Advances in Shallow Landslide Hydrology and Triggering Mechanisms: A Multidisciplinary Approach

The vadose zone of steep slopes is often affected by rainfallinduced shallow landslides, which can cause widespread direct and indirect damage to the terrain and infrastructures, as well as urban and rural developments. These phenomena are determined by hydrological or subsurface flow processes and also mechanical (stress equilibrium) processes. Some models attempt to link dynamics of hydrologic behavior with the mechanical state of a hillslope and the onset of failure. However, the hydrological dynamics leading to shallow landslide initiation, the hydraulic properties at the slope scale, and the role of hysteretic effects as well as the soil nonequilibrium processes in slope stability assessment are still not completely understood and require further investigation. Furthermore, these open questions are generally treated separately by geologists, hydrologists, agronomists, and geotechnical engineers, whereas a multidisciplinary approach is a key factor in the study of these phenomena occurring in the vadose zone.