Thomas Zieher

Austrian Research Centre for Forests · Department of Natural Hazards

For the development of accurate shallow landslide (translational debris and earth slides with a depth < 2 m) susceptibility assessments and further hazard or risk analyses, it is essential that complete and accurate landslide inventory data is available. Various methods are applied for the construction of shallow landslide inventories. However, it...

Shallow landslide initiation typically results from an interplay of dynamic triggering and preparatory conditions along with static predisposition factors. While data-driven methods for assessing landslide susceptibility or for establishing rainfall-triggering thresholds are prevalent, integrating spatio-temporal information for dynamic large-area...

The development of better, more reliable and more efficient susceptibility assessments for shallow landslides is becoming increasingly important. Physically based models are well‐suited for this, due to their high predictive capability. However, their demands for large, high‐resolution and detailed input datasets make them very time‐consuming and c...

Landslides are one of the major weather-related geohazards. To assess their potential impact and design mitigation solutions, a detailed understanding of the slope processes is required. Landslide modelling is typically based on data-rich geomechanical models. Recently, machine learning has shown promising results in modelling a variety of processe...

The international summer school Sensing Mountains, which was held for the first time in 2015 in Obergurgl (Austria), is a biannual event for early career scientists bringing together international researchers from Geosciences, Biosciences and Engineering for mapping and analysing of geospatial data in mountain environments. The summer school takes...

Active deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DSGSDs) and interlinked secondary processes such as rockfalls and debris flows pose multiple threats to livelihoods in mountain regions. A currently active part (~0.35 km 2) of the Reissenschuh DSGSD (Schmirn valley, Tyrol, Austria) shows considerable displacement rates of about 1 m per year. Thi...

In small Alpine catchments, floods are mostly triggered by surface runoff generation during convective heavy precipitation events. Their magnitude also depends on the antecedent soil moisture content, which was shown in several previous studies. This study aims at understanding (a) which sites change their surface runoff response to rainfall events...

Most shallow landslides are triggered by prolonged or short intense precipitation events. In dynamic physically-based model approaches for landslide susceptibility assessment, the input precipitation data is often derived from a single or a small number of rain gauges. However, precipitation patterns show a high variance in their spatial distributi...

Shallow landslides are frequently occurring hazards in mountainous landscapes all over the world. These processes are caused by a combination of static (i.e., predisposing factors: topography, material properties) and dynamic controls (i.e., preparatory and triggering factors: heavy rainfall, snow-melt). Data-driven methods have been used to model...

This study investigates rock glacier destabilization based on the results of a unique in situ and remote-sensing-based monitoring network focused on the kinematics of the rock glacier in Äußeres Hochebenkar (Austrian Alps). We consolidate, homogenize, and extend existing time series to generate a comprehensive dataset consisting of 14 digital surfa...

Nature-based solutions (NbS) can be beneficial to help human communities build resilience to climate change by managing and mitigating related hydro-meteorological hazards (HMHs). Substantial research has been carried out in the past on the detection and assessment of HMHs and their derived risks. Yet, knowledge on the performance and functioning o...

Influence of antecedent soil moisture content and land use on the surface runoff response to heavy rainfall simulation experiments investigated in Alpine catchments by Gertraud Meißl1*, Klaus Klebinder2, Thomas Zieher2, Veronika Lechner2, Bernhard Kohl2, Gerhard Markart2 1 Department of Geography, University of Innsbruck, Austria, *corresponding...

Slow‐moving deep‐seated landslides are characterized by continuous deformation, constantly changing topography and sliding‐mass geometry. Deformation rates are predominantly controlled by temporal dynamics of pore‐pressure. Progressing movements typically cause an over‐steepening of a landslide’s foot making these areas more susceptible to secondar...

Landslides are one of the major weather related geohazards. To assess their potential impact and design mitigation solutions, a detailed understanding of the slope processes is required. Landslide modelling is typically based on data-rich geomechanical models. Recently, machine learning has shown promising results in modelling a variety of processe...

Large-scale slope deformations affect mountainous regions around the world and can have severe impacts on infrastructure and livelihoods of exposed communities. The research object of this study is a deepseated gravitational slope deformation (DSGSD) located in the Schmirn valley (Tyrol, Austria). Overall aim is to assess and investigate landslide...

This study investigates rock glacier destabilization based on the results of a unique in situ and remote sensing-based monitoring network focused on the kinematics of the rock glacier in Äußeres Hochebenkar (Austrian Alps). We consolidate, homogenize, and extend existing time series to generate a comprehensive dataset consisting of 14 digital surfa...

Landslides of the slide-type movement represent a potential threat to people and infrastructure in mountain areas all over the world. At regional scales, data-driven models are typically used to assess landslide susceptibility, i.e., to map where landslides are more or less likely to occur. Such assessments frequently serve as basic input for lands...

Impacts of expected climate change on the water balance in mountain regions may affect the activity of hydro-meteorologically driven deep-seated landslides. In the present study, an extended empirical monthly water balance model is used for reproducing the current and future hydro-meteorological forcing of a continuously moving deep-seated earth sl...

Sensing mountains by close-range and remote techniques is a challenging task. The 4th edition of the international Innsbruck Summer School of Alpine Research 2022 – Close-range Sensing Techniques in Alpine Terrain brings together early career and experienced scientists from technical-, geo- and environmental-related research fields. The interdiscip...

Continuous and slow-moving deep-seated landslides entail challenges for the effective planning of mitigation strategies aiming at the reduction of landslide movements. Given that the activity of most of these landslides is governed by pore pressure variations within the shear zone, profound knowledge about their hydrogeological control is required....

Deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DSGSDs) pose serious threats to buildings and infrastructure in mountain regions. The understanding of past movement behavior are essential requirements for enhancing process knowledge and potential mitigation measures. In this context historical aerial imagery provides a unique possibility to assess an...

The sustainable development of mountain regions requires inter- and transdisciplinary knowledge. The Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research contributes to this global endeavor as part of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and as a member of international scientific networks, together with local partners and stakeholders. As a joint effort...

Landscape evolution underlies geological, geomorphological and hydrological processes organized in cascades and in a net of interlinked dynamics and sediment transport systems. In the case of deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DSGSDs) the mass movement as primary process can trigger a couple of secondary processes such as rock falls at t...

Continuous and slow-moving deep-seated landslides entail challenges for the effective planning of mitigation strategies aiming at the reduction of landslide movements. Given that the activity of most of these landslides is governed by pore pressure variations within the shear zone, profound knowledge about their hydrogeological control is required....

Fernerkundungsdaten finden in zahlreichen Forschungsfeldern der Geographie Verwendung. In den letzten Jahrzehnten sind für den gesamten Globus flächendeckende zeiträumliche Datenarchive in unterschiedlichen Maßstäben entstanden, die ein digitales Labor darstellen und verschiedenste, auch in der Zeit zurückblickende Analysen, ermöglichen. Der Ableit...

Nature-based solutions (NBS) for hydro-meteorological risks (HMRs) reduction and management are becoming increasingly popular, but challenges such as the lack of well-recognised standard methodologies to evaluate their performance and upscale their implementation remain. We systematically evaluate the current state-of-the-art on the models and tool...

Spatio‐temporal variations of precipitation are presumed to influence the displacement rate of slow moving deep‐seated landslides by controlling groundwater recharge, pore‐water pressure and shear strength. Phases of landslide acceleration responding to long lasting rainfall and snowmelt events occur under site‐ and event‐specific time delays. Asse...

To bring to fruition the capability of nature-based solutions (NBS) in mitigating hydro-meteorological risks (HMRs) and facilitate their widespread uptake require a consolidated knowledge-base related to their monitoring methods, efficiency, functioning and the ecosystem services they provide. We attempt to fill this knowledge gap by reviewing and...

Under climate change scenarios, it is important to evaluate the changes in recent behavior of heavy precipitation events, the resulting flood risk, and the detrimental impacts of the peak flow of water on human well-being, properties, infrastructure, and the natural environment. Normally, flood risk is estimated using the stationary flood frequency...

The aim of this document is to critically analyse and document hydro-meteorological hazards, their negative consequences and good practice examples of NBS to manage the associated risks in OPERANDUM OALs. The outcomes of this deliverable serve as a foundation for the various tasks in other WPs of OPERANDUM. For instance, the evidence summarised fro...

This document reports information needed for the set-up of Nature Based Solutions (NBS) at Open Air Laboratories (OALs). It includes the description of the current hydro-meteorological and socio-economic status and identification of climatic and socio-economic drivers for future hazards. Land use scenarios, built on the identified drivers are descr...

The 3rd edition of the international summer school “Close-range Sensing Techniques in Alpine terrain” took place in Obergurgl, Austria, in June 2019. This article reports on results from the training and seminar activities and the outcome of student questionnaire survey. Comparison between the recent edition and the past edition in 2017 shows no si...

Landslides endanger settlements and infrastructure in mountain areas across the world. Monitoring of landslides is therefore essential in order to understand and possibly predict their behavior and potential danger. Terrestrial laser scanning has proven to be a successful tool in the assessment of changes on landslide surfaces due to its high resol...

Study region Brixenbach catchment (10 km²), Kitzbuehel Alps, Tyrol, Austria. Study focus This study presents the data of one of the rare soil moisture networks in the Alps, a 9-year soil moisture time series recorded at 8 sites with in-situ measurements (six pasture and two forest sites). We aim at understanding the soil moisture behaviour in gene...

The purpose of this document is twofold. First, it presents the characterisation of extreme events occurred in the last 30 years (1989-2018) in the OPERANDUM OALs (in Europe and abroad): after a selection of cases, with criteria established according to hazard and site, the analysis is carried on by looking at their meteorological settings, availab...

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are being promoted as adaptive measures against predicted increasing hydrometeorological hazards (HMHs), such as heatwaves and floods which have already caused significant loss of life and economic damage across the globe. However, the underpinning factors such as policy framework, end-users’ interests and participation...

The purpose of this document is twofold. First, it presents the characterisation of extreme events occurred in the last 30 years (1989-2018) in the OPERANDUM OALs (in Europe and abroad): after a selection of cases, with criteria established according to hazard and site, the analysis is carried on by looking at their meteorological settings, availab...

In complex mountainous terrain the mapping efficiency is a crucial factor. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based laser scanning (ULS) has the capability for efficient mapping, as it allows realizing higher flight velocities, higher flying altitude above ground level (AGL) and larger distances between neighbouring flight strips, compared to image base...

Slow moving deep-seated gravitational slope deformations are threatening infrastructure and economic wellbeing in mountainous areas. Accelerating landslides may end up in a catastrophic slope failure in terms of rapid rock avalanches. Continuous landslide monitoring enables the identification of critical acceleration thresholds, which are required...

Multi-temporal 3D point clouds acquired with a laser scanner can be efficiently used for an area-wide assessment of landslide-induced surface changes. In the present study, displacements of the Vögelsberg landslide (Tyrol, Austria) are assessed based on available data acquired with airborne laser scanning (ALS) in 2013 and data acquired with an unm...

The Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission provides synthetic aperture radar (SAR) acquisitions over large areas with high temporal and spatial resolution. This new generation of satellites providing open-data products has enhanced the capabilities for continuously studying Earth surface changes. Over the past two decades, several studies have demonstrated...

Deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DSGSDs) endanger settlements and infrastructure in mountain areas all over the world. To prevent disastrous events, their activity needs to be continuously monitored. In this paper, the movement of the Reissenschuh DSGSD in the Schmirn valley (Tyrol, Austria) is quantified based on point clouds acquired...

Terrestrial and airborne 3D imaging sensors are well-suited data acquisition systems for the area-wide monitoring of landslide activity. State-of-the-art surveying techniques, such as terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and photogrammetry based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery or terrestrial acquisitions have advantages and limitations associa...

The 2nd international summer school “Close-range sensing techniques in Alpine terrain” was held in July 2017 in Obergurgl, Austria. Participants were trained in selected close-range sensing methods, such as photogrammetry, laser scanning and thermography. The program included keynotes, lectures and hands-on assignments combining field project plann...

Physically based modelling of slope stability on a catchment scale is still a challenging task. When applying a physically based model on such a scale (1 : 10 000 to 1 : 50 000), parameters with a high impact on the model result should be calibrated to account for (i) the spatial variability of parameter values, (ii) shortcomings of the selected mo...

In contrast to the complex nature of slope failures, physically-based slope stability models rely on simplified representations of landslide geometry. Depending on the modelling approach, landslide geometry is reduced to a slope-parallel layer of infinite length and width (e.g., the infinite slope stability model), a concatenation of rigid bodies (...

The project LEMONADE (LandslidE MOnitoriNg And Data intEgration) aims to combine different techniques investigating their benefits and drawbacks. We present the different techniques used to monitor the active Corvara landslide located in the Italian Dolomites. Satellite remote sensing products allow covering the whole landslide providing 1D displac...

Physically-based modelling of slope stability at catchment scale is still a challenging task. Applying a physically-based model at such scale (1 : 10,000 to 1 : 50,000), parameters with a high impact on the model result should be calibrated to account for (i) the spatial variability of parameter values, (ii) shortcomings of the selected model, (iii...

Land-cover change could considerably lower landslide triggering rainfall thresholds allowing precipitation events with shorter recurrence intervals to initiate shallow landslides. This research focusses on developing an automated, robust and up-scalable workflow to quantitatively assess the effect land-cover change has on initiating rainfall induce...

Physically-based dynamic modelling of shallow landslide susceptibility rests on several assumptions and simplifications. However, the applicability of physically-based models is only rarely tested in the field at the appropriate scale. This paper presents results of a spray irrigation experiment conducted on a plot of 100 m² on an Alpine slope susc...

Remote and close range sensing are well-suited methods for monitoring natural hazards such as landslides. In particular, assessing the behavior and the dynamics of landslides through aerial imagery can considerably reduce the social and economic impacts of such events. UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) with digital cameras on board represent an effici...

Shallow landslides are gravitational mass movements of unconsolidated material on hillslopes with a maximum depth of about two meters. These dynamic processes are usually triggered by hydro-meteorological events, such as heavy rainfall events or rapid snowmelt. Shallow landslides affect infrastructure, cause a loss of soil and degrade agricultural...

In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been more frequently utilised to study geomorphological and natural hazard processes, including gravitational mass movements such as landslides. UAVs can be equipped with different sensors, e.g. photo cameras and laser scanners, and the data that can be achieved can substantially improve the mon...

Poster at EGU 2016

As rockfall can cause a great deal of damage, it is essential to know its spatial propagation. Rockfall models are sensitive to the resolution of input data, i.e. the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) used. Nowadays, high resolution elevation data are available area-wide from airborne laser scanning (ALS). However, rockfall models are designed for analys...