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GSA Connects 2024 Meeting in Anaheim, California

Paper No. 127-12
Presentation Time: 4:40 PM

A MODEL FOR REGIONAL SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSIS INCORPORATING ROOT REINFORCEMENT EFFECTS


GALEAZZI, Sara, IRPI: Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, CNR: National Research Council, Via Madonna Alta 126, Perugia, 06128, Italy; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, Italy, Via Goffredo Duranti, 93, 06125, Perugia, 06125, Italy, CIABATTA, Luca, IRPI: Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, CNR: National Research Council, Via Madonna Alta 126, Perugia, 06128, Italy and SALCIARINI, Diana, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, Italy, Via Goffredo Duranti, 93, 06125, Perugia, 06125, Italy

The presence of vegetation plays a crucial role in slope stability, especially related to the triggering shallow landslides. Vegetation affects the mechanical and hydrological behaviour of soils, generating both stabilizing and destabilizing actions. Changes in vegetation due to land use alterations can influence slope stability, which can be quantified by variations in Factor of Safety values.

In this study, we implement a module for the calculation of root reinforcement in the physically based slope stability model TRIGRS (TranSient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-based Slope stability). This model allows for wide-area assessments of the Factor of Safety by modeling the effects of transient rainfall infiltration on slope stability. We apply the model to a landslide-prone area located in Central Italy, considering the spatial variability of vegetation.

To investigate the influence of the spatial distribution of plant roots on slope stability, a root reinforcement estimate is implemented in the TRIGRS model and applied over an area of about 8 km2. The study site, located in the Umbria region in central Italy, is a heterogeneous area in terms of vegetation, characterized by the presence of olive groves, arable land, and forest.

The root cohesion values for different vegetation types were derived from the literature and assigned based on land-cover maps available for the study area (European Corine Land Cover map and Land use map of Italy). In addition, variations in root cohesion along the vertical profile are considered as a function of rooting depth, root system size, and density. Finally, the resulting Factor of Safety distribution over the study area is compared to the results obtained in a hypothetical case for bare soil in the absence of any root cohesion. Results show that considering the contribution of root resistance affects the identification of landslide susceptible areas and illustrate the utility of our method to account for spatially variable root reinforcement in slope stability analysis.

Recorded Presentation

Session No. 127

T18. Current Trends in Landslide Inventories and Assessments: Innovative Techniques, Collection Methods, Modeling, and Risk
Monday, 23 September 2024: 1:30 PM-5:30 PM
211A (Anaheim Convention Center)
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 56, No. 5
doi: 10.1130/abs/2024AM-402412
© Copyright 2024 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.
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