Event Date
Shallow landslides and ensuing debris flows are among the most common and frequent geohazards in mountainous regions. In many subtropical and tropical countries, including Korea, shallow landslides are typically triggered by extreme rainfall events. These landslides often evolve into debris flows—a type of flow-like landslide where mixtures of water and earth materials rapidly move downslope. This presentation highlights research conducted at KAIST over the past decade on rainfall-induced shallow landslides and debris flow mitigation measures. The first part focuses on physics-based analyses of shallow landslides, landslide susceptibility mapping, and the development of landslide early warning systems. These concepts are illustrated with real world applications, including early warning systems for mountainous areas and mountain-based solar farms. The second part addresses the dynamics of debris flows, including runout analyses and mitigation strategies. It features numerical studies on how barrier locations affect debris flow behavior and examines the impact forces exerted by debris flows. Additionally, the presentation explores the post-wildfire effects on the mechanical and hydraulic properties of burned soils containing surface roots. This experimental work involved field visits, soil sampling, and comprehensive laboratory testing. The findings highlight the importance of accurately predicting landslide occurrences and assessing associated risks and the need for more effective countermeasure designs and improved hazard mitigation strategies.
Biography
Tae-Hyuk Kwon is an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at KAIST, Korea. He earned his BSc (2002), MS (2004), and PhD (2008) from KAIST and conducted postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2009-2011). He was a tenure-track assistant professor at Washington State University (2011-2013) before joining KAIST. He leads the Geo-Energy Laboratory (GELA). His research focuses on energy geotechnology, bio-geotechnics, and natural geohazards. His work includes geologic carbon storage, microbial enhanced oil recovery, bio-inspired ground improvement techniques, and natural hazard mitigation, such as landslide prediction and debris flow management. His expertise includes multiscale experimentation and modeling, remote sensing, and underground tunneling.