TY - GEN
T1 - Recent landslide impacts in Scotland
T2 - International Conference on 'Landslides and Climate Change - Challenges and Solutions'
AU - Mills, A. J.
AU - Moore, R.
AU - Carey, J. M.
AU - Trinder, S. K.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - Landslides and slope failures rarely lead to injuries or fatalities on UK roads although they can lead to significant disruption, damage and other costs including emergency response work and remedial measures. A good example is the landslide impacts on the Scottish road network which were triggered by a prolonged and intense rainstorm in early August 2004. The landslides resulted in blockage of several roads and whilst no one was injured, 57 people had to be airlifted to safety.A similar event occurred in the Shetland Islands in September 2003, following an intense local rainstorm, when several motorists narrowly missed being hit by a fast-moving landslide. The landslides at Channerwick in the Shetlands were unusual in that they originated from blanket peat upland and developed into fast-moving debris flows. The landslides caused the temporary closure of the main road connecting Lerwick, the capital town of the Shetlands, to the international airport at Sumburgh. Clear-up operations and remedial works cost in excess of £1 million and the incident prompted a detailed investigation of the causes and mechanisms of the landslides so that lessons could be learnt and appropriate measures implemented to avoid a repeat event. This paper focuses on the investigations and follow-up actions of the Shetland landslide event from a technical and road authority point of view. The influences of climate change on historical and projected frequency and magnitude of peat landslides is reviewed.
AB - Landslides and slope failures rarely lead to injuries or fatalities on UK roads although they can lead to significant disruption, damage and other costs including emergency response work and remedial measures. A good example is the landslide impacts on the Scottish road network which were triggered by a prolonged and intense rainstorm in early August 2004. The landslides resulted in blockage of several roads and whilst no one was injured, 57 people had to be airlifted to safety.A similar event occurred in the Shetland Islands in September 2003, following an intense local rainstorm, when several motorists narrowly missed being hit by a fast-moving landslide. The landslides at Channerwick in the Shetlands were unusual in that they originated from blanket peat upland and developed into fast-moving debris flows. The landslides caused the temporary closure of the main road connecting Lerwick, the capital town of the Shetlands, to the international airport at Sumburgh. Clear-up operations and remedial works cost in excess of £1 million and the incident prompted a detailed investigation of the causes and mechanisms of the landslides so that lessons could be learnt and appropriate measures implemented to avoid a repeat event. This paper focuses on the investigations and follow-up actions of the Shetland landslide event from a technical and road authority point of view. The influences of climate change on historical and projected frequency and magnitude of peat landslides is reviewed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84858111391&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84858111391
SN - 9780415443180
T3 - Landslides and Climate Change: Challenges and Solutions - Proceedings of the International Conference on Landslides and Climate Change
SP - 99
EP - 106
BT - Landslides and Climate Change
Y2 - 21 May 2007 through 24 May 2007
ER -
