Thermo-poro mechanical analysis of catastrophic landslides

Catastrophic landslides are considered to slide dynamically under the presence of some weakening mechanism, like thermal pressurization, which reduces the strength of the slide near zero. In this study, based on energy considerations we model the run-off of a catastrophic landslide to obtain an estimate on the time that the slide will enter the catastrophic regime. Based on first principles of thermodynamics, we show that soon after the onset of accelerating sliding, pressurization sets in and the slide collapses catastrophically. © 2009 Taylor & Francis Group.

Duke Scholars

Author Manolis Veveakis Civil and Environmental Engineering