Rockfall modelling in forested areas : the role of digital terrain model grid cell size

Žabota, Barbara (author), Mikoš, Matjaž (author), Kobal, Milan (author)

This article examines how digital terrain model (DTM) grid cell size influences rockfall modelling using a probabilistic process-based model, Rockyfor3D, while taking into account the effect of forest on rockfall propagation and runout area. Two rockfall sites in the Trenta valley, NW Slovenia, were chosen as a case study. The analysis included DTM square grid cell sizes of 1, 2, 5, and 10 m, which were extracted from LiDAR data. In the paper, we compared results of rockfall propagation and runout areas, maximum kinetic energy, and maximum passing height between different grid cell sizes and forest/no forest scenario, namely by using goodness-of-fit indices (average index, success index, distance to the perfect classification, true skill statistics). The results show that the accuracy of the modelled shape of rockfall propagation and runout area decreases with larger DTM grid cell sizes. The forest has the important effect of reducing the rockfall propagation only at DTM1 and DTM2 and only if the distance between the source area and forest is large enough. Higher deviations of the maximum kinetic energy are present at DTMs with larger grid cell size, while differences are smaller at more DTMs with smaller grid cell sizes. Maximum passing height varies the most at DTM1 in the forest scenario, while at other DTMs, it does not experience larger deviations in the two scenarios.

• Language: English
• Keywords: rockfall, hazard, modelling, DTM, LiDAR, forest, protective effect, grid cell size
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty; FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 20 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 11, iss. 4, art. 1461
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-124816
• UDC: 630
• ISSN on article: 2076-3417
• DOI: 10.3390/app11041461
• COBISS.SI-ID: 50777091
• Publication date in RUL: 19.02.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Applied sciences
• Shortened title: Appl. sci.
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2076-3417
• COBISS.SI-ID: 522979353

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 05.02.2021