Influence of forests to landslides after strong earthquakes

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24580222
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Forest science
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: KUBOTA Tetsuya 九州大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 教授 (40243381)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SHINOHARA Yoshinori 九州大学, 大学院農学研究院, 助教 (10615446)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 地震 / 森林 / 崩壊 / 斜面安定 / 根系 / 土質強度 / 気候変動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We conducted research on the influence of forests and rainfall warning criteria for landslides after strong earthquakes. This research is measured against the great earthquake such as the one in Eastern Japan (M=9.0). After an earthquake of this magnitude, slope soil strength in the region exposed to strong seismic forces is generally reduced by seismic activity (vibration) or disturbance by certain slope deformation. In this situation, revised rainfall criteria for landslides are required. Considering the forest influence, we are intrigued to elucidate the response of landslide to rainfall under this deteriorated soil condition. Hence, the impact of rainfall events on the specific landslide slopes that experienced strong seismic activity is analyzed using a numerical simulation method. i e. the finite element method (FEM) to evaluate the critical rainfall for landslide occurrence.

Free Research Field

砂防学