Environmental Impacts of Slope Failure: Protection Measures Against Landslides

ABSTRACT

On each slope, the difference in level and in slope gradient in combination with the gravitational forces and the possible presence of groundwater, create shear stresses inside the slopes, which are countered by the shear resistance of the soil. When the developing stresses overcome shear resistance, then they lead to a fracture of the slopes and to a landslide. The instability of slopes, leading to the displacement of soil mass downstream known as landslide, constitutes a significant risk to human activities and is often accompanied by the destruction of property, injury and loss of life. So, landslides and soil retreats are of the most significant catastrophic phenomena recorded on the surface of the earth. The above-mentioned phenomena can be a major threat not only to the social and economic fabric, i.e. the quality of life of a region, but also for the environment (basin-filling reservoirs, clogging of streams – rivers, road surface retreat, destruction of forests and ecosystems, etc [1-3].   The main objective of this work is to investigate the environmental impact of the failure of the slopes as well as the prevention and stabilisation measures against landslides, mainly through mild environmental interventions [4-8].

[Full Text: PDF]

Updated: June 26, 2023 — 2:29 am