Objective
Recent catastrophic landslide and storm events in Europe, resulting in the loss of human life and irreparable damage to rural communities, illustrate a huge need for improved management of unstable slopes in both urban and natural environments. Current geo-engineering measures, involving the use of reinforcing techniques offer an expensive solution to the problem, and can only be used in high-risk, accessible areas. In this multidisciplinary project, the stabilizing and reinforcing effects of vegetation on natural and artificial slopes will be examined with a view to developing adequate management strategies and new techniques for the prevention of such disasters. The relationship between tree and woody plant architecture, root anchorage and root reinforcernent will be investigated and correlated to soil mechanical and physical properties, as well aslope stability.
Funding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contracts
Coordinator
33610 Cestas Gazinet
France
Participants (8)
34032 Montpellier
38402 Saint-martin-d'heres
Madrid
Farnham
57006 Vassilika Thessalonikis
NG1 4BU Nottingham
1098 SM Amsterdam
86100 Campobasso