Use of optical fibers for early monitoring of fast landslide triggering

Many countries in the world are subjected to catastrophic flow-like rainfall-induced landslides involving steep deposits of unsaturated granular soil. Campania Region, Southern Italy, is among them. After the 1998 flowslides, which caused 160 fatalities, the engagement of the national scientific community has become remarkable, leading to reliable hypotheses about the mechanics of initiation and evolution of flowslides. However, even greater efforts have to be made in order to develop new systems and technologies for early prediction of landslide triggering. Through a close interaction among researchers working in the geotechnical and optoelectronics fields, a new monitoring system based on the use of optical fibers is being developed. The paper illustrates the results of experiments carried out on small-scale physical models of slopes subjected to artificial rainfall until failure, monitored with optical fibers.