Abstract:
Shallow landslides triggered by rainfall often evolve into long-runout mass flows, commonly classified as debris or mud flows. With ongoing climate change altering precipitation patterns and frequency of extreme events, understanding the dynamics of these phenomena has become increasingly urgent.
Continuum-mechanics-based numerical models are essential for understanding debris flow dynamics. However, challenges persist in selecting suitable rheological models and calibrating their parameters, especially for forward analyses. This study utilizes back-analysis of past debris flow events to examine two critical aspects: (1) the importance of an accurate description of the triggering process to obtain reliable numerical results, and (2) the role of wildfires in modifying the soil susceptibility to failure and consequently the rheological behavior during debris flow propagation.
The work underscores the importance of integrating detailed event characterization, area-specific conditions, and preparatory and triggering factors to enhance the accuracy and reliability of numerical runout analyses. Establishing a robust theoretical foundation alongside comprehensive field data is crucial for improving predictive capabilities and informing effective risk mitigation strategies in the face of climate change.
Short bio:
Giulia La Porta is a Civil Engineer, specialized in the geotechnical field, currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Politecnico di Torino, Italy. She earned her Ph.D. in 2023 from the same institution, specializing in Artificial Ground Freezing and the impact of fine content in sandy soils subjected to freezing under triaxial conditions. With a growing interest in the back-analysis of debris flow events, her research has since expanded to focus on rainfall-induced debris flows, their triggering and propagation, and the influence of preparatory factors on soil susceptibility to failure, as part of the PNRR Return project (Multi-Risk Science for Resilient Communities under a Changing Climate).
