A mathematical approach for assessing landslide vulnerability

A natural phenomenon (hazard) may be characterized in terms of temporal, spatial and magnitude probabilities. The effects of the interaction between the hazard and the exposed element depend on the intensity of the hazard and on the resistance, sometimes called susceptibility, of the element at risk...

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Main Authors: Hernan Eduardo Martinez-Carvajal, Maria Tamara de Moraes Guimaraes Silva, Edwin Fabian Garcia-Aristizabal, Edier Vicente Aristizabal-Giraldo, Mayra Alejandra Larios-Benavides
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Nacional de Colombia 2018-10-01
Series:Earth Sciences Research Journal
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Online Access:https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/esrj/article/view/68553
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author Hernan Eduardo Martinez-Carvajal
Maria Tamara de Moraes Guimaraes Silva
Edwin Fabian Garcia-Aristizabal
Edier Vicente Aristizabal-Giraldo
Mayra Alejandra Larios-Benavides
author_facet Hernan Eduardo Martinez-Carvajal
Maria Tamara de Moraes Guimaraes Silva
Edwin Fabian Garcia-Aristizabal
Edier Vicente Aristizabal-Giraldo
Mayra Alejandra Larios-Benavides
author_sort Hernan Eduardo Martinez-Carvajal
collection DOAJ
description A natural phenomenon (hazard) may be characterized in terms of temporal, spatial and magnitude probabilities. The effects of the interaction between the hazard and the exposed element depend on the intensity of the hazard and on the resistance, sometimes called susceptibility, of the element at risk, which describes the propensity of a building or other infrastructure to suffer damage from a specific hazard impact. Consequently, a modern concept of vulnerability must consider the intensity of the hazard as well as the structural resistance of the exposed infrastructure. This concept is referred to as physical vulnerability, and the most accepted definition is a representation of the expected degree of loss quantified on a scale of 0 (no damage) to 1 (total destruction). Thus, this work presents a mathematical model for landslide physical vulnerability assessment, here named the T-Model, based on the “Principle of Natural Proportionality” and calibrated with field observations of the massive rainfall-triggered landslide event that occurred in Nova Friburgo, Brazil in November of 2011. The model was also calibrated for a flow-type movement that is based on field observations of the failure of a tailing dam that affected the district of Bento Rodrigues, Brazil in November of 2015. The results showed a good agreement between predictions and the observed level of damages. Thus, it is possible to conclude that from a mathematical point of view, the model may be qualified as universal. It is recognized that a real universal objective model for vulnerability to landslides is not practical at present. More important than the model itself is the methodology that is presented here, which leads the user to take qualitative damage information from the field and develop it into a quantitative mathematical framework. Potential users of the T-Model must be cautious regarding the values of parameters that are presented in this paper. The T-Model is just a modest proposal that requires further calibration and deep expert criticisms.
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spelling doaj-art-c04fd24fdc6540249652b2a0242b89242025-08-20T03:53:38ZengUniversidad Nacional de ColombiaEarth Sciences Research Journal1794-61902339-34592018-10-0122425127310.15446/esrj.v22n4.6855350225A mathematical approach for assessing landslide vulnerabilityHernan Eduardo Martinez-Carvajal0Maria Tamara de Moraes Guimaraes Silva1Edwin Fabian Garcia-Aristizabal2Edier Vicente Aristizabal-Giraldo3Mayra Alejandra Larios-Benavides4University of Brasilia/Universidad Nacional de ColombiaGoiás Federal InstituteUniversity of AntioquiaUniversidad Nacional de ColombiaUniversidad Nacional de ColombiaA natural phenomenon (hazard) may be characterized in terms of temporal, spatial and magnitude probabilities. The effects of the interaction between the hazard and the exposed element depend on the intensity of the hazard and on the resistance, sometimes called susceptibility, of the element at risk, which describes the propensity of a building or other infrastructure to suffer damage from a specific hazard impact. Consequently, a modern concept of vulnerability must consider the intensity of the hazard as well as the structural resistance of the exposed infrastructure. This concept is referred to as physical vulnerability, and the most accepted definition is a representation of the expected degree of loss quantified on a scale of 0 (no damage) to 1 (total destruction). Thus, this work presents a mathematical model for landslide physical vulnerability assessment, here named the T-Model, based on the “Principle of Natural Proportionality” and calibrated with field observations of the massive rainfall-triggered landslide event that occurred in Nova Friburgo, Brazil in November of 2011. The model was also calibrated for a flow-type movement that is based on field observations of the failure of a tailing dam that affected the district of Bento Rodrigues, Brazil in November of 2015. The results showed a good agreement between predictions and the observed level of damages. Thus, it is possible to conclude that from a mathematical point of view, the model may be qualified as universal. It is recognized that a real universal objective model for vulnerability to landslides is not practical at present. More important than the model itself is the methodology that is presented here, which leads the user to take qualitative damage information from the field and develop it into a quantitative mathematical framework. Potential users of the T-Model must be cautious regarding the values of parameters that are presented in this paper. The T-Model is just a modest proposal that requires further calibration and deep expert criticisms.https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/esrj/article/view/68553Landslide vulnerabilityquantitative vulnerabilityvulnerability assessmentlandslide risk analysisvulnerability T-Model
spellingShingle Hernan Eduardo Martinez-Carvajal
Maria Tamara de Moraes Guimaraes Silva
Edwin Fabian Garcia-Aristizabal
Edier Vicente Aristizabal-Giraldo
Mayra Alejandra Larios-Benavides
A mathematical approach for assessing landslide vulnerability
Earth Sciences Research Journal
Landslide vulnerability
quantitative vulnerability
vulnerability assessment
landslide risk analysis
vulnerability T-Model
title A mathematical approach for assessing landslide vulnerability
title_full A mathematical approach for assessing landslide vulnerability
title_fullStr A mathematical approach for assessing landslide vulnerability
title_full_unstemmed A mathematical approach for assessing landslide vulnerability
title_short A mathematical approach for assessing landslide vulnerability
title_sort mathematical approach for assessing landslide vulnerability
topic Landslide vulnerability
quantitative vulnerability
vulnerability assessment
landslide risk analysis
vulnerability T-Model
url https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/esrj/article/view/68553
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