Engineering Geology最新文献

{"title":"An open event-inventory database of rainfall-induced landslides and their environmental characteristics in the eastern Black Sea region of Türkiye","authors":"Resul Çömert ,&nbsp;Hakan Tanyaş ,&nbsp;Luigi Lombardo ,&nbsp;Tolga Görüm","doi":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108258","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108258","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Developing robust predictive methods for rainfall-triggered landslides is crucial for effective risk mitigation. Landslide event inventories provide essential data to understand the relationship between environmental factors and the spatiotemporal distribution of landslides. However, many mountainous regions prone to landslides still lack such comprehensive datasets. Türkiye is among these regions, experiencing frequent and often fatal landslides, yet only a few recorded landslide event inventories exist. In this study, we compiled eight inventories of rainfall-induced landslide events for the eastern Black Sea region of Türkiye. These inventories were generated using high-resolution imagery obtained from multiple sources, including satellite images, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and aircraft-based imagery. Using both univariate and multivariate statistical analyses, we analyzed the topographic, meteorological, lithologic, and anthropogenic factors influencing landslide occurrence. In evaluating the meteorological factors, we found that all eight landslide events were triggered by intense rainfall. However, our comparison revealed that spaceborne precipitation products consistently failed to capture the intense rainfall events that triggered landslides in the region. Our statistical analyses also showed that landslide occurrence rates are significantly higher in areas affected by anthropogenic land use and land cover (LU/LC) changes, particularly in zones where forested areas have been converted into agricultural plantations, such as those for tea and hazelnut.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11567,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Geology","volume":"355 ","pages":"Article 108258"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144665148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Damage characterization of laser-fractured granite: experimental validation and numerical modeling","authors":"Zhengkuo Ma ,&nbsp;Chunshun Zhang ,&nbsp;Yiwei Liu ,&nbsp;Haizeng Pan","doi":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108244","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108244","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Laser-assisted rock-breaking is a promising solution to reduce tool wear in hard rock tunneling. However, research on damage characterization of laser-fractured granite, particularly microscopic damage processes and the effects of mineral grain structures, remains limited. Therefore, this study investigated thermal fracture, temperature distribution, and strength properties of granite under laser irradiation (Gaussian beam, 100–500 W, 30 s). A coupled grain-based model (GBM), cohesive zone model (CZM), and thermo-mechanical damage (TMD) model was developed to simulate laser-fractured granite. Experimental data confirmed the model's accuracy, which outperformed other models in simulating thermal crater formation and the generation and expansion of thermal cracks. Results showed that thermal fracture increased with laser power and irradiation duration. Laser-induced damage to granite occurs in two stages: Stage I is temperature-dependent, while Stage II shows a linear relationship with laser parameters (<em>R</em>² = 0.9). Over two-thirds of the damage occurs at grain boundaries, with the damage rate following the order: Chlorite &gt; Biotite &gt; Albite &gt; Quartz &gt; Microcline. These findings, particularly the high damage rate at grain boundaries, enhance our understanding of laser-fractured granite properties and the impact of its mineral grains, providing theoretical support for optimizing laser rock-breaking technology and suggesting potential cost savings and efficiency improvements in tunnel excavation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11567,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Geology","volume":"355 ","pages":"Article 108244"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144663179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of dehydration on the residual shear strength of hydrous material in high-velocity shearing","authors":"Shengshan Wu ,&nbsp;Gonghui Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108257","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The residual shear strength of materials on the shear surface is a crucial parameter in controlling the landslide movement and could be influenced by the sliding velocity. Recent studies suggested that dehydration of hydrous materials due to friction heating during high-velocity shearing and under high normal stress may weaken shear strength. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To investigate this, a series of ring shear tests on halloysite nanoparticles (ADH) were conducted in both their original (ADH_orig) and pre-dried at 500 °C (ADH₅₀₀) states, under normal stress of 200 kPa and varying shear velocities. Results show the residual shear strengths (<em>τ</em>_<em>r</em>) increase slightly with shear velocity (<em>V</em>) at low velocities (0.1–10 cm/s), but decrease at higher velocities, with a sharp around 210 cm/s, and with <em>τ</em>_<em>r</em> for ADH_orig being half of that of ADH₅₀₀. Estimating the increasing temperature of the shear surface and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis on the post-test samples around the shear zone confirmed sample dehydration during shearing. Moreover, the dehydration of the sample during high-velocity shearing can result in the release of water vapor due to flash heating. It is inferred that the vapor may elevate the pressure along the sliding surface, consequently reducing the shear strength. These findings provide valuable insights into the role of sample dehydration in shear strength reduction, enhancing the understanding of landslide dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11567,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Geology","volume":"355 ","pages":"Article 108257"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144665073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced erosion resistance of granite residual soil through synergistic application of calcium lignosulfonate and microbial treatment","authors":"Wenxi Zhu ,&nbsp;Huafeng Deng ,&nbsp;Linjian Ma ,&nbsp;Yao Xiao ,&nbsp;C.F. Lee ,&nbsp;Lei Cheng ,&nbsp;Gangqiang Kong","doi":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108256","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108256","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>MICP technology has been increasingly applied in geotechnical improvement, but its effectiveness in enhancing the erosion resistance of granite residual soil embankment slopes remains limited. This study proposes a novel approach combining CLS with MICP to enhance the erosion resistance of the soil. The effects of CLS on MICP-treated granite residual soil were evaluated through physical-mechanical tests, microstructural analysis, and artificial rainfall experiments. The results indicate that CLS significantly improved the physical and mechanical properties of the soil, increasing the maximum dry density from 1.72 g/cm³ to 1.83 g/cm³, unconfined compressive strength by 184.15 %, and surface penetration resistance by 43.91 %. The CLS-MICP combination enhanced erosion resistance, reducing erosion by 65.9 % under high rainfall intensity. Microstructural analysis revealed that CLS optimized the pore structure of the soil, optimizing the soil's pore structure, and reducing the median pore throat radius from 0.37 μm to 0.18 μm. Mechanistic analysis demonstrated that CLS enhanced the cementation strength and stability of the soil under rainfall erosion by promoting uniform CaCO₃ precipitation and reducing porosity. These findings provide both theoretical and technical support for the application of CLS-MICP technology in improving granite residual soil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11567,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Geology","volume":"355 ","pages":"Article 108256"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shear behavior of two-order asperities in three-dimensional rock joints: Experimental investigation and development of a morphology-based shear strength criterion","authors":"Qinkuan Hou, Shuhong Wang, Mamadou Fall, Rui Yong, Meaza Girma","doi":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108254","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108254","url":null,"abstract":"Rock instability is predominantly driven by the shear failure of rock joints, with joint morphology playing a critical role in governing shear behavior. Most existing studies emphasize overall joint morphology, often neglecting the distinct contributions of first- and second-order asperities. To address this limitation, this paper systematically investigates the roles of waviness and unevenness in influencing the shear behavior of rock joints. Joint morphology was decomposed using three-dimensional laser scanning and wavelet transformation techniques. Digital carving technology was employed to fabricate rock joint specimens, which underwent parallel direct shear tests. The results indicate that waviness primarily governs peak shear strength, while unevenness contributes to shear behavior during the pre-peak stress accumulation stage. Overestimating the contribution of unevenness results in an inaccurate assessment of roughness effects on peak shear strength. At high normal stresses, increased damage to waviness contributed to shear strength increments. Based on these findings, a shear strength criterion was developed, integrating the differential morphological contributions of waviness and unevenness. The proposed criterion demonstrated superior predictive accuracy when validated against experimental data. This work provides a deeper understanding of the multi-order asperity contributions to shear behavior.","PeriodicalId":11567,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Geology","volume":"96 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144665074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Uniaxial compressive strength and crack propagation of debris-ice mixtures: Insights from experiments and particle-based modeling","authors":"Guoqing Cui ,&nbsp;Jianlin Chang ,&nbsp;Markov Alexey ,&nbsp;Galina Kozinets ,&nbsp;Siqi Zhang ,&nbsp;Pinlu Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108253","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108253","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The compressive strength and crack propagation behavior of debris-ice mixtures are crucial for assessing cold-region geohazards, particularly for interpreting the initiation mechanisms of rock-ice avalanches. This study reveals the failure characteristics under uniaxial compression through experiments and discrete element modeling (PFC^3D), providing key parameters for the initiation dynamics model of rock-ice avalanches through strength degradation and crack network evolution. The numerical simulation results strongly agree with the experimental results, with a maximum deviation of 6.32 % in the compressive strength and elastic modulus. The findings reveal that rock debris significantly redirect crack propagation by inducing bypass trajectories or crack arrest, rather than allowing direct fracture paths. The compressive strength increases with enlarging rock debris volume fraction but decreases with rising temperature and debris size. The loading rate governs failure mode transitions from plastic deformation (shear-slip dominated) to brittle fracture (tensile-penetration dominated), with peak strength occurring at a critical rate of 1 mm/min in the ductile-to-brittle transition regime. Furthermore, reduced debris porosity enhances the interfacial cementation strength, improving the integrity of debris-ice composite. Crack evolution progresses through three distinct phases: initial nucleation, slow nonlinear propagation, and rapid linear expansion, with tensile cracks dominating 56.9 % of the total fractures. The results provide new insights into the failure mechanisms of multiphase geological materials, offering practical guidance for engineering geology applications, particularly in understanding the initiation and evolution of rock-ice avalanches in periglacial environments, as well as for slope stability prediction and hazard mitigation in cold regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11567,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Geology","volume":"355 ","pages":"Article 108253"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-source data analysis for conceptual modelling of slow landslide mechanisms: Application to the Pianello hillslope in the Daunia Appenines","authors":"Nunzio Losacco ,&nbsp;Federica Cotecchia ,&nbsp;Francesca Santaloia ,&nbsp;Claudia Vitone ,&nbsp;Giuseppe Palladino","doi":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108255","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108255","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A thorough diagnosis of landslide processes at the slope scale is the prerequisite for the design and implementation of effective and sustainable mitigation measures. This paper describes the advanced application of the first, phenomenological stage of an already published stagewise methodological approach for landslide hazard assessment. The presented application aims at deriving the conceptual model of landslide mechanisms through the integration of different thematic models built upon big sets of cross-disciplinary, multi-source data, while providing the systematization and fine-tuning of the previously proposed methodology. The employed workflow is particularly apt to be implemented through digital tools that would boost the process of conceptual and numerical modelling of landslides and other geotechnical processes, particularly in complex geo-hydro-mechanical contexts.</div><div>The methodology is applied to an urbanised site in the Southeastern Apennines, the Pianello hillslope in the town of Bovino, a prototype case representative of many other sites affected by ancient slow-moving landslides in structurally complex formations. The slopes are characterized by a complex geo-structural and hydro-geological setting, and by a highly heterogeneous, heavily tectonised soil, composed of fractured rock layers embedded in a predominant clayey matrix.</div><div>For the test site, low shear strength, both intrinsic and induced by previous shearing, and high piezometric heads, are recognized as internal factors predisposing the slope to failure. Besides the erosion exerted by the stream at the toe of the hillslope, the reactivation of existing landslides is ascribed to porewater pressure oscillations at depth, induced by high cumulative rainfall over a seasonal timescale. Thanks to the integration of different models and data, the study highlights that the interplay between predisposing and triggering factors influencing the landslide activity is strongly related to the complexity of the geo-hydro-mechanical setting. The insight into deep slow-moving landslide processes acquired through this advanced application of the methodology to the prototype case of the Pianello hillslope can be easily generalised to many other cases in similar geo-hydro-mechanical contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11567,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Geology","volume":"355 ","pages":"Article 108255"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144663181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation on the breach mechanism of ice-containing blockage dams: Insights into the impact of ice melting on overtopping erosion","authors":"Bo Pang ,&nbsp;Zongji Yang ,&nbsp;Zhaoying Wu ,&nbsp;Zhiyong Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108250","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108250","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With global climate warming, ice avalanches have become increasingly frequent, often resulting in the formation of blocked dams. The presence of ice complicates the failure processes of these dams. Limited observations of breach processes and insufficient consideration of ice as a dam component impede the understanding of these processes. In this paper, a series of flume experiments were carried out to examine the effects of ice melting on overtopping breach mechanisms in dams. The results demonstrate that higher ice content enhances dam settlement and porosity, reducing structural stability. Dam height decreases from 30 cm (ice-free) to 18.5 cm at 60 % ice content, while void ratio increases from 0.82 to 1.73. These changes accelerate overtopping onset and reduce water storage capacity. The breach process can be divided into three stages: backward erosion, accelerated erosion, and attenuation-rebalancing. Both the duration of each stage and the total breach time decrease with increasing ice content. Peak discharge surges by 48.1 % (from 5.2 L/s to 7.7 L/s) at 30 % ice content and occurs 26.7 % earlier (from 172 s to 126 s). Beyond 30 % ice content, reduced water storage suppresses peak discharge (4.3 L/s at 60 % ice content). Ice melting creates new flow paths and enlarges pores in the dam, accelerating fine sediment transport and increasing dam heterogeneity. It also enhances erodibility index (from 0.0157 to 0.0516 cm·Pa⁻¹·s⁻¹) and reduces the critical shear stress (from 20.5 to 8.2 Pa) of dam materials. The ice phase modulates overtopping erosion process by controlling the erodibility of the dam materials and shear stress exerted by water flow. According to the ice content, three modes of erosion dynamics are revealed: enhanced amplification mode, attenuated amplification mode, and inhibitory breach mode. This study sheds light on the combined effects of internal ice melting and scour erosion in dams, providing valuable scientific insights for disaster prevention in glacial regions and paving the way for further research on the role of ice in dam breaches.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11567,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Geology","volume":"355 ","pages":"Article 108250"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144634319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Equations for modeling the shrinkage behavior of unsaturated soils","authors":"Yao Li,&nbsp;Sai K. Vanapalli","doi":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108247","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108247","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The relationship between the soil volume and water content (i.e., either gravimetric or volumetric) is referred to as the soil shrinkage curve (SSC). Several researchers have proposed models for predicting the SSCs for fine-grained soils in the literature. However, a valid theoretical framework that can be reliably extended for modeling shrinkage curves is still lacking. In this study, a framework is proposed for modeling the SSCs by extending the assumption that the soil volume change under matric suction is strongly related to variation of pore size distribution. The assumption for modeling SSCs is consistent with the well-established method for modeling the soil water characteristics curves. The equations based on the proposed framework were found to be valuable in the reliable prediction of the shrinkage curves of various soils. The relationships between the proposed SSC equations and the widely used models from the literature are also discussed. The present study provides a new approach for modeling the SSCs that can be used for interpreting and modeling the complex hydro-mechanical behaviors of unsaturated soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11567,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Geology","volume":"355 ","pages":"Article 108247"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144663182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Slope-specific rainfall thresholds for regional landslide early warning systems","authors":"Xiaoxu Xie ,&nbsp;Juan Du ,&nbsp;Kunlong Yin ,&nbsp;Renato Macciotta ,&nbsp;Shuhao Liu ,&nbsp;Jun Jiang ,&nbsp;Haoran Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108249","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108249","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events have amplified the demand for effective landslide early warning systems. However, traditional regional models often neglect the spatial variability of rainfall thresholds, resulting in reduced warning efficiency. This study proposes a region-based threshold calculation framework that incorporates slope-specific geoenvironmental characteristics and historical rainfall conditions, aiming to bridge the gap between regional-scale and slope-scale early warning approaches. The method first establishes base rainfall thresholds and quantifies the spatial variability of geoenvironmental factors (SVGF) using a widely adopted regional thresholding technique and the information value method for landslide susceptibility assessment. It then constructs the spatial variability of historical rainfall (SVHR) based on the maximum historical effective cumulative rainfall. Finally, slope-specific thresholds are derived by adjusting the base curves using variability coefficients obtained from SVGF and SVHR. The proposed framework was validated in six rainfall-induced landslide-prone counties in northeastern Chongqing, China. Results show that the method outperformed existing models in both the modeling dataset (accuracy = 79.07 %) and the prediction dataset (accuracy = 75.39 %). During extreme rainfall events, the average hit rate improved by 46.10 %, and the maximum AUC reached 0.9282—surpassing all other models. By extending traditional threshold frameworks to support slope-specific adaptation, the proposed method effectively integrates with existing thresholding and susceptibility models. It offers a technically sound and adaptable solution for landslide early warning, with considerable promise for practical application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11567,"journal":{"name":"Engineering Geology","volume":"355 ","pages":"Article 108249"},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}