Failure probability of shallow landslides at a regional scale: the effect of root cohesion on distributed modelling

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4. Failure probability of shallow landslides at a regional scale: the effect of root cohesion on distributed modelling

This study presents a regionally distributed modelling of shallow landslides at a regional scale that incorporates the vegetation effect of the mechanical reinforcement provided by the roots. The long-term effects of evapotranspiration and canopy rainfall interception on water infiltration were also investigated. The analyses were conducted using HIRESSS (HIgh REsolution Slope Stability Simulator), a physically-based distributed slope stability model that enables efficient large-scale assessments across extensive spatial and temporal domains due to its parallel computing architecture. The stabilizing contribution of vegetation was accounted for by incorporating spatially variable root reinforcement based on the distribution and characteristics of local plant species. To model the inherent variability of spatial geotechnical parameters and manage their uncertainty, Monte Carlo simulations were employed. The model was applied to two case studies in Italy, and the simulation outcomes were evaluated focusing on the effect of the root reinforcement. Results indicate that the influence of the root reinforcement on slope stability is sensitive to rainfall intensity and duration. Under near-saturated soil conditions, however, the contribution of plant roots appears to be marginal.

3rd International Workshop on Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction (RootS2025)

2c. Numerical modelling of the behaviour of rooted soils and boundary value problems under static and dynamic loading conditions