Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Article Title: Effect of Temperature Increase for the Occurrence of Major Landslides in Sri Lanka
by U.de S. Jayawardena, N.W.L. Kumarasiri and R.K.I.H. Senaratne

Abstract:
The objective of this study is to find out whether the long dry climatic condition prior to the occurrence of landslides may be another causative factor to develop an unstable landmass. Monthly mean temperature and rainfall prior to ten years before the occurrence of each movement were collected from the Meteorology Department for ten major landslides occurred recently within Sri Lanka. Using Thornthwaite equation (1948) the heat index and potential evapotranspiration were calculated and obtained the remaining water amount from the rainfall for each landslide location for the period of ten years prior to the occurrence of particular movement. The results indicated that in some locations the remaining water amount was negative and other locations it was very low during the drought period. This creates some development of cracks of the overburden soils due to its� shrinkage and desiccation behavior. These open paths absorb more water than normal after a heavy precipitation and create unstable condition with the increase of pore water pressure.

Keywords: temperature, landslide, potential evapotranspiration, Sri Lanka

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