Scientific research for landslide risk analysis and international education for mitigation and preparedness
Abstract
Scientific activities performed in the framework of the World Centre of Excellence on Landslide Disaster Reduction located at Charles University in Prague were fulfilled by field research using several of techniques, capacity building and international collaboration. During the last three years we have performed landslide research in Peru, Ethiopia and at several localities inside the Czech Republic.
Our contribution to the methodology is through considering landslide phenomena as being part of the physical-geographical sphere, where all of the interactions between the lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere are evaluated with respect to specific on-site conditions. Another methodological aspect is to regard slope deformations as ongoing landscape changes in time and space.
Some recent landslides were studied as they occurred during our research in several regions (e.g. in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru). In addition, we attempted to make progress in research methodologies and we created a database.
Our doctoral students were involved not only in the research but also in student exchanges and we opened our field of study to foreign students. Some aspects of our landslide research are a matter of international collaboration in the framework of the IPL (International Programme on Landslides).