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Large-area analysis of soil erosion and landslides induced by rainfall: A case of unsaturated shallow deposits

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Abstract

Unsaturated shallow soil deposits may be affected by either superficial soil erosion or shallow landslides in adjacent or overlapping source areas and in different seasons when a different soil suction exists. The triggering analysis of both these processes is a relevant issue for the hazard analysis while the literature mostly provides specific approaches for erosion or for landslides. The paper proposes a large-area analysis for a case study of Southern Italy, consisting of unsaturated shallow deposits of loose pyroclastic (air-fall) volcanic soils that have been repeatedly affected by erosion and landslides in special seasons. For a past catastrophic event, the simulated source areas of shallow landslides are smaller than those observed in the field while the simulated eroded areas with thickness greater than 5 cm are comparable with the in-situ evidences, if the analysis takes into account high rainfall intensity and a spatially variable soil cover use. More in general, the results of the paper are consistent with the previous literature and also provide a methodological contribution about the application of distinct tools over large area. The added value is that the paper shows how the combination of distinct large-area analyses may help with understanding the dominant slope instability mechanisms. Only once this goal is fully achieved, can specific physically-based analyses be confidently performed at detailed scales and for smaller specific areas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy

    Sabatino Cuomo & Maria Della Sala

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  1. Sabatino Cuomo
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  2. Maria Della Sala
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Correspondence to Sabatino Cuomo.

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http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8024-0319

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2772-5020

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Cuomo, S., Della Sala, M. Large-area analysis of soil erosion and landslides induced by rainfall: A case of unsaturated shallow deposits. J. Mt. Sci. 12, 783–796 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-014-3242-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-014-3242-7

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