Assessment of ground movement hazard and risk: combining numerical simulation and geospatial analysis for decision support

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The research projects proposed are focused on identification and management of slope stability hazards with the objective of maximizing public safety and minimizing impact to infrastructure. Large landslides, such as the Frank and Hope slides in the West, and the Saint-Jean-Vianney and Lemieux slides in the East, have focused attention on understanding these types of failures. Excellent work is being done by other researchers and government agencies to assess the potential for suspected landslides in these materials in Canada.         In Europe, a series of projects have been undertaken to develop methodologies to map landslide instances (inventory maps), and to estimate (qualitative) or calculate (quantitative) landslide susceptibility maps. More recently landslide risk maps, considering both the probability and consequence of failure, are being produced, as approaches to quantify failure consequence are developed. Application of these approaches are limited in Canada due, in part, to lack of detailed scale hazard mapping, and due to the much reduced population density as compared to Europe. However, with increasing interest in pro-active assessment of risk liabilities, and protection of public safety against natural hazards, landslide risk assessment procedures should be applied.     The research will include the following general procedure: i) collection of available geological and geotechnical data, ii) field data collection including laser scanning and material property measurement and sampling, iii) development of numerical models to simulate the processes and influence of variation in input parameters, iv) integration of field data and numerical modelling results into a geospatial database, and from the database: v) development of hazard maps and decision support tools for assessing the hazard, vi) evaluation of landslide susceptibility maps, and vii) development of failure consequence assessment procedures. These steps will be applied to large complex landslides, rockfall hazards and sensitive clay slopes.     Eight students will work on these projects: 3 currently in program, and 5 new students to be recruited. 75% of the funding will provide student salaries; the balance will support field work and conference attendance.