pacific nw transportation consortium region 10 Pactrans

Post-Wildfire Stability and Improvement of Hillslopes near PNW Transportation Infrastructure to Increase Mobility

PI: Idil Akin (WSU), idil.akin@wsu.edu, ORCID: 0000-0002-1946-4951

Co PIs: none

AMOUNT & MATCH: $40,000 from PacTrans; $40,000 Match

PERFORMANCE PERIOD: 8/16/2019 – 8/15/2021

STATUS: Completed

CATEGORIES: Wildfire, Slopes, Infrastructure, Stability

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DESCRIPTION: The objectives of this proposed research are to (i) develop reliable methods to identify slopes that are prone to landslides post wildfire and (ii) develop reliable, environmentally friendly, efficient, cost-effective methods of stabilizing critical slopes. Identifying and stabilizing vulnerable slopes in critical locations near infrastructure systems post wildfire will prevent blockage or damage to infrastructure by landslide material and therefore will maintain mobility by preserving the corridors and reduce maintenance costs.

Specific Goal 1: Modify the slope stability routine used in LISA with a suction-based model.

Specific Goal 2: Use a data-driven approach to run suction-based LISA to estimate post-wildfire landslide susceptibility due to changes in infiltration rate and corresponding saturation both above (typical for shallow landslides) and below the groundwater table.

Specific Goal 3: Develop surficial field application methods for an environmentally friendly and cost-effective biopolymer (xanthan gum) to improve post-wildfire slope stability.

Post-wildfire wetting-induced shallow landslides and corresponding debris flows threaten mobility in transportation systems in all Pacific Northwest states. Therefore, all Pacific Northwest states will benefit from the outcomes of this research.