Mountain Risks: From Prediction to Management and Governance (Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research Book 34)

This book offers a cross disciplinary treatment of the rapidly growing field of integrated approaches in risk assessment in mountainous areas. All major aspects related to hazard and risk assessment, risk management, and governance are illustrated with a wide range of case studies. The first part of the book focuses on new techniques for assessing the natural hazards of different types of mass movements. State-of-the-art techniques for morphological characterization and monitoring of displacements are described. Computational advances are covered to explain the process systems and to quantify the hazards of fast and slow-moving landslides. In the second part of the book methodologies are included for assessing the impact of these natural hazards on the society in terms of risks. In this part, methodologies for defining the vulnerability of the elements at risk are shown and the use of run-out models for risk assessment of the dangerous rapid mass movements are evaluated. The third part of the book focuses on the response of society towards the problems of hazard and risk. It highlights the role of spatial planning, early warning systems and evacuation plans for risk management. It establishes practical thresholds for acceptable and tolerable risks and emphasizes the importance of education and communication to society. Audience The book is of interest to a wide range of experts from related disciplines, practitioners and stakeholders to demonstrate the importance of an integrated approach for all aspects of risks in mountainous areas. Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction: The components of Risk Governance....Pages 1-27 Front Matter....Pages 29-29 Innovative Techniques for the Detection and Characterization of the Kinematics of Slow-Moving Landslides....Pages 31-56 Innovative Techniques for the Characterization of the Morphology, Geometry and Hydrological Features of Slow-Moving Landslides....Pages 57-82 Techniques for the Modelling of the Process Systems in Slow and Fast-Moving Landslides....Pages 83-129 Front Matter....Pages 131-131 Methods for Debris Flow Hazard and Risk Assessment....Pages 133-177 Review and Advances in Methodologies for Rockfall Hazard and Risk Assessment....Pages 179-199 Medium-Scale Multi-hazard Risk Assessment of Gravitational Processes....Pages 201-231 Methods for the Characterization of the Vulnerability of Elements at Risk....Pages 233-273 The Importance of the Lessons Learnt from Past Disasters for Risk Assessment....Pages 275-284 Front Matter....Pages 285-285 Disaster Mitigation by Spatial Planning....Pages 287-302 Disaster Mitigation by Corrective and Protection Measures....Pages 303-326 The Relevance of Legal Aspects, Risk Cultures and Insurance Possibilities for Risk Management....Pages 327-340 The Relevance of Early-Warning Systems and Evacuations Plans for Risk Management....Pages 341-364 Risk Assessment: Establishing Practical Thresholds for Acceptable and Tolerable Risks....Pages 365-381 The Use of Geo-information and Modern Visualization Tools for Risk Communication....Pages 383-407 Back Matter....Pages 409-413 "This book offers a cross disciplinary treatment of the rapidly growing field of integrated approaches in risk assessment in mountainous areas. All major aspects related to hazard and risk assessment, risk management, and governance are illustrated with a wide range of case studies. The first part of the book focuses on new techniques for assessing the natural hazards of different types of mass movements. State-of-the-art techniques for morphological characterization and monitoring of displacements are described. Computational advances are covered to explain the process systems and to quantify the hazards of fast and slow-moving landslides. In the second part of the book methodologies are included for assessing the impact of these natural hazards on the society in terms of risks. In this part, methodologies for defining the vulnerability of the elements at risk are shown and the use of run-out models for risk assessment of the dangerous rapid mass movements are evaluated. The third part of the book focuses on the response of society towards the problems of hazard and risk. It highlights the role of spatial planning, early warning systems and evacuation plans for risk management. It establishes practical thresholds for acceptable and tolerable risks and emphasizes the importance of education and communication to society"--Provided by publisher