The use of a distributed hydrologic model to predict dynamic landslide susceptibility for a humid basin in Puerto Rico

This thesis describes the use of a distributed hydrology model in conjunction with a Factor of Safety (FS) algorithm to predict dynamic landslide susceptibility for a humid basin in Puerto Rico. The Mameyes basin, located in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico, was selected for modeling based on the rich ensemble of soil, vegetation, topographical, meteorological and historic landslide data available. The basin was parameterized into the TIN-based Real-time Integrated Basin Simulator (tRIBS) with particular emphasis on vegetation parameters for broadleaf evergreen trees in tropical climates. The basin was forced with precipitation data that included a synthesized rainfall event likely to result in a landslide based on rainfall intensity-duration thresholds. The basin's response was assessed mainly in terms of soil moisture and values of selected vegetation parameters, which served as the dynamic inputs into the FS algorithm.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Kamal, Sameer A. (Sameer Ahmed)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Rafael L. Bras.

• Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/55154

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/55154