October 29 – Devastating impacts of landslides may now be averted thanks to research conducted by Cooperative Agricultural Research Center (CARC) Research Scientist Dr. Ram Ray along with his colleagues Dr. Jennifer Jacobs of University of New Hampshire, and Dr. Ellen Douglas of University of Massachusetts – Boston. The Journal of Mountain Science has published the group’s research. The team was able to develop an infinite slope stability model that alleviates the harm done by landslides which include death and substantial property damage.
A landslide susceptibility mapping study was performed using dynamic hillslope hydrology. The modified infinite slope stability model that directly includes vadose zone soil moisture (SM) was applied at Cleveland Corral, California, US and Krishnabhir, Dhading, Nepal. The variable infiltration capacity (VIC-3L) model simulated vadose zone soil moisture and the wetness index hydrologic model simulated groundwater (GW). The GW model predictions had a 75% NASH-Sutcliffe efficiency when compared to California’s in-situ GW measurements. The model performed best during the wet season. Using predicted GW and VIC-3L vadose zone SM, the developed landslide susceptibility maps showed excellent agreement with mapped landslides at each study region. Previous quasi-dynamic model predictions of Nepal’s hazardous areas during extreme rainfall events were enhanced to improve the spatial characterization and provide the timing of hazardous conditions.
To read the entire article, please visit https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11629-018-4896-3
Taelor Smith
Communications Specialist
tasmith@pvamu.edu
(936) 261-5155