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Rainfall-Induced Landslides: Influencing, Modelling and Hazard Assessment: 2nd Edition

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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Erosion and Sediment Transport".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 November 2025) | Viewed by 6975

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Dr. Qingzhao Zhang

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Guest Editor

Department of Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Interests: engineering geology; rock mass and slope engineering; tunnels and underground works
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Dr. Danyi Shen

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Guest Editor

Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Interests: landslide dam; stability analysis; rapid assessment; rock mass structural plane; shear seepage; constitutive model
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rainfall of different intensities is the main factor triggering both shallow and deep-seated landslides. Shallow landslides, especially soil slips, are usually triggered by intense short-duration rainfall, whereas landslides in clayey soils and deep-seated landslides are more sensitive to long-term and moderate-intensity rainfall. Historically, rainfall-induced landslides have posed risks to constructed facilities and led to fatalities, widespread damages, and economic losses. As a consequence, studying the causes and conducting hazard assessments of rainfall-induced landslide disasters have remained some of the most important challenges in the field of engineering geology. Given the projected climate and environmental changes, further research on the topic of landslides is crucial. This Special Issue invites research on rainfall-induced landslides, including geological surveys, comprehensive field monitoring, laboratory physical modelling, theoretical analyses, and numerical simulations, that can advance landslide forecasting and hazard mitigation.

Dr. Qingzhao Zhang
Dr. Danyi Shen
Guest Editors

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Keywords

rainfall
landslides
causes
modelling
hazard assessment

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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31 pages, 38692 KB

Open AccessArticle

Stability and Dynamics Analysis of Rainfall-Induced Rock Mass Blocks in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area: A Multidimensional Approach for the Bijiashan WD1 Cliff Belt

by Hao Zhou, Longgang Chen, Yigen Qin, Zhihua Zhang, Changming Yang and Jin Xie

Water 2026, 18(2), 257; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18020257 - 18 Jan 2026

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Abstract

Accurately assessing collapse risks of high-elevation, concealed rock mass blocks within the steep cliffs of Bijiashan, Three Gorges Reservoir Area, is challenging. This study employed a multidimensional approach—integrating airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), the transient electromagnetic method (TEM), close-range photogrammetry, horizontal drilling, and borehole optical imaging—to characterize the rock mass structure of the WD1 cliff belt and delineate 52 individual blocks. Stability analysis incorporated stereographic projection for macro-scale assessment and employed mechanical models specific to three primary failure modes (toppling, sliding, falling). Finite element strength reduction quantified the stress–strain response of a representative block under natural and rainstorm conditions. Particle Flow Code (PFC) simulated dynamic instability of the exceptionally large block W1-37. Results indicate the WD1 rock mass is highly fractured, with base sections prone to weakness. Toppling failure dominates (90.4%). Under rainstorm conditions, the average Factor of Safety (FOS) decreased by 14.7%, and 73.1% of the blocks that were stable under natural conditions were destabilized—specifically transitioning to marginally stable or substable states—often triggering chain-reaction instability characterized by “crack propagation—base buckling”. W1-37 exhibited staged failure under rainstorm: “strain localization at fissure tips—penetration of basal cracks—overturning of the upper rock mass”. Its frontal rock reached a peak sliding velocity of 15.17 m/s, indicative of base-breaking toppling. The integrated “multi-technology survey—multi-method evaluation—multi-scale simulation” framework provides a quantitative basis for risk assessment of rock mass disasters in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area and offers a technical paradigm for similar high-steep canyon regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rainfall-Induced Landslides: Influencing, Modelling and Hazard Assessment: 2nd Edition)

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20 pages, 12005 KB

Open AccessArticle

Reactivation Mechanism of Ancient Accumulation Landslides Synergistically Triggered by Excavation Disturbance and Critical Rainfall Infiltration

by Jiayong Zhang, Jinhong Chen, Yigen Qin, Xiaotong Xu, Wenlong Gou and Kunpeng Lu

Water 2025, 17(17), 2640; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17172640 - 6 Sep 2025

Viewed by 1950

Abstract

The reactivation of the Longdongpo ancient colluvial landslide in Sinan County, Guizhou Province represents a typical multi-factor coupled failure. Based on detailed geological investigations and FLAC^3D fluid–solid coupling numerical simulations, this study reveals its complex reactivation mechanisms. The analysis demonstrates that long-term groundwater action has significantly weakened the slip zone at the soil–bedrock interface, causing strength degradation and inducing prolonged quasi-stable creep deformation of the slope. The artificial cut slopes formed in the middle-to-lower sections disrupted the original stress field and induced localized plastic deformation. Crucially, the numerical simulation identified a 5 m rainfall infiltration depth as the threshold triggering abrupt instability; when exceeding this critical value (simulated as 10 m and 16 m infiltration depths), pore water pressure surged (>2.7 MPa) and displacement dramatically increased (>2.2 m), reducing shear strength along the potential failure surface to critical levels. This process culminated in the full connection of the shear surface and the landslide’s catastrophic reactivation. This work quantitatively elucidates the chain-reaction mechanism of “long-term groundwater weakening → engineering disturbance initiation → critical-depth rainfall infiltration triggering”, providing vital quantitative evidence for regional ancient landslide risk prevention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rainfall-Induced Landslides: Influencing, Modelling and Hazard Assessment: 2nd Edition)

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19 pages, 4819 KB

Open AccessArticle

Antecedent Rainfall Duration Controls Stage-Based Erosion Mechanisms in Engineered Loess-Filled Gully Beds: A Laboratory Flume Study

by Yanjie Ma, Xingrong Liu, Heping Shu, Yunkun Wang, Jinyan Huang, Qirun Li and Ziyang Xiao

Water 2025, 17(9), 1290; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17091290 - 25 Apr 2025

Viewed by 1327

Abstract

Engineered loess-filled gullies, which are widely distributed across China’s Loess Plateau, face significant stability challenges under extreme rainfall conditions. To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of antecedent rainfall on the erosion and failure processes of such gullies, this study conducted large-scale flume experiments to reveal their phased erosion mechanisms and hydromechanical responses under different antecedent rainfall durations (10, 20, and 30 min). The results indicate that the erosion process features three prominent phases: initial splash erosion, structural reorganization during the intermission period, and runoff-induced gully erosion. Our critical advancement is the identification of antecedent rainfall duration as the primary “pre-regulation” factor: short-duration (10–20 min) rainfall predominantly induces surface crack networks during the intermission, whereas long-duration (30 min) rainfall directly triggers substantial holistic collapse. These differentiated structural weakening pathways are governed by the duration of antecedent rainfall and fundamentally control the initiation thresholds, progression rates, and channel morphology of subsequent runoff erosion. The long-duration group demonstrated accelerated erosion rates and greater erosion amounts. Concurrent monitoring demonstrated that transient pulse-like increases in pore-water pressure were strongly coupled with localized instability and gully wall failures, verifying the hydromechanical coupling mechanism during the failure process. These results quantitatively demonstrate the critical modulatory role of antecedent rainfall duration in determining erosion patterns in engineered disturbed loess, transcending the prior understanding that emphasized only the contributions of rainfall intensity or runoff. They offer a direct mechanistic basis for explaining the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of erosion and failure observed in field investigations of the engineered fills. The results directly contribute to risk assessments for land reclamation projects on the Loess Plateau, underscoring the importance of incorporating antecedent rainfall history into stability analyses and drainage designs. This study provides essential scientific evidence for advancing the precision of disaster prediction models and enhancing the efficacy of mitigation strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rainfall-Induced Landslides: Influencing, Modelling and Hazard Assessment: 2nd Edition)

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Review

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37 pages, 14241 KB

Open AccessReview

Rainfall-Induced Landslide Prediction Models, Part I: Empirical–Statistical and Physically Based Causative Thresholds

by Kyrillos Ebrahim, Sherif M. M. H. Gomaa, Tarek Zayed and Ghasan Alfalah

Water 2025, 17(22), 3273; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17223273 - 16 Nov 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2217

Abstract

Introduction and Problem Statement: Landslides represent a significant geological hazard worldwide. One of the primary triggers for these landslides is rainfall, which is becoming more intense as a result of climate change. The available literature has produced extensive research. However, this largely overlooks the use of mixed methodologies. Furthermore, a comprehensive review combining empirical, physically based, deterministic, and phenomenological models is still rare. Objective and Method: This study (Part I of a two-part review) addresses this gap by employing a mixed review that integrates quantitative scientometric analysis with a qualitative systematic review. The primary objective of Part I is to deliver a critical assessment, focusing on empirical and physically based causative threshold models. Main Results and Validation: Macroscopically, our analysis reveals that antecedent rainfall is a more robust indicator than classical intensity–duration (I-D) thresholds, though the latter remains widely used due to its simplicity. Physically based models provide a critical bridge when geotechnical data is scarce, correlating rainfall with internal slope responses like displacement. At a microscopic level, hybrid artificial intelligence (AI) models consistently demonstrate superior predictive accuracy by capturing complex, nonlinear relationships missed by simpler models. These findings are validated through a systematic evaluation of performance metrics across the reviewed literature. Main Conclusions and Significance: We conclude that while empirical thresholds offer operational simplicity, the future of accurate prediction lies in sophisticated hybrid AI models trained on extensive monitoring data. This review synthesizes fragmented knowledge into a unified framework, providing a clear roadmap for model selection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rainfall-Induced Landslides: Influencing, Modelling and Hazard Assessment: 2nd Edition)

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