Research
Landslide Hazards
From cutting-edge technologies like lidar-based mapping tools and real-time surface monitoring to in-depth analyses of landslide susceptibility and post-fire impacts, our research projects tackle real-world challenges with lasting impact. Through collaboration with industry sponsors, state and federal agencies, international organizations and interdisciplinary teams, we strive to develop tools, methods, and insights that drive progress in hazard mitigation and environmental stewardship.
Our Work
Research Projects &
Products
Current and Past
Projects
Near Real-Time of Deep-Seated Landslides using GNSS Surface Monitoring
Sponsors: ODOT
2023-Present
Post-Fire Controls on Landslides in Debris Flows in the Pacific Northwest
Sponsors: ODOT, AFRI
2021-Present
Seismic Rockfall Hazard Analysis
Sponsors: ODOT, PacTrans
2017-Present
Landslide Susceptibility from Precipitation and Seismicity
Sponsor: NSF, ODOT, USDA
2017-Present
Assessment of Coastal Landslides
Sponsor: ODOT
2016-Present
Landslide Inventorying using Lidar
Sponsors: ODOT, USFS
2015-2019
Geomechanics and Geosynthetics
Sponsors: Presto Geosystems, GSI, Self-Study
Ongoing
Assessment of Forestry Equipment Stability on Steep Slopes and Weak Soils
Sponsors: NIH, USFS
2015
Forestry, Energy, Management and Conservation
Sponsors: OSU
2014
Assessment of Forestry Equipment Stability on Steep Slopes and Weak Soils
Sponsors: NIH, USFS
2015
Products
Scarp Identification and Contour Connection Method (SICCM)
Streamline landslide mapping with the Scarp Identification and Contour Connection Method (SICCM). This semi-automated tool harnesses lidar DEM imagery to enhance accuracy and efficiency in landslide inventorying. Perfect for municipalities and geologists seeking to assess risks over large areas.
AASHTO Bearing Capacity on Slopes
Calculator for Interpolating Bearing Capacity Coefficients for Footings on Slopes. Corresponds to AASHTO Code and Leshchinsky (2015) and Leshchinsky and Xie (2016).
Our Publications
Refereed Journal Articles
(Published and In-Press)
| Year | Authors | Title | Journal/Source | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Woodard Jacob Bryson, Mirus B. B., Crawford M. M., Or D., Leshchinsky B. A., Allstadt K. E., Wood N. J. | Mapping Landslide Susceptibility Over Large Regions with Limited Data | Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface | |
| 2023 | Jones T., Cartwright T., Abed M., Tardif M., Robinson L., Wurst P., Leshchinsky B. | Developing Systems-Level Criteria for Evaluating Performance of Horizontal Drains toward Landslide Mitigation: Case Study of the US20 Pioneer | ||
| 2023 | Olsen Michael J., Massey C., Leshchinsky B., Wartman J., Senogles A. | Forecasting post-earthquake rockfall activity | Journal of Applied Geodesy | |
| 2023 | Artruc T., Tullos D., Leshchinsky B. | Effects of drawdown scenario on retrogressive lateral erosion in a reservoir | JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association | |
| 2022 | Alberti Stefano, Leshchinsky B., Roering J., Perkins J., Olsen M. J. | Inversions of landslide strength as a proxy for subsurface weathering | Nature Communications | |
| 2022 | Senogles A., Olsen M. J., Leshchinsky B. | SlideSim: 3D Landslide Displacement Monitoring through a Physics-Based Simulation Approach to Self-Supervised Learning | Remote Sensing | |
| 2022 | Massey C. I., Olsen M. J., Wartman J., Senogles A., Lukovic B., Leshchinsky B. A. | Rockfall activity rates before during and after the 2010/2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence | Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth | |
| 2022 | Alberti S., Olsen M. J., Allan J., Leshchinsky B. | Feedback thresholds between coastal retreat and landslide activity | Engineering Geology | |
| 2022 | Xu Y., Lu Z., Leshchinsky B. | Kinematics of Irrigation-Induced Landslides in a Washington Desert: Impacts of Basal Geometry | Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface | |
| 2019 | Olsen M. J., Senogles A., Leshchinsky B., Massey C., Archibald G., Wartman J. | Rockfall activity rates following the Canterbury New Zealand Earthquake Sequence | Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering for Protection and Development | |
| 2016 | Xie Y., Leshchinsky B., Ganesh R., Sahoo J. P. | Discussion: Active earth pressures from a log-spiral slip surface with arching effect | Géotechnique Letters | |
| 2021 | Abdollahi Masood, Moghaddas Tafreshi S. N., Leshchinsky B. | Protection of buried utilities against repeated loading: Application of geogrid-EPS geofoam system | International Journal of Geomechanics | |
| 2021 | Yang S., Ci W., Leshchinsky B., Cui K., Zhang F. | Scale effects on the ultimate bearing capacity of rectangular footings placed on slopes | Computers and Geotechnics | |
| 2015 | Leshchinsky Ben, Ambauen S., Xie Y. | Effects of Surcharge Location on Serviceability of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Abutments | From Fundamentals to Applications in Geotechnics | |
| 2021 | Rengers F. K., Rapstine T. D., Olsen M., Allstadt K. E., Iverson R. M., Leshchinsky B., Smith J. B. | Using high sample rate lidar to measure debris-flow velocity and surface geometry | Environmental and Engineering Geoscience | |
| 2021 | Leshchinsky Ben, Lehmann P., Or D. | Enhanced Rainfall-Induced Shallow Landslide Activity Following Seismic Disturbance–From Triggering to Healing | Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface | |
| 2021 | Abdollahi Masood, Vahedifard F., Abed M., Leshchinsky B. A. | Effect of tension crack formation on active earth pressure encountered in unsaturated retaining wall backfills | Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | |
| 2021 | Lehmann P., Leshchinsky B., Gupta S., Mirus B. B., Bickel S., Lu N., Or D. | Clays are not created equal: How clay mineral type affects soil parameterization | Geophysical Research Letters | |
| 2020 | Bunn M., Leshchinsky B., Olsen M. J. | Geologic trends in shear strength properties inferred through three-dimensional back analysis of landslide inventories | Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface | |
| 2019 | Belart F., Wimer J., Leshchinsky B. | Guidelines for safe multi-stump and deadman anchors | ||
| 2020 | Leshchinsky Ben, Berg R., Liew W., Kawakami-Selin M., Moore J., Brown S., Wayne M. | Characterization of geogrid mechanical and chemical properties from a thirty-six year old mechanically-stabilized earth wall | Geotextiles and Geomembranes | |
| 2020 | Bunn M., Leshchinsky B., Olsen M. J. | Estimates of three-dimensional rupture surface geometry of deep-seated landslides using landslide inventories and high-resolution topographic data | Geomorphology | |
| 2020 | Alberti Stefano, Senogles A., Kingen K., Booth A., Castro P., DeKoekkoek J., Leshchinsky B. | The Hooskanaden Landslide: historic and recent surge behavior of an active earthflow on the Oregon Coast | Landslides | |
| 2020 | Leshchinsky Ben A., Mason H. B., Olsen M. J., Gillins D. T., Shukla S. K., Sahoo P. P. | Lateral spreading within a limit equilibrium framework: Newmark’s sliding blocks with degrading yield accelerations | Géotechnique | |
| 2021 | Yang S., Leshchinsky B., Cui K., Zhang F., Gao Y. | Influence of failure mechanism on seismic bearing capacity factors for shallow foundations near slopes | Géotechnique | |
| 2020 | Green P. Q., Chung W., Leshchinsky B., Belart F., Sessions J., Fitzgerald S. A., Garland J. J. | Insight into the productivity cost and soil impacts of cable-assisted harvester-forwarder thinning in western Oregon | Forest Science | |
| 2020 | Belart F., Leshchinsky B., Wimer J. | Deadman anchoring design for cable logging: a new approach | Canadian Journal of Forest Research | |
| 2020 | Yang S., Gao Y., Leshchinsky B., Cui K., Zhang F. | Internal stability analysis of reinforced convex highway embankments considering seismic loading | Geotextiles and Geomembranes | |
| 2019 | Babbel B. J., Olsen M. J., Che E., Leshchinsky B. A., Simpson C., Dafni J. | Evaluation of uncrewed aircraft systems’ LiDAR data quality | ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information | |
| 2019 | Yang S., Leshchinsky B., Cui K., Zhang F., Gao Y. | Unified approach toward evaluating bearing capacity of shallow foundations near slopes | Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | |
| 2019 | Rengers F. K., Rapstine T. D., Allstadt K. E., Olsen M., Bunn M., Iverson R. M., Leshchinsky B. | Real-time monitoring of debris-flow velocity and mass deformation from field experiments with high sample rate lidar and video | Association | |
| 2019 | Xie Yonggui, Leshchinsky B., Han J. | Evaluation of bearing capacity on geosynthetic-reinforced soil structures considering multiple failure mechanisms | Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | |
| 2019 | Yang K. H., Nguyen T. S., Li Y. H., Leshchinsky B. | Performance and design of reinforced slopes considering regional hydrological conditions | Geosynthetics International | |
| 2019 | Leshchinsky Ben | Quantifying the influence of failure surface asperities on the basal shear resistance of translational landslides | Landslides | |
| 2019 | Abdollahi M., Moghaddas Tafreshi S. N., Leshchinsky B. | Experimental-numerical assessment of geogrid-EPS systems for protecting buried utilities | Geosynthetics International | |
| 2019 | Mathews Nicolas, Leshchinsky B. A., Olsen M. J., Klar A. | Spatial distribution of yield accelerations and permanent displacements: A diagnostic tool for assessing seismic slope stability | Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering | |
| 2019 | Hossley A., Leshchinsky B. | Stability and failure geometry of slopes with spatially varying undrained shear strength | Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | |
| 2019 | Bunn M. D., Leshchinsky B. A., Olsen M. J., Booth A. | A simplified object-based framework for efficient landslide inventorying using LIDAR digital elevation model derivatives | Remote Sensing | |
| 2019 | Stockton E., Leshchinsky B. A., Olsen M. J., Evans T. M. | Influence of both anisotropic friction and cohesion on the formation of tension cracks and stability of slopes | Engineering Geology | |
| 2019 | Belart F., Leshchinsky B., Sessions J., Chung W., Green P., Wimer J., Morrissette B. | Sliding stability of cable-assisted tracked equipment on steep slopes | Forest Science | |
| 2019 | Moghaddas Tafreshi S. N., Rahimi M., Dawson A. R., Leshchinsky B. | Cyclic and post-cycling anchor response in geocell-reinforced sand | Canadian Geotechnical Journal | |
| 2018 | Leshchinsky Ben A., Booth A. M., Glover-Cutter K. M., Mohney C., Olsen M. J., Roering J. J. | Prepare for Cascadia’s next earthquake | Science | |
| 2018 | Stockton E., Leshchinsky B., Xie Y., Olsen M. J., Leshchinsky D. | Limit equilibrium stability analysis of layered slopes: A generalized approach | Transportation Infrastructure Geotechnology | |
| 2019 | Hung C., Lin G.-W., Leshchinsky B., Kuo H.-L. | Extracting region-specific runout behavior and rainfall thresholds for massive landslides using seismic records: a case study in southern Taiwan | Bulletin of Engineering Geology | |
| 2018 | Mancuso A., Belart F., Leshchinsky B. | Operative loading in cable yarding systems: field observations of static and dynamic tensions in mobile anchor systems | Canadian Journal of Forest Research | |
| 2018 | Mancuso A., Belart F., Leshchinsky B., Russell M. L., Kiser J. D. | Behavior and assessment of mobile anchors in cable yarding systems | Canadian Journal of Forest Research | |
| 2018 | Rahimi M., Tafreshi S. N. M., Leshchinsky B., Dawson A. R. | Experimental and numerical investigation of the uplift capacity of plate anchors in geocell-reinforced sand | Geotextiles and Geomembranes | |
| 2018 | Rahimi M., Leshchinsky B., Moghaddas Tafreshi S. N. | Assessing the ultimate uplift capacity of plate anchors in geocell-reinforced sand | Geosynthetics International | |
| 2019 | Hung C., Liu C.-H., Lin G.-W., Leshchinsky B. | The Aso-Bridge coseismic landslide: a numerical investigation of failure and runout behavior using finite and discrete element methods | Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment | |
| 2018 | Xie Yonggui, Satyal S. R., Leshchinsky B. | Evaluation of reinforcement layout on the serviceability of MSE walls supporting footings | Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Ground Improvement | |
| 2018 | Satyal S. R., Leshchinsky B., Han J., Neupane M. | Use of cellular confinement for improved railway performance on soft subgrades | Geotextiles and Geomembranes | |
| 2018 | Leshchinsky Ben A. | Nested Newmark model to calculate the post-earthquake profile of slopes | Engineering Geology | |
| 2018 | Leshchinsky B. A., Mason H. B., Olsen M. J., Gillins D. T. | Lateral spreading within a limit equilibrium framework: Newmark sliding blocks with degrading yield accelerations | Géotechnique | |
| 2017 | Leshchinsky Ben, Olsen M. J., Mohney C., Glover-Cutter K., Crook G., Allan J., Mathews N. | Mitigating coastal landslide damage | Science | |
| 2017 | Leshchinsky D., Leshchinsky B., Leshchinsky O. | Limit state design framework for geosynthetic-reinforced soil structures | Geotextiles and Geomembranes | |
| 2017 | Xie Yonggui, Leshchinsky B. | Ultimate bearing capacity near slopes: Transition from a Bearing Capacity Problem to a Slope Stability Problem | Geotechnical Frontiers 2017 | |
| 2017 | Hess D. M., Leshchinsky B. A., Bunn M., Benjamin Mason H., Olsen M. J. | A simplified three-dimensional shallow landslide susceptibility framework considering topography and seismicity | Landslides | |
| 2017 | Gaidzik Krzysztof, Ramírez-Herrera M. T., Bunn M., Leshchinsky B. A., Olsen M., Regmi N. R. | Landslide manual and automated inventories and susceptibility mapping using LIDAR in the forested mountains of Guerrero Mexico | Geomorphology | |
| 2017 | Belart F., Leshchinsky B., Sessions J. | Finite element analysis to predict in-forest stored harvest residue moisture content | Forest Science | |
| 2017 | Belart F., Sessions J., Leshchinsky B., Murphy G. | Economic implications of moisture content and logging system in forest harvest residue delivery for energy production: a case study | Canadian Journal of Forest Research | |
| 2017 | Wang L., Leshchinsky B., Evans T. M., Xie Y. | Active and passive arching stresses in c′-φ′ soils: A sensitivity study using computational limit analysis | Computers and Geotechnics | |
| 2016 | Sessions J., Leshchinsky B., Chung W., Boston K., Wimer J. | Theoretical stability and traction of steep slope tethered feller-bunchers | Forest Science | |
| 2017 | Leshchinsky Ben, Xie Y. | Bearing capacity for spread footings placed near c′-φ′ slopes | Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | |
| 2016 | Xie Yonggui, Leshchinsky B., Yang S. | Evaluating reinforcement loading within surcharged segmental block reinforced soil walls using a limit state framework | Geotextiles and Geomembranes | |
| 2016 | Zhang F., Leshchinsky D., Baker R., Gao Y., Leshchinsky B. | Implications of variationally derived 3D failure mechanism | International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics | |
| 2016 | Yang S., Leshchinsky B., Zhang F., Gao Y. | Required strength of geosynthetic in reinforced soil structures supporting spread footings in three dimensions | Computers and Geotechnics | |
| (2016) | Xie, Y., & Leshchinsky, B. | Active earth pressures from a log-spiral slip surface with arching effects | Géotechnique Letters | 6(2), 149–155. |
REFEREED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Leshchinsky, B. and H. Ling. Revisiting Deformation Analysis for the Kansai International Airport. Proceedings of the Fourth Biot Conference on Poromechanics. Pp. 1071-1076 (2009).
Leshchinsky, B. Contour Connection Method: A Semi-Automated Method for Hazard Mapping using LiDAR. International Landslide Symposium. Naples, Italy. June 12th, 2016.
Xie. Y. and Leshchinsky, B. (2016). Optimized Reinforcement Application for Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Structures Supporting Surcharge Loading. Geo-Americas 3rd Pan-American Conference On Geosynthetics. Buenos Aires, Argentina. September 13th, 2016.
Xie. Y. and Leshchinsky, B. (2016). Service-State Behavior of Segmental MSE Walls: Evaluation of Design Factors Using Finite Element Analyses. ASCE Geotechnical and Structural Congress, Phoenix, AZ. February 14th, 2016.
Xie, Y. and Leshchinsky, B. (2015) Optimization of Reinforcement Placement and Spacing for MSE Walls. Proceedings of Geosynthetics 2015. Portland, OR.
Ambauen, S. and Leshchinsky, B. (2015) Numerical Simulation of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls under Surcharge Loading. Proceedings of Geosynthetics 2015. Portland, OR.
Leshchinsky, B., Ambauen, S. and Y. Xie. (2015) Effects of Surcharge Location on Serviceability of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Abutments. Proceedings of the XV PanAmerican Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Leshchinsky, B.. Maximum Tensile Loads in Reinforcements for MSE Walls: A Comprehensive Stability Check Revisited with Limit Analysis. Proceedings of Geo-Congress 2014.
Leshchinsky, B.. Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls: Parametric Study of Reinforcement Tensile Loads under Limit State. Proceedings of International Symposium on Design and Practice of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soil Structures 2013.
Leshchinsky, B.. Comparison of Limit Equilibrium and Limit Analysis for Complex Slopes. Proceedings of Geo-Congress 2013.
Leshchinsky, B.. Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls: Parametric Study of Reinforcement Tensile Loads under Limit State. Proceedings of International Symposium on Design and Practice of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soil Structures 2013. In press.
Leshchinsky, B.. Enhancing Ballast Performance Using Geocell Confinement. Proceedings of Geo-Frontiers 2011. Pp 4693-4072 (2011).
Are you interested in joining our research lab?
We are always looking for motivated students interested in geohazard research. If you are interested in pursuing research in this program, send us a message with a CV and some information about yourself.