{"id":6,"date":"2019-11-28T16:00:19","date_gmt":"2019-11-28T15:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/modele\/?page_id=6"},"modified":"2025-11-24T14:01:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T13:01:45","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/rsg-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Rock slope and gravity 2025 (26-28 November)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Forecasting and Modelling Large Rock Slope Failures in a Changing Mountain Environment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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26-28 November 2025 \u2013 University of Lausanne<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Program<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Keynote speakers<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Recent catastrophic rock, rock-ice or rock-debris avalanches highlight the urgent need to improve detection, monitoring, and modeling of large-scale rock slope instabilities. With rapidly changing mountain environments, it is essential to advance empirical and numerical methods for better hazard forecasting and propagation prediction. Predictive models will be key to reducing disaster risks and protecting communities allowing the proper use of monitoring techniques and early warning systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The objective of this conference is to unite scientists engaged for a long time in research on large rock slope hazards and phenomena such as rock, rock-ice, or rock-debris avalanches. This includes experts working in the field, performing modelling, conducting laboratory studies or undertaking monitoring activities linked to risk management.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Several invited keynote speakers will deliver a series of featured presentations.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udce3 Other contributions are accepted in the form of 10 to 15-minute oral presentations or poster sessions (it will depend on the conference attendance). This provides an opportunity to present research and interact with members of the scientific community.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udcd8<\/strong>A special issue<\/strong> of a peer-reviewed journal (to be confirmed) is planned to publish selected contributions from the conference.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We look forward to your participation!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important dates:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening of the full registration:<\/strong><\/td>August 15th, 2025<\/td><\/tr>
Extended<\/strong> abstract submission deadline:<\/strong><\/td>October 26th, 2025<\/td><\/tr>
Abstract acceptance:<\/strong><\/td>November 1st, 2025<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Illustration of the purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The scientific communities dealing with large rock instability and rock avalanches are under stress since the recent deep-seated rock-topple, followed by a 5×105<\/sup> m3<\/sup> rock avalanche occurred in Pusa village in the County of Nayong (Guizhou Province, China), which was monitored and filmed. The runout of the event was underestimated, leading to the burial of a village and several casualties (Fan et al., 2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From Fan et al. (2019) illustrate the challenge of predicting propagation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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In 1987, a misprediction caused by the presence of a lake that increased the mobility of the Val Pola rock avalanche in Italy destroyed a village, killing unevacuated people (Azzoni et al., 1992). The mobilized Val Pola rock mass was located in a prehistoric landslide and was favored by fault and wedge structures. Heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt triggered the event (Crosta et al., 2004).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Brienz (Switzerland) case, multiple propagation scenarios based on different volumes of rock-debris avalanches were considered to inform the evacuation decision, using the scenario representing the greatest potential impact, which ultimately did not happen, but was likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, at least three rock avalanches resulted in fatalities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n