MUMOLADE

Multiscale Modelling of Landslides and Debris Flows

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Landslides and debris flows are serious geo-hazards common to countries with mountainous terrains. The high speed and the enormity of debris mass make debris flows one of the most dangerous natural hazards. Debris flows are often triggered by landslides partially or completely mobilizing into debris flows. Globally, landslides cause billions of dollars in damage and thousands of deaths and injuries each year. The numerous devastating events worldwide have made us aware of the complexity of landslides and debris flows and our insufficient knowledge to make reliable predictions. Traditional tools for prediction and design are based on limit equilibrium analysis for landslides and shallow water model with Finite Difference solver for debris flows. Usually soil and debris are modelled as single phase materials with constant material properties. That the simple models are unable to account for the complex behaviour of landslides and debris flows, which can be best described as multiphase and multiscale, is well known to researchers and stakeholders. Obviously there is an urgent need for better understanding of the triggering mechanisms, for reliable prediction of runout dynamics, deposition pattern and impact forces and for rational design of stabilization and protection structures. The last decade saw rapid developments in advanced constitutive models, experimental techniques in laboratory and in-situ, mechanics of multiphase media, localized deformation analysis, Discrete Element Method (DEM), advanced Finite Element Method (FEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Training in these subjects has been rather sporadic and scattered in various disciplines. By integrating these advances into a coherent research network we expect to achieve the breakthrough in the research on landslides and debris flows, i.e. a consistent physical model with robust numerical scheme to provide reliable prediction and rational design of protection measures for landslides and debris flows.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Devastation caused by landslides can result in enormous loss of life and property. An EU-funded project is therefore training young scientists and engineers in order to better understand this natural threat.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Landslides around the world cause thousands of deaths and injuries every year and billions of euros in damage. The EU-funded 'Multiscale modelling of landslides and debris flows' (http://www.mumolade.com (MUMOLADE)) project is investigating their causes and impact.

Simple models traditionally used to account for the complex behaviour of landslides and debris flows are insufficient to explain their complex behaviour. As a result, there is an urgent need for a better understanding of triggering conditions and failure mechanisms, and for reliable predictions of deposition patterns and impact forces.

MUMOLADE will combine the work of leading research groups into an effective research network to achieve a breakthrough in the study of landslides and debris flows. This will involve the development of a consistent physical model capable of providing reliable prediction and protection measures.

The consortium will also provide high-quality training for a multidisciplinary group of research fellows working in the challenging field of advanced computational analysis of natural hazards. Training and research will allow project partners to transform numerical models into a widely adopted method for providing reliable predictions and strategies.

This initial training network will result in trustworthy, fully validated software codes, well-documented databases and tools for European stakeholders. This will enable reliable predictions to be made and mitigation strategies to be developed for landslides and debris flows.

Planners will be able to design more effective stabilisation methods and protection structures. Accurate data will also be available for use in early warning systems.

The MUMOLADE project will help EU stakeholders, including regulatory authorities, engineers, planners, designers and contractors, to protect the public and environment from the threat of landslides.