Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/U504464/1
DrySlide: Characterising vegetation influences on the dry triggering of a September 2024 landslide sequence in Scotland.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Dr SA Dunning, Newcastle University, Sch of Geog, Politics and Sociology
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr D Milledge, Newcastle University, Sch of Engineering
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr G J Meijer, University of Bath, Architecture and Civil Engineering
- Grant held at:
- Newcastle University, Sch of Geog, Politics and Sociology
- Science Area:
- None
- Overall Classification:
- Unknown
- ENRIs:
- None
- Science Topics:
- None
- Abstract:
- At 07:30 on the 15th September 2024 a shallow, vegetated landslide above the A83 'Rest and Be Thankful' in Scotland transitioned into 500 tonne debris flow, forcing a precautionary closure of the road. The failure occurred in 'dry' conditions (<20 mm rainfall in the 24 hours before failure) with low soil saturation. It is a paradigm shift to consider landslides being triggered in dry conditions with no other external driver (e.g. an earthquake) that has rarely been documented. Landslides in the U.K., especially debris flows, are often linked to the closest rainfall event when the triggering time is unknown. The 'Phase 7' landslide mentioned above, named after the phase of mitigation nets and catch-pit construction, offers a rare and transient opportunity to analyse a 'DrySlide'. Existing landslide warning systems rely on the well-established link between rainfall and landslide triggering. Warnings are issues when rainfall exceeds predefined intensity-duration thresholds. 'DrySlides' thus pose risks that are not usually assessed and for which there are no current warning or management systems. We fundamentally do not understand the processes of dry failure and how we can use an improved process understanding to allow failure prediction - the ultimate aim of much landslide work. We hypothesise DrySlides are due to a combination of plant root reinforcement resisting soil deformations prior to failure, and deformation-induced alterations to subsurface water flow. If this is true then green engineering / bioengineering / 'nature-based solutions' need an improved understanding of the role of plant root strength in failures and how/when (or IF in the case of 'arrested' landslides) this strength is overcome. This is especially topical given current revegetation efforts on this slope by Transport Scotland and Forestry and Land Scotland. We believe DrySlides are likely forecastable with precursors linked to failure mechanics and that precursors are recorded in the landscape.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/U504464/1
- Grant Stage:
- Awaiting Event/Action
- Scheme:
- Research Grants
- Grant Status:
- Active
- Programme:
- Urgency Funding 2024
This grant award has a total value of £57,890
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Other Costs | Indirect - Indirect Costs | DA - Investigators | DI - Staff | DA - Estate Costs | DI - T&S | DA - Other Directly Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £17,463 | £10,383 | £13,705 | £9,957 | £2,063 | £4,099 | £220 |
If you need further help, please read the user guide.