Abstract
This paper presents an application of rock engineering system (RES) in an attempt to reveal and assess the inherent instability potential of 388 sites where equivalent landslides have been manifested and recorded in the region of Karditsa County, Greece. The main objective has been defining the principal causative and triggering factors responsible for the manifestation of landslide phenomena, quantify their interactions, obtain their weighted coefficients, and calculate the instability index, which refers to the inherent potential instability of each natural slope of the examined region. From the statistical interpretation of the data reported in a well-documented database and concerning the examined failure sites, a clear correlation between the instability index and the area affected by a single landslide event has been revealed. Almost the entire failure sites, 98% of the examined slope sites, exhibit an instability index value over 55, a value which is thought to be a critical threshold for landslide manifestation concerning natural slopes in Karditsa County. It is argued that the presented RES methodology, engaging the selected set of parameters, could be considered as an effective expert's tool for ranking, in an objectively optimal and simple way, the instability potential of natural slopes in Karditsa County, and thus providing a tool for sound zoning landslide hazard.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Benardos AG, Kaliampakos DC (2004) A methodology for assessing geotechnical hazards for TBM tunnelling—illustrated by Athens Metro, Greece. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 41(4):987–999 Elsevier
Carrara A (1983) Multivariate models for landslide hazard evaluation. Math Geol 15:403–426
Carrara A (1984) Landslide hazard mapping: aim and methods. Mouvemends de terrains; Communications du 7 colloque, Caeu, 22–24 Mars, Documents du B.R.G.M., 83: pp 141–151
Carrara A, Guzzetti F, Cardinali M, Reichenbach P (1999) Use of GIS technology in the prediction and monitoring of landslide hazard. Nat Hazards 20(2–3):117–135
Chung CJF, Fabbri AG (2003) Validation of spatial prediction models for landslide hazard mapping. Nat Hazards 30(3):451–472
Dai FC, Lee CF, Ngai YY (2002) Landslide risk assessment and management: an overview. Eng Geol 64(1):65–87
Glade T (1998) Establishing the frequency and magnitude of landslide-triggering rainstorm events in New Zealand. Environ Geol 35(2–3):160–174
Guzzeti F, Carrara A, Cardinali M, Reichenbach P (1999) Landslide hazard evaluation: a review of current techniques and their application in a multi-scale study, Central Italy. Geomorphology 31(1–4):181–216
Hudson JA (1992) Rock engineering systems. Theory and practice, 185 p, Ellis Horwood series in Civil Engineering
Huma I, Radulescu D (1978) Automatic production of thematic maps of slope stability. Bull IAEG 11(17):95–99
Jurko J, Paudits P, Vlcko J (2005) Landslide susceptibility zonation using GIS-statistical approach. International Symposium on Latest Natural Disasters—New Challenges for Engineering Geology, IAEG, September 1–7, Sofia
Ko Ko C, Flentje P, Chowdhury R (2004) Landslides qualitative hazard and risk assessment method and its reliability. Bull Eng Geol Environ 63:149–165
Koukis G, Rozos D (1982) Geotechnical conditions and landslide phenomena in Greek territory in relation with geological structure and geotectonic evolution. Oryctos Ploutos 16:53–69 Athens, (in Greek, with summary in English)
Koukis G (1988) Slope deformation phenomena related to the engineering geological conditions in Greece. Proceedings of the 5th Int. Symposium on Landslides 2:1187–1192 Lausanne. Balkema Publ. Rotterdam
Koukis G, Ziourkas C (1991) Slope instability phenomena in Greece: a statistical analysis. Bull IAEG 43:47–60
Koukis G, Rozos D, Hatzinakos I (1997) Relationship between rainfall and landslides in the formations of Achaia County, Greece. Proc. of International Symposium of I.A.E.G. in Engineering Geology and the Environment, A.A. Balkema 1:793–798 Rotterdam
Lee S, Ryu JH, Won JS, Park HJ (2004) Determination and application of the weights for landslide susceptibility mapping using an artificial neural network. Eng Geol 71(3–4):289–302
Mazzoccola DE, Hudson JA (1996) A comprehensive method of rock mass characterization for indicating natural slope instability. Q J Eng Geol 29:37–56
Maharaja RJ (1993) Landslides processes and landslide susceptibility analysis from an upland watershed: a 27 case study from St. Andrew, Jamaica, West Indies. Eng Geol 34:53–79
Nakos G (1984) Mapping and evaluation of forest earth and grounds. 1st Scientific meeting Hellenic Society 29 of Soil Science, Nov. 29–30. Thessaloniki, Greece, pp. 73–81 (in Greek)
Pyrgiotis L (1997) Engineering geological conditions in Karditsa County. Landslide phenomena in flysch formations. Ph D Thesis, University of Patras, 334p, Patra Greece (in Greek, with extensive summary in English)
Rozos D, Konstantopoulou G, Helias P and Dimadis E (2003) Engineering geological study of catastrophic phenomena in Central Rodopi mountainous massif, Thrace Greece. Proceedings of the Conference for the 50 years of Greek Geological Society held in Xanthi Thrace, pp 159–170, Xanthi (in Greek)
Rozos D (1989) Engineering–geological conditions in the Achaia County. Geomechanical characteristics of the Plio–Pleistocene sediments. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Patras, 453p. Patras (in Greek, with extensive summary in English)
Schuster RL, Fleming RW (1986) Economic losses and fatalities due to landslides. Bull Assoc Eng Geol 23(1):11–28
Schuster RL (1996) Socioeconomic significance of landslides. In: Turner AK, Schuster RL (eds) Landslides—investigation and mitigation. Special report. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, pp 12–35
Skias S (1998) Assessment of the geomechanical behaviour and the instability phenomena. The case of flysch formations of Western Greece. Ph.D. Thesis, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece 425p. (in Greek, with extensive summary in English)
Skidmore M (2001) Risk, natural disasters, and household saving in life cycle model. Japan World Econ 13:15–34 Elsevier
Shang YJ, Wang SJ, Li GC, Yang ZF (2000) Retrospective case example using a comprehensive suitability index (CSI) for siting the Shisan-Ling power station, China. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 37(5):839–853 Elsevier
Shang YJ, Park HD, Yang ZF (2005) Engineering geological zonation using interaction matrix of geological factors: an example from one section of Sichuan–Tibet Highway. Geosci J 9(4):375–382
Varnes DJ (1978) Slope movement types and processes. In RL Schuster and RJ Krizek (eds) Landslides analysis and control. National Research Council, Transportation Research Board, Special Report 176, pp 11–33
Varnes DJ (1984) Landslide hazard zonation: a renew of principles and practice. Commission on Landslides of the IAEG, UNESCO, Natural Hazard vol. 3
Van Westen CJ (2000) The modelling of landslide hazard using GIS. Surv Geophys 21(2–3):241–255
Vecchia D (1978) A simple terrain index for the stability of hill slides or scarps. In: Geddes JD (ed) Large 43 ground movements and structures. John Wiley, New York, pp 449–461
Vlcko J (1982) Engineering geological optimisation analysis in land-use planning. Proceedings IV Congress International Association of Engineering Geology, New Delhi 1:1–13
Zhang LQ, Yang ZF, Liao QL, Chen J (2004) An application of the rock engineering systems (RES) methodology in rockfall hazard assessment on the Chengdu–Lhasa Highway, China. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 41(1):833–838 Elsevier
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rozos, D., Pyrgiotis, L., Skias, S. et al. An implementation of rock engineering system for ranking the instability potential of natural slopes in Greek territory. An application in Karditsa County. Landslides 5, 261–270 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-008-0117-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-008-0117-4