ABSTRACT
Landslides represent one of the most destructive of geological phenomenon, being responsible for over 100,000 fatalities in the period 1990-2006. In general these predictions are based upon the use of the approach first proposed by Saito in which the inverse of landslide strain rate is plotted against time, and the time of final failure determined by fitting a straight line to the data, and extrapolating the time at which v–1 = 0. This chapter provides an investigation of Saito linearity is undertaken using laboratory testing. The Saito technique for the prediction of failure is valid where failure of the slope occurs through brittle processes. Using undisturbed samples of materials from the basal shear region of landslides, stress path testing has been undertaken. D. N. Petley et al. explored the general applicability of the Saito technique by examining the development of the final movement phase of a number of landslides.
