Understanding Constraints and Triggering Factors of Landslides: Regional and Local Perspectives on a Drainage Basin

The Grande da Pipa River (GPR) basin (Portugal) has natural conditions that favor the occurrence of landslides. The hydrological year 2009/10 was characterized by high amounts of rainfall, which led to the occurrence of an also high number of landslides in this basin. The hydrodynamic character of t...

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Main Authors: Carlos César Jesus, Sérgio C. Oliveira, Clara Sena, Fernando Marques
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-12-01
Series:Geosciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/8/1/2
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spelling doaj-c41285b34ef34f20a722f9fe50e011bf2020-11-24T21:53:03ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632017-12-0181210.3390/geosciences8010002geosciences8010002Understanding Constraints and Triggering Factors of Landslides: Regional and Local Perspectives on a Drainage BasinCarlos César Jesus0Sérgio C. Oliveira1Clara Sena2Fernando Marques3Nemus-Gestão e Requalificação Ambiental, Lda., 1649-038 Lisboa, PortugalCentre for Geographical Studies, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício IGOT-Rua Branca Edmée Marques, 1600-276 Lisboa, PortugalDepartment of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Sem Sælands vei 1, 0371 Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Geology and Institute Dom Luiz, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, PortugalThe Grande da Pipa River (GPR) basin (Portugal) has natural conditions that favor the occurrence of landslides. The hydrological year 2009/10 was characterized by high amounts of rainfall, which led to the occurrence of an also high number of landslides in this basin. The hydrodynamic character of the GPR basin was analyzed through a lumped parameter model of daily sequential water balances, in order to understand its influence in the stability of natural slopes. Results from the model were confronted to the inventory of landslides that occurred in the basin during the hydrological year 2009/10. Morphological, geotechnical, and hydrological local conditions affecting slope stability were also analyzed through back-analyses of two selected deep-seated landslides. Data here presented shows that the rise of water table is an important triggering factor for landslides. The most important constraint for landslides in the area is the degree of weathering and thickness of the upper layer of degraded marls. In most of the basin, the degraded layer is less than 5 m deep, causing the occurrence of shallow and intermediate landslides. However, deep-seated landslides were also found in areas, even with degraded marls that were less than 5 m-thick, where landslides have also occurred in the past.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/8/1/2landslideswater tableshear strength parametersRio Grande da PipaPortugal
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Carlos César Jesus
Sérgio C. Oliveira
Clara Sena
Fernando Marques
spellingShingle Carlos César Jesus
Sérgio C. Oliveira
Clara Sena
Fernando Marques
Understanding Constraints and Triggering Factors of Landslides: Regional and Local Perspectives on a Drainage Basin
Geosciences
landslides
water table
shear strength parameters
Rio Grande da Pipa
Portugal
author_facet Carlos César Jesus
Sérgio C. Oliveira
Clara Sena
Fernando Marques
author_sort Carlos César Jesus
title Understanding Constraints and Triggering Factors of Landslides: Regional and Local Perspectives on a Drainage Basin
title_short Understanding Constraints and Triggering Factors of Landslides: Regional and Local Perspectives on a Drainage Basin
title_full Understanding Constraints and Triggering Factors of Landslides: Regional and Local Perspectives on a Drainage Basin
title_fullStr Understanding Constraints and Triggering Factors of Landslides: Regional and Local Perspectives on a Drainage Basin
title_full_unstemmed Understanding Constraints and Triggering Factors of Landslides: Regional and Local Perspectives on a Drainage Basin
title_sort understanding constraints and triggering factors of landslides: regional and local perspectives on a drainage basin
publisher MDPI AG
series Geosciences
issn 2076-3263
publishDate 2017-12-01
description The Grande da Pipa River (GPR) basin (Portugal) has natural conditions that favor the occurrence of landslides. The hydrological year 2009/10 was characterized by high amounts of rainfall, which led to the occurrence of an also high number of landslides in this basin. The hydrodynamic character of the GPR basin was analyzed through a lumped parameter model of daily sequential water balances, in order to understand its influence in the stability of natural slopes. Results from the model were confronted to the inventory of landslides that occurred in the basin during the hydrological year 2009/10. Morphological, geotechnical, and hydrological local conditions affecting slope stability were also analyzed through back-analyses of two selected deep-seated landslides. Data here presented shows that the rise of water table is an important triggering factor for landslides. The most important constraint for landslides in the area is the degree of weathering and thickness of the upper layer of degraded marls. In most of the basin, the degraded layer is less than 5 m deep, causing the occurrence of shallow and intermediate landslides. However, deep-seated landslides were also found in areas, even with degraded marls that were less than 5 m-thick, where landslides have also occurred in the past.
topic landslides
water table
shear strength parameters
Rio Grande da Pipa
Portugal
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/8/1/2
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