Abstract ........................................................ i
Zusammenfassung ............................................... iii
Acknowledgements ................................................ v
Contents ...................................................... vii
List of figures ................................................ ix
List of tables ............................................... xvii
List of abbreviations ......................................... xix
List of symbols ................................................ xx
Latin symbols ............................................... xx
Greek symbols ............................................ xxiii
1 Introduction ................................................. 1
1.1 State of research ....................................... 1
1.1.1 Hydrothermal regime of the active layer in
debris slopes .................................... 1
1.1.2 Slope stability of the active layer in debris
slopes ........................................... 6
1.2 Motivation ............................................. 16
1.3 Hypothesis ............................................. 17
1.4 Objectives ............................................. 19
2 Field investigations ........................................ 21
2.1 Study site ............................................. 21
2.2 Field methods .......................................... 23
2.2.1 Field research infrastructure ................... 23
2.2.2 Field measuring array ........................... 23
2.2.3 Measurements in detail .......................... 26
2.3 Field results and interpretation ....................... 28
2.3.1 Meteorological conditions ....................... 28
2.3.2 Hydrological ground parameters .................. 29
2.3.3 Thermal ground parameters ....................... 35
2.3.4 Geotechnical parameters ......................... 45
2.4 Discussion of field investigations ..................... 47
2.4.1 Water balance ................................... 47
2.4.2 Heat balance .................................... 50
2.4.3 Relation between water and heat balance ......... 51
2.4.4 Suitability of measuring equipment and
reliability of data ............................. 52
2.4.5 Relevance of results in context of climate
change .......................................... 52
2.5 Summary of field investigations ...................... 53
3 Laboratory experiments ...................................... 54
3.1 Analysis of granular materials ......................... 54
3.2 Development of inclinable shear apparatus .............. 56
3.2.1 Requirements .................................... 56
3.2.2 Solution ........................................ 56
3.2.3 Construction .................................... 57
3.3 Systematic 4-factorial screening shear test series ..... 58
3.3.1 Methods of systematic shear test series ......... 58
3.3.2 Results and analysis of systematic shear test
series .......................................... 85
3.3.3 Discussion of systematic shear test series ..... 106
3.3.4 Summary of systematic shear test series ........ 109
3.4 Physical simulation of thaw-induced failure of the
active layer .......................................... 110
3.4.1 Methods for simulation of thaw-induced active
layer failure .................................. 110
3.4.2 Results of simulation of thaw-induced active
layer failure .................................. 120
3.4.3 Discussion of simulation of thaw-induced
active layer failure ........................... 139
3.4.4 Summary of simulation of thaw-induced active
layer failure .................................. 147
3.5 Comparison of systematic shear tests and failure
simulation ............................................ 148
4 Integral discussion of field and laboratory
investigations ............................................. 149
4.1 Implications of the laboratory simulation for the
field study site ...................................... 149
4.2 Implications of the shear test series for the field
in general ............................................ 150
5 Conclusions ................................................ 153
6 Outlook .................................................... 154
References .................................................... 155
Curriculum Vitae .............................................. 168
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