Showing papers in "Engineering Geology in 2011"

TL;DR: This paper introduces the current machine learning approach to solving spatial modeling problems in the domain of landslide susceptibility assessment, and selected Support Vector Machines as the model of choice to be compared with a common knowledge-driven method – the Analytical Hierarchy Process.

TL;DR: Sliding-block analysis as discussed by the authors provides a more accurate model of slope behavior than stress-deformation analysis and yields much more useful information than does pseudostatic analysis, and it is easy to apply and provides a useful index of co-seismic slope performance.

TL;DR: A detailed and accurate landslide inventory is an essential part of seismic landslide hazard analysis as discussed by the authors, which can then be used to perform seismic landslide hazards analysis and other quantitative analyses, such as earthquake hazard analysis.

TL;DR: In this paper, the bearing capacity and deformational behavior of calcareous sand are studied on Yongshu Reef and results of corresponding laboratory plate load tests are obtained to estimate the engineering characteristics of the sand.

TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper identified 40 pre-earthquake landslides and 2221 coseismic landslides with total landslide areas of 2.68 km 2 and 30.81 km 2, respectively.

TL;DR: In this paper, a systematic research has been carried out to predict the height of the fractured water conducting zone in the Bulianta coal mine, where two aspects are taken into account: the stratum structure and the vertical distance from the primary key stratum to the coal seam.

TL;DR: In this paper, the impact of lime-stabilization on a silt soil microstructure and then on saturated hydraulic conductivity was assessed at the microscopic level with mercury intrusion porosimetry.

TL;DR: In this article, a field study was conducted to investigate the mechanisms of initiation and development of desiccation cracks on two soils and the results showed that cracks developed in three stages: initial stage, primary stage, and steady state stage.

TL;DR: In this paper, a unified framework is developed that extends these empirical displacement models for application to flexible sliding masses, where the dynamic response of the sliding mass is important, including predicting the seismic loading for sliding mass in terms of the maximum seismic coefficient (kmax) and the maximum velocity of the seismic coefficient-time history (k-velmax).

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an overview of current issues and future challenges of research on earthquake triggered landslides, as well as some recommendations for future research priorities, as a proposed starting point for the next generation of earthquake-induced slope failures.

TL;DR: In this article, a new organic polymer soil stabilizer, which was developed for the stabilization treatment of clay slope topsoil and was named as STW, was introduced in order to understand the effect of STW on the stabilization of clayey soil, laboratory tests on the unconfined compressive strength, shear strength, water stability and erosion resistance of untreated and treated soil specimens are performed.

TL;DR: In this article, the relationship among critical acceleration (Ac), Arias intensity (Ia), and Newmark displacement (Dn) was investigated using strong-motion data from the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake and the 1999 Duzce earthquake.

TL;DR: In this article, the influence of site effects on landslide triggering during earthquakes has been inferred in several studies, but its evaluation is made difficult by the complexity of factors controlling the dynamic response of potentially unstable slopes and also by the lack of local ground motion instrumental observations.

TL;DR: In this paper, a finite difference method was adopted to estimate the factor of safety (FS) against deep-seated failure of embankments over stone column-improved soft clay based on individual column and equivalent area models.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present results of a case study on the Hsiaolin catastrophic landslide, including its kinematic process and the geometry of deposition, based on geomorphologic analysis, and the predicted maximum velocity was about 70m/s, a velocity which permits the debris to cross Qishanxi stream and deposit on the opposite bank.

TL;DR: In this paper, a full-scale field testing in a typical cracked plateau in Heifangtai, Gansu Province of China to simulate such phenomenon was conducted, and the results show that cracks have significant effects on the flow of the irrigation water into the ground.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the potential of terrestrial remote sensing techniques for the estimation of mean trace length, trace intensity and block size/shape, and compared with field-based scanline measurements.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used logistic regression and the jack-knife technique to identify the important geomorphic variables, including peak flow (or catchment area), dam height, width and length in sequence, affecting the stability of landslide dams.

TL;DR: In this paper, a shaking table model slope test is adopted for study of slope failure initiation based on analyses of limit equilibrium, particle image velocimetry (PIV) analysis, and acceleration time history recorded within the model slope.

TL;DR: In this article, the number and area of landslides triggered by Typhoon Morakot with an area over 576m2 were mapped from Formosat-2 images. But the number of landslide regions was not analyzed.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a physically finite elemental slab assembly (PFESA) to model excavation of a roadway tunnel in the geologically 45° inclined rock strata by using a newly developed physical modeling approach, the so-called "Physically Finite Elemental Slab Assemblage" together with infrared (IR) thermography.

TL;DR: In this article, the effect of diverse soil structures formed during compaction of fine grained soils at distinct water contents, the porosity of the specimens and the amount of cement inserted on them play a fundamental role in target strength assessment of such materials.

TL;DR: In this paper, empirical correlations between shear wave velocity (Vs) and standard penetration test blow counts (SPT-N) were considered in order to define Shear Wave velocity profiles for the study area.

TL;DR: In this paper, the performance of different mixtures in terms of soil stabilization was assessed by performing mechanical tests on samples submitted to several curing conditions (temperature and humidity) and the results showed that the tested compounds are likely to alter the soil stabilization processes and thus lower the mechanical performance of the stabilized soil.

TL;DR: In this article, two instrumented laboratory models, i.e., one-dimensional soil column and two-dimensional slope model, were used to provide experimental evidences for the transient suction variations in the unsaturated soils under certain rainfall conditions.

TL;DR: In this paper, the pore system of six different types of sedimentary stones (two limestones, two sandstones, one dolostone and one travertine) were combined with others used for indirect characterization (mercury intrusion porosimetry, N2 adsorption, hydric tests, and vapour permeability).

TL;DR: In this paper, LiDAR and GB-DInSAR data were combined with 3D geodetic measurements to characterize the rock mass structure and displacement patterns of the Randa rock slope instability in southern Switzerland.

TL;DR: In this article, the P-wave velocity tests, tensile and uniaxial compressive strength tests, and creep deformation tests conducted on specimens with differently oriented schistose planes all reveal the strong anisotropic characters of the rock.

TL;DR: In this paper, cylindrical Westerly granite specimens, 10mm in diameter and 20mm in length, were subjected to a cyclic loading test under uniaxial compression with a maximum of 140MPa at room temperature, and crack growth patterns within them were analyzed by microscopic observation and image analysis techniques.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a novel ultrasonic estimator based on wave energy: spatial attenuation (α s ), which is highly sensitive to the petrographic characteristics of rocks as well as to the presence of individual defects (fractures, vugs or disintegrated areas).