U.S.-Philippines SGER Planning Visit: Reconnaissance Survey of the February 17, 2006 Leyte, Philippines, Landslide

Gutierrez0630474该奖项支持一个项目，该项目使布莱克斯堡弗吉尼亚理工学院的Marte Gutierrez博士和艾姆斯爱荷华州立大学的Vernon Schaefer博士能够与菲律宾马尼拉马普亚理工学院地球与材料科学学院的吉尔·卡迪尔博士会面。他们计划对2006年2月17日菲律宾南莱特山体滑坡进行勘察。这次山体滑坡是过去几十年来世界上发生的最严重的山体滑坡之一。金索贡镇位于山脚下。人口约为1,857人的CAN-ABAG被滑坡碎片完全淹没，至少1,328人失踪，据推测已死亡。二月八日至十七日期间有大范围降雨，累积雨量达674毫米，约为正常雨季的五倍。与大多数发生块状破坏的山体滑坡不同，这是一种泥石流，大量物质以令人难以置信的速度下山。由于世界上许多地区都容易发生这样的山体滑坡，收集有关每一次重大事件的信息非常重要。美国每年都有相当大的山体滑坡损失。这项调查将包括地质测绘、悬崖和碎片的调查和表征、现场测试和土壤/岩石采样。这项调查将通过使用全球定位系统(GPS)、数字摄影测量、LIDAE和便携式测试设备等先进技术来促进。从现场采集的样本将进行土壤和岩石分类，并进行指数、物理性质、渗透性和抗剪强度的实验室测试。最后，将进行三维边坡稳定性分析，以反算工地的抗剪强度和水条件，并预测工地未来的运动。预计该项目的一个特别好处是提高对部分饱和、风化和破碎的岩石中降雨引起的斜坡破坏的理解。这项研究还将有助于提高对全球变暖造成的恶劣天气条件的地质影响的理解。确定滑坡的原因可能导致预测技术，这些技术可用于识别其他可能发生滑坡的地区，以及确定引发此类滑坡的关键因素的方法。此外，督导会致力在学校、民防和紧急情况管理及其他政府官员作专题演讲，解释灾难性斜坡失事的原因，以及如何减少其发生和减轻其影响。此外，几名美国研究生将参与该项目，并将在菲律宾偏远地区苛刻的条件和环境中工作。预计，在这个项目之后，美国和菲律宾的研究人员将继续在这一重要的地质灾害研究领域进行长期合作。

Gutierrez0630474This award supports a project to enable Dr. Marte Gutierrez of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg and Dr. Vernon Schaefer of the Iowa State University in Ames to meet with Dr. Gil Cardiel in the School of Earth and Material Science at Mapua Institute of Technology in Manila, Philippines. They plan to undertake a reconnaissance survey of the February 17, 2006 Southern Leyte, Philippines landslide. This landslide was one of the most significant to have occurred in the world over the past several decades. The town of Guinsaugon located at the foot of Mt. Can-abag with a population of about 1,857 was completely inundated by the slide debris and at least 1,328 persons are missing and presumed dead. The slide followed extensive rain with an accumulated rainfall of 674 mm from February 8 to 17, which is about five times higher than during normal rainy seasons. Unlike most landslides where a block-like failure occurs, this was a mud/debris flow where massive amounts of material flowed downhill at an incredible speed. Because so many areas of the world are prone to landslides like this, it is important to gather information about each major event. The United States has considerable losses from landslides each year. The survey will consist of geological mapping, surveying and characterization of the scarp and the debris, in situ testing and soil/rock sampling. The survey will be facilitated by the use of advanced technologies such as Global Positioning System (GPS), digital photogrammetry, LIDAE and portable testing devices. Soil and rock classification and laboratory tests for index, physical properties, permeability and shear strength will be carried out on samples to be collected from the site. Finally, 3D slope stability analysis will be performed to back-calculate shear strength and water conditions in the site, and to predict future movements at the site. A particular benefit expected from the project is improving the understanding of rainfall-induced slope failures in partly saturated weathered and fractured rock masses. The study will also help improve the understanding of the geological effects of severe weather conditions due to global warming. Determining the causes for the landslide could lead to predictive techniques that can be used to identify other areas where landslides are likely, and ways to identify critical factors that trigger this type of landslide. In addition the PIs will endeavor to make presentations in schools, civil defense and emergency management and other government officials to explain catastrophic slope failures and what can be done to reduce their occurrence and mitigate their impact. In addition, several US graduate students will be involved in the project and will be working in demanding conditions and environments in remote areas of the Philippines. It is anticipated that, following this project, the US and Philippine researchers will continue long-term collaborations in this important geohazards research area.