proposed approach. As the magnitude of released stress gets large enough, it induces an overstressed zone adjacent to the initial unstable zone and progressive failure develops. The proposed approach is also applied to study the pattern of stress redistribution. It is found that the pattern of stress redistribution is affected by the magnitude of released stress. It is too complex to be reasonably expressed by simple models. Though some limitations exist, the proposed approach serves as a simple tool for a better understanding of the progressive failure mechanism.

Abstract: This paper presents a detailed field investigation and hazard assessment for an unstable rock slope above an industrial site in the Riviera valley in the Canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland. An integrated framework was used to counter issues of geological complexity and uncertainty, linking geological mapping and numerical modeling to develop an understanding of the acting instability mechanism to 2-D and 3-D dynamic runout simulations to predict the travel path and reach in the event of a large volume rockslide. The results from the numerical stability analysis provided a means to constrain failure volume estimates, whereas a series of calibration simulations were used to constrain the input parameters required by the rheological model used for the runout analysis. Results from this assessment suggest that current protection measures in place may not be sufficient, helping local authorities to define hazard zones and aid further development plans for the region.

Abstract: Landslides occur frequently in China. Especially, in the western part of China, large-scale landslides are notable for their scale, complex formation mechanism, and serious destruction. This paper presents some typical large-scale landslides that occurred in the southwest of China since the beginning of the twentieth century but were rarely reported worldwide. These cases represent different geological conditions and different triggering factors and mechanisms. The analysis shows that about 80% of large-scale landslides occurred in the first slope-descending zone along the eastern margin of Tibet Plateau, which is tectonically very active. The intensive interactions between the endogenic and epigenetic geological process cause serious dynamic change on the high steep slope and then result in the development of large-scale landslides. Strong earthquakes are also common in this area, and repetitive seismic activities make the slopes unstable and more vulnerable to failures. Besides earthquake, the area also experiences high rainfall, which is also responsible for triggering some of the large landslides.

Abstract: An extraordinarily large-scale landslide with a volume of about 200 million m3, a width of about 1,600 m, and a height of about 750 m occurred on 2004 March 26, 13:45 local time, on a steep caldera wall on the northwest flank of Mt. Bawakaraeng (2,830 m) at the headwater of the Jeneberang River in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The debris avalanche extended about 7 km from the headwater and buried the river valley, causing devastating damage. There are a great many calderas in the world, notably Japan. If a large-scale sector collapse were to occur in a heavily populated area, it would be a devastating disaster for the people living in the area. The aim of this paper is to outline such a landslide and explain its mechanism of occurrence. We evaluated the stability of the original slope before the landslide using the limit equilibrium method and the finite-element-based shear strength reduction method (SSRFEM) with the strength reduction factor. The limit equilibrium method showed that a rise in the groundwater level caused the landslide. Although the critical slip surface predicted by the SSRFEM was shallower than that of the actual slip surface, the end positions of the actual and predicted slip surfaces were almost the same. Moreover, the end position of the critical slip surface before the landslide—the headwater of the Jeneberang River—was a knick point at which the slope inclination became steeper. SSRFEM analysis may be useful for evaluating the slope stability of large-scale landslides, because the critical slip surface predicted by it was close to the actual surface, even though we assumed homogenous conditions without information on the degree of weathering or ground properties. As the knick point formed at the end of the critical slip surface and is equivalent to the end of the actual slip surface, we assume such topographic features to be a primary geomorphologic cause of the landslide.

Abstract: Quick clay has been involved in most serious, large clay slides in Sweden, Norway, and Canada. This paper describes geotechnical and geophysical methods that can be used to locate and map the extent of quick clay formations. Surface resistivity measurements and four different sounding methods have been tested. The results have been compared with sensitivities determined using fall-cone tests. The investigation shows that there is a correlation between sensitivity and electrical resistivity, which can be used to discriminate between marine clays that have been leached sufficiently to possibly form quick clay and those for which the salt content remains sufficiently high to prevent this. Although the most reliable evaluation of the variation in sensitivity was obtained by the CPT with additional measurement of total penetration force, this investigation suggests that any sounding method that uses a constant rate of advance into the ground and in which the penetration force applied on the top of the rods is measured may be used for quick clay mapping.

Abstract: Brillouin optical time-domain reflectometer (BOTDR), a newly developed distributed fiber optic sensing technique, has been proved to be a very suitable and useful technique for monitoring and early warning of structural engineering by laboratory tests and practical projects due to its unique functions, such as distributing, long distance, anti-electromagnetic interference, waterproof, etc. However, its application to geotechnical engineering, especially soil-slope engineering, has been less carried out due to the complexity of the characteristics of geotechnical materials in the field. In this paper, BOTDR technique is applied to monitor the deformation of a laboratory soil-slope model in small scale in order to test the feasibility and early-warning characteristics of this technique with monitoring the deformation of soil slope. Different types of optical fibers are planted directly in the soil-slope model or bonded to geotextiles and geogrids that are planted in the fillings of the test model. Strain measurements of the model slope under various loads are obtained by BOTDR. By data processing and analysis, the abnormal strains can be obtained distributively, and the position of the abnormal strains can be located as well. The results show much valuable information for applications of BOTDR technique into soil-slope engineering. The test proves that the BOTDR technique can be used to ensure the stability of artificial soil slope and is useful for monitoring and early warning of the artificial soil-slope engineering.

Abstract: The 2004 Chuetsu earthquakes of Niigata (Japan) triggered numerous landslides, and the most widespread types of landslides were highly disrupted, relatively shallow slides and soil (debris) flows. This paper presented a method to evaluate slope instability using Newmark displacement on a pixel-by-pixel basis in a given area. The proposed method was able to integrate Newmark displacement modeling and Monte Carlo simulations within geographical information systems. In the modeling, an empirical attenuation relationship was utilized to calculate Arias intensity over this study area, and the variability of geotechnical parameters was taken into account to calculate coseismic landslide displacement. Before deriving the displacement from related inputs, the Monte Carlo simulations ran 1,500 times and generated 1,500 displacement values for each grid cell, and then means and standard deviations of displacement were calculated and probabilistic distributions can be obtained. Finally, given 10 cm as a threshold value of displacement, estimated probabilities of displacement exceeding 10 cm were shown as a map of seismic landslide hazards. The resulting hazard map was classified into four categories from very low to high level.

Abstract: Landslide risk assessment (LRA) is a key component of landslide studies. The landslide risk can be defined as the potential for adverse consequences or loss to human population and property due to the occurrence of landslides. The LRA can be regional or site-specific in nature and is an important information for planning various developmental activities in the area. LRA is considered as a function of landslide potential (LP) and resource damage potential (RDP). The LP and RDP are typically characterized by the landslide susceptibility zonation map and the resource map (i.e., land use land cover map) of the area, respectively. Development of approaches for LRA has always been a challenge. In the present study, two approaches for LRA, one based on the concept of danger pixels and the other based on fuzzy set theory, have been developed and implemented to generate LRA maps of Darjeeling Himalayas, India. The LRA map based on the first approach indicates that 1,015 pixels of habitation and 921 pixels of road section are under risk due to landslides. The LRA map derived from fuzzy set theory based approach shows that a part of habitat area (2,496 pixels) is under very high risk due to landslides. Also, another part of habitat area and a portion of road network (7,204 pixels) are under high risk due to landslides. Thus, LRA map based on the concept of danger pixels gives the pixels under different resource categories at risk due to landslides whereas the LRA map based on the concept of fuzzy set theory further refines this result by defining the degree of severity of risk to these categories by putting these into high and low risk zones. Hence, the landslide risk assessment study carried out using two approaches in this paper can be considered in cohesion for assessing the risks due to landslides in a region.

Abstract: The Shuping landslide was reactivated by the initial impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam Reservoir, China in June 2003. For purposes of landslide disaster mitigation in the reservoir area and identification of landslide movement and deformation caused by reservoir level changes, a monitoring system mainly consisting of drum-style extensometers was installed in the eastern part of the Shuping landslide. Systematic monitoring was started in August 2004 with installation of 13 extensometers above the waterline after the initial impoundment. In August 2006, 11 more drum-style extensometers were installed above the high waterline (175 m) and five flexible extensometers were installed along a longitudinal section in the elongation to low waterline. In this paper, the monitoring results from August 2004 to July 2007 are presented and the deforming of the Shuping landslide caused by both reservoir level changes and rainfall is examined.

Abstract: In this paper the development of a large-scale gravitational deformation involving the eastern lateral moraine of the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada, is described. Interpretation and analysis of sequential aerial photographs indicates that a 540-m-wide segment of the eastern lateral moraine began to deform in the early 1950s; however, significant movement only began in the late 1960s. Since then, the moraine has undergone progressive gravitational deformation leading to a network of fractures, bulging, and the development of a large gap in the moraine crest. Geographic information system analysis of topographic changes between 1967 and 2006 indicates that the displaced volume of the moraine is approximately 9.0 × 105 m3. In the last 39 years, the moraine crest has displaced 55 m (1.4 m yr−1) down towards the glacier. The development of slope instability is linked to a combination of debuttressing from recent glacier recession, deformation of the moraine, as well as the movement of a large, mobile, debris-mantled slope impinging the upslope margin of the lateral moraine. This case study illustrates the importance of glacial conditioning and local geomorphological factors in creating conditions for large-scale moraine instability in recently deglacierized alpine basins.

Abstract: Slope inclinometers/indicators are used to determine the magnitude, rate, direction, depth, and type of landslide movement. This information is usually vitally important for understanding the cause, behavior, and remediation of a landslide. However, many inclinometer measurements fail to achieve these intended aims because of lack of appreciation of the many factors that need to be correctly implemented during installation, monitoring, and data reduction to yield useful data. This paper presents some guidelines for understanding, installing, and interpreting slope inclinometers and presents three case histories that illustrate some of the pitfalls that can develop if these guidelines are not followed.

Abstract: This paper presents an application of rock engineering system (RES) in an attempt to reveal and assess the inherent instability potential of 388 sites where equivalent landslides have been manifested and recorded in the region of Karditsa County, Greece. The main objective has been defining the principal causative and triggering factors responsible for the manifestation of landslide phenomena, quantify their interactions, obtain their weighted coefficients, and calculate the instability index, which refers to the inherent potential instability of each natural slope of the examined region. From the statistical interpretation of the data reported in a well-documented database and concerning the examined failure sites, a clear correlation between the instability index and the area affected by a single landslide event has been revealed. Almost the entire failure sites, 98% of the examined slope sites, exhibit an instability index value over 55, a value which is thought to be a critical threshold for landslide manifestation concerning natural slopes in Karditsa County. It is argued that the presented RES methodology, engaging the selected set of parameters, could be considered as an effective expert's tool for ranking, in an objectively optimal and simple way, the instability potential of natural slopes in Karditsa County, and thus providing a tool for sound zoning landslide hazard.

Abstract: This paper deals with groundwater hydrology at a prominent fracture zone landslide slope (Nuta–Yone landslides) in Japan with an objective to explore an efficient method for the application of landslide stability enhancement measures. The correlation analyses between the hydrological parameters and ground surface movement data at this landslide resulted in low correlation values indicating that the geological formation of the area is extremely complex. For the purpose of understanding the groundwater flow behavior in the landslide area, a three-dimensional transient groundwater flow model was prepared for a part of the landslide slope, where the levels of effectiveness of applied landslide stability enhancement measures (in the form of multilayered deep horizontal drains) are different, and was calibrated against the measured water surface elevations at different piezometer locations. The parameter distributions in the calibrated model and the general directions of the groundwater flow in terms of flow vectors and the results of particle tracking at the model site were interpreted to understand the reasons for variations in effectiveness of existing landslide stability enhancement measures and to find potentially better locations for the implementation of future landslide stability enhancement measures. From the modeling results, it was also understood that groundwater flow model can be effectively used in better planning and locating the landslide stability enhancement measures.

Abstract: This paper describes early detection, warning, and loss prevention for debris flows originating as failures of fill slopes. Worldwide, fill slopes constructed on steep terrain for roads, hillside residential developments, timber harvest landings, etc., are an increasing source of debris-flow hazards. Some fill failures that generate debris flows are the final stage of incremental failures that provide warning signs of instability in the months or years before the debris flow. Mapping and analysis of minor features, such as cracks and small scarps, on paved or unpaved surfaces of fills can identify incipient and impending fill failures that are major debris-flow hazards. Potential debris-flow paths can be mapped and risk assessments conducted. Loss prevention or reduction can be achieved by (1) prioritized maintenance, (2) prioritized repair, (3) monitoring, (4) warnings for emergency officials and the public, and (5) risk avoidance or reduction in land-use planning, zoning, cooperation between jurisdictions, and project development.

Abstract: This paper investigates rapid channelized debris flow related to rainfalls in small alpine basins. Its goal is to evaluate and correlate different geological and technical aspects with predisposing and triggering factors that can control these phenomena. The study area is the upper part of the Susa Valley where 12 small basins were selected. For each of them, lithological, geomorphological, climatic and technical information were mapped and analysed. Debris-flow triggering conditions, flow and depositional processes were related to physical characteristics of the basin that can be easily measured and quantified. At least three different groups of basins were found: G1) basins with one event each 4–6 years, characterised by massive or blocky calcareous rocks, G2) basins with more than one event per year that show an abundance of layered or sheared fine-grained rocks and G3) basins with recurrence levels exceeding 10 years, activated only by heavy and prolonged rainfalls, marked by massive or blocky coarse-grained igneous rocks. Furthermore, important morphometric differences were found. These considerations are useful in terms of hazard zonation and risk mitigation.