Recent landslide events demonstrate the need to improve landslide forecasting and early warning capabilities in order to reduce related risks and protect human lives. In this thesis, local and regional investigations were carried out to analyse landslide characteristics in the Swabian Alb region, and to develop prototypic landslide early warning systems. In the local study area, an extensive hydrological and slope movement monitoring system was installed on a seasonally reactivated landslide body located in Lichtenstein- Unterhausen. Monitoring data was analysed to assess the influence of rainfall and snow-melt on groundwater conditions, and the initiation of slope movements. The coupled hydrology-slope stability model CHASM was applied to detect areas most prone to slope failures, and to simulate slope stability using a variety of input data. Subsequently, CHASM was refined and two web-based applications were developed: a technical early warning system to constantly simulate slope stability integrating rainfall measurements, hydrological monitoring data and weather forecasts; and a decision-support system allowing for quick calculation of stability for freely selectable slope profiles. On the regional scale, available landslide inventory data were analysed for their use in evaluation of rainfall thresholds proposed in other studies. Adequate landslide events were selected and their triggering rainfall and snow-melting conditions were compared to intensity-duration and cumulative thresholds. Based on the results, a regional landslide early warning system was developed and implemented as a webbased application. Both, the local and the regional landslide early warning systems are part of a holistic and integrative early warning chain developed by the ILEWS project, and could easily be transferred to other landslide prone areas.

Recent flood events in Europe, the USA and elsewhere have shown the devastating impact that flooding can have on people and property. Flood warning and forecasting systems provide a well-established way to help to reduce the effects of flooding by allowing people to be evacuated from areas at risk, and for measures to be taken to reduce damage to property. With sufficient warning, temporary defences (sandbags, flood gates etc) can also be installed, and river control structures operated to mitigate the effects of flooding. Many countries and local authorities now operate some form of flood warning system, and the underlying technology requires knowledge across a range of technical areas, including rainfall and tidal detection systems, river and coastal flood forecasting models, flood warning dissemination systems, and emergency response procedures. This book provides a comprehensive account of the flood forecasting, warning and emergency response process, including techniques for predicting the development of flood events, and for issuing appropriate warnings. Related topics, such as telemetry and information systems, and flood warning economics, are also discussed. For perhaps the first time, this book brings together in a single volume the many strands of this interesting multidisciplinary topic, and will serve as a reference for researchers, policy makers and engineers. The material on meteorological, hydrological and coastal modelling and monitoring may also be of interest to a wider audience.

This book provides a detailed overview on methods used for the dating of past torrential activity on fans and cones and fosters the discussion on the impact of past and potential future climate change on torrential processes. The book has a clear focus on the practical applications of these methods, complemented by case studies. The limits of each dating method in case of excessive natural and human interventions on fans and cones are shown.

This book, with contributions from international landslide experts, presents in-depth knowledge of theories, practices, and modern numerical techniques for landslide analysis. Landslides are a reoccurring problem across the world and need to be properly studied for their mitigation and control. Due to increased natural and anthropogenic activities, chances of landslide occurrence and associated hazards have increased. The book focuses on landslide dynamics, mechanisms and processes along with hazard mitigation using geo-engineering, structural, geophysical and numerical tools. The book contains a wealth of the latest information on all aspects of theory, practices and modelling tools and techniques involved in prediction, prevention, monitoring, mitigation and risk analysis of landslide hazards. This book will bring the reader up to date on the latest trends in landslide studies and will help planners, engineers, scientists and researchers working on landslide engineering.

270 Expert contributions on aspects of landslide hazards, encompassing geological modeling and soil and rock mechanics, landslide processes, causes and effects, and damage avoidance and limitation strategies. Reference source for academics and professionals in geo-mechanical and geo-technical engineering, and others involved with research, des

Zusammenfassung: This book provides a summary of the state of the art of all facets of debris-flow science and practice and is designed to be a comprehensive technical reference for practitioners and a state-of-the-art research overview for scientists. It is richly illustrated with equations, graphs, photos, and tables. The book allows students, practitioners, and regulators to get a sense of the current state of the art in this science. Currently, there are 2 to 3 papers published every week on some aspects of debris-flow science. This creates a bewildering amount of literature that cannot be captured by a single individual. This book provides a comprehensive overview of all facets to date, including initial hazard assessments, detailed quantitative risk assessments, debris-flow warning systems, debris-flow mitigation structure designs, and failures of mitigation works, as well as new topics such as climate change effects on debris flows