Modeling landslide recurrence in Seattle, Washington, USA

To manage the hazard associated with shallow landslides, decision makers need an understanding of where and when landslides may occur. A variety of approaches have been used to estimate the hazard from shallow, rainfall-triggered landslides, such as empirical rainfall threshold methods or probabilistic methods based on historical records. The wide availability of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and digital topographic data has led to the development of analytic methods for landslide hazard estimation that couple steady-state hydrological models with slope stability calculations. Because these methods typically neglect the transient effects of infiltration on slope stability, results cannot be linked with historical or forecasted rainfall sequences. Estimates of the frequency of conditions likely to cause landslides are critical for quantitative risk and hazard assessments. We present results to demonstrate how a transient infiltration model coupled with an infinite slope stability calculation may be used to assess shallow landslide frequency in the City of Seattle, Washington, USA. A module called CRF (Critical RainFall) for estimating deterministic rainfall thresholds has been integrated in the TRIGRS (Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-based Slope-Stability) model that combines a transient, one-dimensional analytic solution for pore-pressure response to rainfall infiltration with an infinite slope stability calculation. Input data for the extended model include topographic slope, colluvial thickness, initial water-table depth, material properties, and rainfall durations. This approach is combined with a statistical treatment of rainfall using a GEV (General Extreme Value) probabilistic distribution to produce maps showing the shallow landslide recurrence induced, on a spatially distributed basis, as a function of rainfall duration and hillslope characteristics.     

SHIA_Landslide: a distributed conceptual and physically based model to forecast the temporal and spatial occurrence of shallow landslides triggered by rainfall in tropical and mountainous basins

Landslides are a main cause of human and economic losses worldwide. For this reason, landslide hazard assessment and the capacity to predict this phenomenon have been topics of great interest within the scientific community for the implementation of early warning systems. Although several models have been proposed to forecast shallow landslides triggered by rainfall, few models have incorporated geotechnical factors into a complete hydrological model of a basin that can simulate the storage and movement of rainwater through the soil profile. These basin and full hydrological models have adopted a physically based approach. This paper develops a conceptual and physically based model called open and distributed hydrological simulation and landslides—SHIA_Landslide (Simulación HIdrológica Abierta, or SHIA, in Spanish)—that is supported by geotechnical and hydrological features occurring on a basin-wide scale in tropical and mountainous terrains. SHIA_Landslide is an original and significant contribution that offers a new perspective with which to analyse shallow landslide processes by incorporating a comprehensive distributed hydrological tank model that includes water storage in the soil coupled with a classical analysis of infinite slope stability under saturated conditions. SHIA_Landslide can be distinguished by the following: (i) its capacity to capture surface topography and effects concerning the subsurface flow; (ii) its use of digital terrain model (DTM) to establish the relationships among cells, geomorphological parameters, slope angle, direction, etc.; (iii) its continuous simulation of rainfall data over long periods and event simulations of specific storms; (iv) its consideration of the effects of horizontal and vertical flow; and (vi) its inclusion of a hydrologically complete water process that allows for hydrological calibration. SHIA_Landslide can be combined with real-time rainfall data and implemented in early warning systems.     

Impact of climate change on landslides frequency: the Esino river basin case study (Central Italy)

Researchers have long attempted to determine the amount of rainfall needed to trigger slope failures, yet relatively little progress has been reported on the effects of climate change on landslide initiation. Indeed, some relationships between landslides and climate change have been highlighted, but sign and magnitude of this correlation remain uncertain and influenced by the spatial and temporal horizon considered. This work makes use of statistically adjusted high-resolution regional climate model simulations, to study the expected changes of landslides frequency in the eastern Esino river basin (Central Italy). Simulated rainfall was used in comparison with rainfall thresholds for landslide occurrence derived by two observation-based statistical models (1) the cumulative event rainfall–rainfall duration model, and (2) the Bayesian probabilistic model. Results show an overall increase in projected landslide occurrence over the twenty-first century. This is especially confirmed in the high-emission scenario representative concentration pathway 8.5, where according to the first model, the events above rainfall thresholds frequency shift from ~?0.025 to ~?0.05 in the mountainous sector of the study area. Moreover, Bayesian analysis revealed the possible occurrence of landslide-triggering rainfall with a magnitude never occurred over the historical period. Landslides frequency change signal presents also considerable seasonal patterns, with summer displaying the steepest positive trend coupled to the highest inter-model spread. The methodological chain here proposed aims at representing a flexible tool for future landslide-hazard assessment, applicable over different areas and time horizons (e.g., short-term climate projections or seasonal forecasts).     

降雨诱发浅层滑坡稳定性的计算模型研究

我国是一个滑坡灾害频发的国家,众多事实表明：降雨是影响边坡稳定性,导致边坡失稳的最主要和最普遍的环境因素,是浅层滑坡的触发因素。为了更好地对降雨诱发浅层滑坡进行研究,采用非饱和土VG模型与改进的Green-Ampt入渗模型对Mein-Larson降雨入渗模型进行改进,并结合无限边坡提出了一个降雨诱发浅层滑坡的简化计算模型。与以往提出的简化计算模型相比,该模型既考虑了坡面倾斜的影响,又考虑了非饱和土的特性,并可用于两种降雨形式下的边坡浅层稳定性估算,具有更广的应用范围。通过与有限元得到的结果进行比较可得：在不同降雨条件下,该计算模型得到的各项结果与数值解是接近的,安全系数计算结果是偏于安全的,因此,可将该计算模型用于降雨诱发浅层滑坡的近似估算;该计算模型公式简单,便于计算,计算效率较高。     

Effects of degree of saturation on shallow landslides triggered by rainfall

The empirical rainfall threshold concept and the physical-based model are two commonly used approaches for the assessment of shallow landslides triggered by rainfall. To investigate in detail the rainfall-triggered shallow landslides, many physical-based models coupling the infinite slope stability analysis with the rainfall infiltration modeling in variably saturated soil were developed. However, in those physical-based shallow landslide models, the unit weight and the unsaturated shear strength were assumed constant rather than depending on the degree of saturation. In this study, the effects of the unit weight and the unsaturated shear strength as function of degree of saturation on rainfall-triggered shallow landslides are examined. Several designed scenarios and a real case scenario are used to conduct the examinations. The results show that not only the occurrence of shallow landslides but also the failure depth and the time to failure could be misassessed if the influences of degree of saturation on the unit weight and the unsaturated shear strength are neglected.     

Comparison of single- and dual-permeability models in simulating the unsaturated hydro-mechanical behavior in a rainfall-triggered landslide

Landslide-prone slopes in earthquake-affected areas commonly feature heterogeneity and high permeability due to the presence of cracks and fissures that were caused by ground shaking. Landslide reactivation in heterogeneous slope may be affected by preferential flow that was commonly occurred under heavy rainfall. Current hydro-mechanical models that are based on a single-permeability model consider soil as a homogeneous continuum, which, however, cannot explicitly represent the hydraulic properties of heterogeneous soil. The present study adopted a dual-permeability model, using two Darcy-Richards equations to simulate the infiltration processes in both matrix and preferential flow domains. The hydrological results were integrated with an infinite slope stability approach, attempting to investigate the hydro-mechanical behavior. A coarse-textured unstable slope in an earthquake-affected area was chosen for conducting artificial rainfall experiment, and in the experiment slope, failure was triggered several times under heavy rainfall. The simulated hydro-mechanical results of both single- and dual-permeability model were compared with the measurements, including soil moisture content, pore water pressure, and slope stability conditions. Under high-intensity rainfall, the measured soil moisture and pore water pressure at 1-m depth showed faster hydrological response than its simulations, which can be regarded as a typical evidence of preferential flow. We found the dual-permeability model substantially improved the quantification of hydro-mechanical processes. Such improvement could assist in obtaining more reliable landslide-triggering predication. In the light of the implementation of a dual-permeability model for slope stability analysis, a more flexible and robust early warning system for shallow landslides hazard in coarse-textured slopes could be provided.     

Effect of antecedent-hydrological conditions on rainfall triggering of debris flows in ash-fall pyroclastic mantled slopes of Campania (southern Italy)

Mountainous areas surrounding the Campanian Plain and the Somma-Vesuvius volcano (southern Italy) are among the most risky areas of Italy due to the repeated occurrence of rainfall-induced debris flows along ash-fall pyroclastic soil-mantled slopes. In this geomorphological framework, rainfall patterns, hydrological processes taking place within multi-layered ash-fall pyroclastic deposits and soil antecedent moisture status are the principal factors to be taken into account to assess triggering rainfall conditions and the related hazard. This paper presents the outcomes of an experimental study based on integrated analyses consisting of the reconstruction of physical models of landslides, in situ hydrological monitoring, and hydrological and slope stability modeling, carried out on four representative source areas of debris flows that occurred in May 1998 in the Sarno Mountain Range. The hydrological monitoring was carried out during 2011 using nests of tensiometers and Watermark pressure head sensors and also through a rainfall and air temperature recording station. Time series of measured pressure head were used to calibrate a hydrological numerical model of the pyroclastic soil mantle for 2011, which was re-run for a 12-year period beginning in 2000, given the availability of rainfall and air temperature monitoring data. Such an approach allowed us to reconstruct the regime of pressure head at a daily time scale for a long period, which is representative of about 11 hydrologic years with different meteorological conditions. Based on this simulated time series, average winter and summer hydrological conditions were chosen to carry out hydrological and stability modeling of sample slopes and to identify Intensity-Duration rainfall thresholds by a deterministic approach. Among principal results, the opposing winter and summer antecedent pressure head (soil moisture) conditions were found to exert a significant control on intensity and duration of rainfall triggering events. Going from winter to summer conditions requires a strong increase of intensity and/or duration to induce landslides. The results identify an approach to account for different hazard conditions related to seasonality of hydrological processes inside the ash-fall pyroclastic soil mantle. Moreover, they highlight another important factor of uncertainty that potentially affects rainfall thresholds triggering shallow landslides reconstructed by empirical approaches.     

新疆叶城“7·6”滑坡泥石流灾害调查与形成机理研究

2016年7月6日晨0时40分左右,新疆喀什地区叶城县柯克亚乡六村发生特大滑坡泥石流灾害,造成重大人员伤亡和财产损失。本研究采用地面调查、访问和遥感解译方法,从滑坡、泥石流形成的地形地貌、地层岩性和水文气象条件着手,分析了滑坡特征与成因,泥石流形成条件、灾害链过程与致灾机理,并对未来本区滑坡泥石流的发展趋势进行了预测。现场调查表明:（1）位于西昆仑山北坡中高山区的六村与七村毗邻区域,在6日凌晨发生的大暴雨,触发了38处群发性浅层黄土滑坡,属蠕滑-拉裂机制,且部分大滑坡表现为远程滑坡-泥流特征;（2）这些滑坡体堆积在“V”形沟谷中形成堰塞坝,其中六村上游发育15处滑坡和2个滑坡堰塞坝,在持续降水和小型沟谷泥石流的作用下,滑坡坝发生串联式溃决而形成堵溃型泥石流,冲毁六村居民区和道路;（3）同时,该毗邻区域两侧存在超过227处的黄土滑坡变形体,未来在区域气候由暖干转向暖湿条件下,强降雨的极端气候事件会增多,若遭遇强降雨,研究区仍然会爆发滑坡-堰塞坝-溃决泥石流模式的灾害,其规模可能比“7·6”事件还大。建议深化本区浅层黄土滑坡变形机理、临界雨量及泥流运动机理等方面的深入研究,同时加强滑坡泥石流的监测和预测研究。     

A distributed hydrological–geotechnical model using satellite-derived rainfall estimates for shallow landslide prediction system at a catchment scale

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.     

The rainfall intensity–duration control of shallow landslides and debris flows: an update

A global database of 2,626 rainfall events that have resulted in shallow landslides and debris flows was compiled through a thorough literature search. The rainfall and landslide information was used to update the dependency of the minimum level of rainfall duration and intensity likely to result in shallow landslides and debris flows established by Nel Caine in 1980. The rainfall intensity–duration (ID) values were plotted in logarithmic coordinates, and it was established that with increased rainfall duration, the minimum average intensity likely to trigger shallow slope failures decreases linearly, in the range of durations from 10 min to 35 days. The minimum ID for the possible initiation of shallow landslides and debris flows was determined. The threshold curve was obtained from the rainfall data using an objective statistical technique. To cope with differences in the intensity and duration of rainfall likely to result in shallow slope failures in different climatic regions, the rainfall information was normalized to the mean annual precipitation and the rainy-day normal. Climate information was obtained from the global climate dataset compiled by the Climate Research Unit of the East Anglia University. The obtained global ID thresholds are significantly lower than the threshold proposed by Caine (Geogr Ann A 62:23–27, 1980), and lower than other global thresholds proposed in the literature. The new global ID thresholds can be used in a worldwide operational landslide warning system based on global precipitation measurements where local and regional thresholds are not available..     

变化环境对城市暴雨及排水系统影响研究进展

近年来,变化环境（气候变化和城镇化）导致城市暴雨的发生频率或强度增加,加剧了城市暴雨洪涝问题。因此,分析变化环境对城市暴雨及排水系统的影响对城市水资源规划管理、市政规划设计和城市防灾减灾有着重要意义。总结了未来高精度降雨预估技术、变化环境下排水系统设计标准等关键问题的研究进展,综述了变化环境下城市短历时暴雨演变规律及变化环境对城市排水系统影响的研究现状,探讨了变化环境对城市短历时暴雨的影响机理,并归纳了当前研究变化环境对城市暴雨及排水系统影响的主要方法。指出今后应重点加强的研究:①加强气候变化和城镇化对城市短历时暴雨影响机制的研究;②提升区域气候模式对城市区域下垫面和大气相互作用的描述能力,并加强公里尺度对流可解析模型在城市气候变化影响研究中的应用;③加强对变化环境下排水系统设计标准的研究;④综合评估气候变化和城镇化对城市排水系统超载、污染物转移和水安全等的影响。     

Critical shallow and deep hydrologic conditions associated with widespread landslides during a series of storms between February and April 2018 in Pittsburgh and vicinity,western Pennsylvania,USA

The potential for widespread landslides is generally increased when extraordinary wet periods occur during times of elevated subsurface hydrologic conditions. A series of storms in early 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, overlapped with a period of increased shallow soil moisture and rising bedrock groundwater levels resulting from seasonally diminished evapotranspiration and induced widespread landslides in the region. Most of the landslides were shallow slope failures in colluvium, landslide deposits, and/or fill. However, deep-seated landslide activity also occurred and corresponded with record cumulative precipitation from late February to April and bedrock groundwater levels rising to an annual high. Landslides blocked or damaged roads, adversely affected multiple houses, disrupted electrical service, crushed vehicles, and resulted in considerable economic losses. The initial landslides occurred during or immediately after a rare period of three successive days of heavy rain that began on February 14. Subsequent landslides between late February and April were induced by multiday storms with smaller rainfall totals. As shallow soil moisture at a monitoring site rose above a volumetric water content of 32%, the mean rainfall intensities necessary to induce slope failure in colluvium and other surficial deposits decreased. Deep-seated landslide movement occurred in the region mostly when the groundwater level in a bedrock observation well was shallower than 1.7 m. The availability of hydrologic and landslide movement monitoring data during this extraordinary series of storms highlighted the evolution of the landslide hazard with changing moisture conditions and yielded insights into potential hydrologic criteria for anticipating future widespread landslides in the region.

     

降雨型浅层滑坡危险性预测模型

通过分析SHALSTAB和TRIGRS等浅层滑坡物理确定性模型存在的问题,提出了基于降雨入渗动态守恒的瞬态降雨入渗模型,该模型考虑了初期降雨过程、降雨历程以及饱和非饱和入渗过程,证明了SHALSTAB模型是该模型的特殊形式,并克服了TRIGRS模型参数繁多及一维入渗路径的问题.将无限边坡模型、瞬态降雨入渗模型和GIS进行耦合,研发了可用于大范围降雨型浅层滑坡危险性预测的集成系统,根据边坡的地质条件、地形参数和降雨特征即可对降雨条件下浅层滑坡的危险性进行评估.     

A time-space based approach for mapping rainfall-induced shallow landslide hazard

A rainfall-induced shallow landslide is a major hazard in mountainous terrain, but a time-space based approach is still an unsettled issue for mapping rainfall-induced shallow landslide hazards. Rain induces a rise of the groundwater level and an increase in pore water pressure that results in slope failures. In this study, an integrated infinite slope analysis model has been developed to evaluate the influence of infiltration on surficial stability of slopes by the limit equilibrium method. Based on this new integrated infinite slope analysis model, a time-space based approach has been implemented to map the distributed landslide hazard in a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and to evaluate the shallow slope failure induced by a particular rainfall event that accounts for the rainfall intensity and duration. The case study results in a comprehensive time-space landslide hazard map that illustrates the change of the safety factor and the depth of the wetting front over time.     

A prototype system for space–time assessment of rainfall-induced shallow landslides in Italy

In the last decades, physically based distributed models turned out rather promising to achieve the space–time assessment of shallow landslides at large spatial scale. This technical note deals with the application of a physically based stability model named Shallow Landslides Instability Prediction (SLIP), which has been adopted by the Department of National Civil Protection of Italy as a prototype early warning system for rainfall-induced shallow landslides on national scale. The model is used as a main methodology to create space–time shallow landslide susceptibility maps based on a simple deterministic slope-stability approach, combined with high-resolution rainfall information and geographic information system-based geospatial datasets. The safety factor as an index to measure slope instability is modeled as function of topographic, geologic, geotechnical and hydrologic variables. Although the main aim of this work was to prove the operational viability of such model on a nationwide domain and some simplification are adopted at this stage, hind cast tests on some relevant case histories of shallow landslides occurred between October 2009 and October 2011 showed that the model has skill in representing both timing and location of those shallow landslides.     

典型黄土丘陵区浅层黄土滑坡稳定性评价——以延安市志丹县为例

黄土丘陵地区地质环境脆弱,每到雨季极易诱发浅层黄土滑坡,对居民的生命和财产安全构成威胁也阻碍着当地经济的发展。对浅层滑坡进行稳定性评价,不仅有助于认识浅层滑坡的发生发展过程,而且对防灾减灾和地区规划建设具有十分重要的指导意义。本研究选择SINMAP模型作为评价浅层黄土滑坡的重要工具,评价了陕西省延安市志丹县黄土丘陵区浅层滑坡的稳定性,评价结果表明:1)研究区整体稳定性程度较高,在降雨量为8.6 mm、15 mm、25 mm、50 mm和100 mm时不稳定区域(包括极不稳定、不稳定和潜在不稳定)面积分别占研究区总面积的9.12%、18.93%、23.17%、30.94%和38.67%,不稳定区域的面积不超过整个研究区面积的一半,极不稳定区域的滑坡密度最大,其次为不稳定区域和潜在不稳定区域;2)随着降雨量的增大,潜在不稳定和不稳定区域的面积会逐渐扩大,极不稳定区始终位于坡度大且水流侵蚀强烈的地方,变化幅度小;3)浅层滑坡的稳定性很大程度上依赖于当地的地形条件:坡度分布为20°~51°,高程分布范围为1302~1606 m,在坡向上阴坡的发生数量多于阳坡,西向和西北向浅层滑坡最为发育;4)流域内的滑坡多属降雨诱发的山体滑坡,确定性模型SINMAP为预测这一类滑坡提供了强大的工具,不仅评估了现有的已发生的滑坡的稳定性,也预测了未来在不同降雨条件下可能发生滑坡的地区。分析结果可为预防和减轻滑坡灾害带来的损失,合理的城市规划和道路选址等提供参考。     

The determination of statistical and deterministic hydrological landslide-triggering thresholds

 Hydrological landslide-triggering thresholds separate combinations of daily and antecedent rainfall or of rainfall intensity and duration that triggered landslides from those that failed to trigger landslides. They are required for the development of landslide early warning systems. When a large data set on rainfall and landslide occurrence is available, hydrological triggering thresholds are determined in a statistical way. When the data on landslide occurrence is limited, deterministic models have to be used. For shallow landslides directly triggered by percolating rainfall, triggering thresholds can be established by means of one-dimensional hydrological models linked to the infinite slope model. In the case of relatively deep landslides located in topographic hollows and triggered by a slow accumulation of water at the soil-bedrock contact, simple correlations between landslide occurrence and rainfall can no longer be established. Therefore real-time failure probabilities have to be determined using hydrological catchment models in combination with the infinite slope model. Received: 15 October 1997 · Accepted: 25 June 1997     

降雨诱发浅表层黄土滑坡机理实验研究

黄土较松散,内部大孔隙和垂直节理发育,因其特殊的结构为雨水的快速入渗提供了通道。降雨型黄土浅层滑坡已造成了大量的经济损失与人员伤亡。为了有效减轻降雨诱发黄土滑坡对社会和经济的影响,开展降雨型滑坡室内实验研究,具有重大的现实意义。本文旨在研究不同降雨形式和不同坡体结构对黄土斜坡变形破坏过程影响,设计并进行了3组室内物理模型实验,分别为持续强降雨斜坡实验、持续强降雨斜坡（带垂直节理）实验和间歇性强降雨斜坡实验,且每组斜坡内埋设体积含水率传感器、基质吸力传感器和孔隙水压力传感器3种传感器记录其内部变化。通过对每一个黄土斜坡体内传感器的读数变化及实验现象进行分析,同时对不同实验条件下实验过程及结果进行对比,进而得出降雨条件下浅表层黄土滑坡的变形破坏规律,总结出该类滑坡的破坏模式及其诱发机理。实验前期,随着体积含水率不断增大,基质吸力逐渐减小至基本稳定,土体强度随之减小,实验后期上部土体饱和,斜坡产生的变形和土体排水不畅产生了超孔隙水压力,有效应力随之减小,土体强度减小至最小,导致滑坡产生。同时,坡体结构对斜坡稳定性的影响大于降雨形式的影响。     

浙江地区引发滑坡的降雨强度-历时关系

由于独特的地理位置,复杂的地质、地形和气候背景,浙江成为中国降雨型滑坡（土体和岩体滑动,也包括泥石流和崩塌等）最频发的地区之一。为评价浙江地区的滑坡灾害,本文对该地区1990年至2003年雨量站记录的降雨数据进行了详细分析,确定了引发土体滑坡-泥石流的降雨强度―历时下限。