A multi-dimensional statistical rainfall threshold for deep landslides based on groundwater recharge and support vector machines

A. Vallet (), D. Varron (), C. Bertrand (), O. Fabbri () and J. Mudry ()
Additional contact information
A. Vallet: BRGM
D. Varron: Université Bourgogne - Franche-Comté
C. Bertrand: Université Bourgogne - Franche-Comté
O. Fabbri: Université Bourgogne - Franche-Comté
J. Mudry: Université Bourgogne - Franche-Comté

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2016, vol. 84, issue 2, No 6, 849 pages

Abstract: Abstract The rainfall threshold determination is widely used for estimating the minimum critical rainfall amount which may trigger slope failure. The aim of this study was to develop an objective approach for the determination of a statistical rainfall threshold of a deep-seated landslide. The determination is based on recharge estimation and a multi-dimensional rainfall threshold. This new method is compared with precipitation and with a conventional ‘two-dimensional’ rainfall threshold. The method is designed to be semiautomatic, enabling an eventual integration into a landslide warning system. The method consists in two independent parts: (i) unstable event identification based on displacement time series and (ii) multi-dimensional rainfall threshold determination based on support vector machines. The method produces very good results and constitutes an appropriate tool to define an objective and optimal rainfall threshold. In addition to shortened computation times, the non-necessity of pre-requisite hypotheses and a fully automatic implementation, the newly introduced multi-dimensional approach shows performances similar to the classical two-dimensional approach. This shows its relevance and its suitability to define a rainfall threshold. Lastly, this study shows that the recharge is a relevant parameter to be taken into account for deep-seated rainfall-induced landslides. Using the recharge rather than the precipitation significantly improves the delineation of a rainfall threshold separating stable and unstable events. The performance and accuracy of the multi-dimensional rainfall threshold developed for the Séchilienne landslide make it an appropriate method for integration into the present-day landslide warning system.

Keywords: Rainfall threshold; Support vector machines; Groundwater recharge; Deep-seated landslide; Probability; Early warning system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11069-016-2453-3

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