Monitoring concepts and requirements for large rockslides in Norway

Abstract

The risk due to large rockslides in Norway is due to large run-out, the possibilities for river damming and the generation of disastrous tsunamis in fjords. The investigations, monitoring and early-warning that have been designed and implemented for the Norwegian rockslides follows requirements guided in national codes and international standards for geotechnical design. The investigation program is composed of the following main parts: (1) Surface investigations; (2) Ground (subsurface) investigations; (3) Analysis and modeling; (4) Evaluation of physical mitigation; and (5) Documentation. The design and implementation of monitoring systems follows the following main concepts: (1) Sensors on the surface and in boreholes that gives sufficiently knowledge about movements; (2) Sensors giving information about controlling mechanisms for movements (Meteorological station and water pressure); and (3) Backup systems for all critical sectors by establishing different types of monitoring systems. The infrastructure including power-supply system and data communication from the site is designed to fulfill the demand of redundancy. Based on the historical data and information from historical rockslide events elsewhere, early-warning levels have been implemented in the operational system. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.