Slope Stability and Erosion Control: Ecotechnological Solutions


Book Description

This book aims to assist in choosing ecotechnological solutions for slopes that are prone to a variety of mass movements e.g. shallow failure or erosion. The book reviews the types of problematic slopes that may occur and describes briefly the nature of mass movements and the causes of these movements. There is focus on the use of vegetation to stabilize soil on slopes prone to mass movements. The book also introduces new ecotechnological methods, and case studies are discussed.




Slope Stabilization and Erosion Control: A Bioengineering Approach


Book Description

This book is an up-to-date review of research and practice on the use of vegetation for slope stabilization and control of surface erosion caused by water and wind. From a basic understanding of the principles and practices of vegetation growth and establishment, it describes how vegetation can be treated as an engineering material and used to solve erosion and slope stability problems.




Plant-Soil Slope Interaction


Book Description

This inter-disciplinary book provides the latest advanced knowledge of plant effects on vegetated soil properties such as water retention capability, water permeability function, shear strength, slope hydrology, movements and failure mechanisms, and applies this knowledge to the solution of slope stability problems. It is the first book to cover in detail not only the mechanical effects of root reinforcement but more importantly the hydrological effects of plant transpiration on soil suction, soil shear strength, and water permeability. The book also offers a fundamental understanding of soil-plant-water interaction. Analytical equations are provided for predicting the combined hydrological and mechanical effects of plant roots on slope stability. A novel method is also given for simulating transpiration-induced suction in a geotechnical centrifuge. Application of this method to the study of the failure mechanisms of vegetated slopes reinforced by roots with different architectures is discussed. This book is essential reading for senior undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as researchers in civil engineering, geo-environmental engineering, plant ecology, agricultural science, hydrology and water resources. It also provides advanced knowledge for civil engineers seeking "green" engineering solutions to combat the negative impact of climate change on the long-term engineering sustainability of infrastructure slopes. Professionals other than civil engineers, such as ecologists, agriculturists, botanists, environmentalists, and hydrologists, would also find the book relevant and useful.




Biotechnical and Soil Bioengineering Slope Stabilization


Book Description

The first comprehensive, practical guide to the selection,construction, and installation of soil bioengineering andbiotechnical slope protection Here is the ultimate guide to physically attractive,environmentally compatible, and cost-effective methods ofprotecting slopes from erosion and mass wasting. Lavishlyillustrated with more than 150 photographs and supplemented withscores of charts and tables, this book covers the entire subjectfrom general principles and background on the nature of soilerosion and mass movement to detailed information on rootstrengths, treatment selection, unit costs, critical tractivestresses, methods for harvesting and handling live cuttings, andmore. Four illustrated case studies, each addressing a different set ofproblems and solutions, demonstrate both the application ofparticular technologies and the site investigation, planning,scheduling, and organization required to complete these projectssuccessfully. This unique reference handbook * Reviews the horticultural and engineering underpinnings forbiotechnical and soil engineering treatments * Documents and explains the role of woody plants in stabilizingslopes against both surficial erosion and mass movement * Provides details on a broad range of soil bioengineering methods,including live staking, live fascines, brushlayering, live cribwalls, branchpacking, and live slope gratings * Describes various biotechnical methods and materials, includingthe incorporation of vegetation in erosion control blankets,flexible mats, cellular revetments (geocells), rock armor (riprap), and gabion and open-front crib walls * Summarizes the findings of the National ScienceFoundation-sponsored workshop to assess the state of the art anddetermine research needs For practicing professionals, researchers, and students ingeotechnical engineering, geology, soil science, forestry andforest engineering, landscape architecture, environmentalhorticulture, and restoration ecology, this book offers thorough,up-to-date coverage that is not available from any other singlesource.




Recent Advances in Modeling Landslides and Debris Flows


Book Description

Landslides and debris flows belong to the most dangerous natural hazards in many parts of the world. Despite intensive research, these events continue to result in human suffering, property losses, and environmental degradation every year. Better understanding of the mechanisms and processes of landslides and debris flows will help make reliable predictions, develop mitigation strategies and reduce vulnerability of infrastructure. This book presents contributions to the workshop on Recent Developments in the Analysis, Monitoring and Forecast of Landslides and Debris Flow, in Vienna, Austria, September 9, 2013. The contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics from material behavior, physical modelling over numerical simulation to applications and case studies. The workshop is a joint event of three research projects funded by the European Commission within the 7th Framework Program: MUMOLADE (Multiscale modelling of landslides and debris flows, www.mumolade.com), REVENUES (Numerical Analysis of Slopes with Vegetations, http://www.revenues-eu.com) and HYDRODRIL (Integrated Risk Assessment of Hydrologically-Driven Landslides, www.boku.ac.at/igt/).




Use of Vegetation in Civil Engineering


Book Description

The guide gives the background to bioengineering and practical information on the design and implementation of vegetative methods for slope stabilisation, water erosion control, watercourse and shoreline protection, wind erosion control, shelter, noise reduction, surface protection and trafficability.







Geotechnical Research for Land Protection and Development


Book Description

This volume gathers the latest advances, innovations, and applications in the field of geotechnical engineering, as presented by leading researchers and engineers at the 7th Italian National Congress of Geotechnical Researchers (CNRIG 2019), entitled “Geotechnical Research for the Protection and Development of the Territory” (Lecco, Italy, July 3-5, 2019). The congress is intended to promote exchanges on the role of geotechnical research and its findings regarding the protection against natural hazards, design criteria for structures and infrastructures, and the definition of sustainable development strategies. The contributions cover a diverse range of topics, including infrastructural challenges, underground space utilization, and sustainable construction in problematic soils and situations, as well as geo-environmental aspects such as landfills, environmental and energy geotechnics, geotechnical monitoring, and risk assessment and mitigation. Selected by means of a rigorous peer-review process, they will spur novel research directions and foster future multidisciplinary collaborations.




Unsaturated Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice


Book Description

The definitive guide to unsaturated soil— from the world's experts on the subject This book builds upon and substantially updates Fredlund and Rahardjo's publication, Soil Mechanics for Unsaturated Soils, the current standard in the field of unsaturated soils. It provides readers with more thorough coverage of the state of the art of unsaturated soil behavior and better reflects the manner in which practical unsaturated soil engineering problems are solved. Retaining the fundamental physics of unsaturated soil behavior presented in the earlier book, this new publication places greater emphasis on the importance of the "soil-water characteristic curve" in solving practical engineering problems, as well as the quantification of thermal and moisture boundary conditions based on the use of weather data. Topics covered include: Theory to Practice of Unsaturated Soil Mechanics Nature and Phase Properties of Unsaturated Soil State Variables for Unsaturated Soils Measurement and Estimation of State Variables Soil-Water Characteristic Curves for Unsaturated Soils Ground Surface Moisture Flux Boundary Conditions Theory of Water Flow through Unsaturated Soils Solving Saturated/Unsaturated Water Flow Problems Air Flow through Unsaturated Soils Heat Flow Analysis for Unsaturated Soils Shear Strength of Unsaturated Soils Shear Strength Applications in Plastic and Limit Equilibrium Stress-Deformation Analysis for Unsaturated Soils Solving Stress-Deformation Problems with Unsaturated Soils Compressibility and Pore Pressure Parameters Consolidation and Swelling Processes in Unsaturated Soils Unsaturated Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice is essential reading for geotechnical engineers, civil engineers, and undergraduate- and graduate-level civil engineering students with a focus on soil mechanics.




Climate Adaptation Modelling


Book Description

This open access book focuses on an issue only marginally tackled by this literature: the still existing gap between adaptation science and modelling and the possibility to effectively access and exploit the information produced by policy making at different levels, international, national and local. To do so, the book presents the proceedings of a high-level expert workshop on adaptation modelling, integrated with main results from the “Study on Adaptation Modelling” (SAM-PS) commissioned by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) and implemented by the CMCC Foundation – Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change, in collaboration with the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Deltares, and Paul Watkiss Associates (PWA). What is the latest development in adaptation modelling? Which tools and information are available for adaptation assessment? How much are they practically usable by the policy community? How their uptake by practitioners can be improved? What are the major research gaps in adaptation modelling that needs to be covered in the next future? How? This book addresses these questions presenting the results of a study on adaptation modelling commissioned by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) enriched by the outcomes of a high-level expert workshop on adaptation also part of the research. This book aspires to provide a useful support to academics, policy makers and practitioners in the field of adaptation to orient them in the expanding adaptation modelling assessment literature and suggest practical ways for its application. This book, mainly addressed to academics, policy makers and practitioners in the field of adaptation, aims to providing orientation in the large and expanding methodological/quantitative literature, presenting novelties, guiding in the practical application of adaptation assessments and suggesting lines for future research. This open access book focuses on an issue only marginally tackled by this literature: the still existing gap between adaptation science and modelling and the possibility to effectively access and exploit the information produced by policy making at different levels, international, national and local. To do so, the book presents the proceedings of a high-level expert workshop on adaptation modelling, integrated with main results from the “Study on Adaptation Modelling” (SAM-PS) commissioned by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) and implemented by the CMCC Foundation – Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change, in collaboration with the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Deltares, and Paul Watkiss Associates (PWA).