Landslides (Safety & Security Engineering)

This volume is the second in the Safety and Security Engineering series that is designed to provide a comprehensive view on risk mitigation. This volume is devoted to landslides and debris flow, addressing the need for a better understanding of these increasingly frequent phenomena. With better understanding comes a greater ability to manage the attendant risk.

The volume is devoted to landslides, a geological phenomenon that spans a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows. Although the action of gravity is the primary driving force for a landslide to occur, there are other contributing factors affecting the original slope stability. Typically, such factors contribute to the build up of specific sub-surface conditions that make the slope prone to failure, whereas the actual landslide often requires a trigger before being released.

The phenomenon represents some of the most destructive forces on earth. Therefore it is imperative to have a good understanding of what causes them and how people can either help prevent them or simply avoid them when they do occur. Early predictions and warnings are essential for the reduction of property damage and loss of life. Sustainable land management and development is an essential key to reducing the negative impacts felt by landslides.

The present volume contains selected research papers presented at Wessex Institute of Technology Conferences. The Authors have revised their papers to bring them up to date and to integrate them into a coherent volume on the topic.