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CeREES Centre for Geoenergy

Staff Profiles

Professor Dave Petley, BSc (Hons) AKC PhD FRGS FGS ILTM CGeog

Professor, Co-Director - Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience in the Department of Geography
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 33 41909
Fax: +44 (0) 191 33 41801
Room number: 234
Wilson Chair in Hazard and Risk in Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience
Dean of Research in the Research Office

(email at d.n.petley@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

My research interests lie primarily in the understading of landslides and landslide mechanics, especially in high mountain areas within less developed countries. To this end, I established and am director of the International Landslide Centre, see: http://www.landslidecentre.org/

More specific details of my research areas are as follows:

1 Material deformation processes
I am interested in a range of issues associated with deformation, including compaction of rocks (especially near-surface compaction of soft sediments), drained and undrained shear behaviour; the brittle-ductile transition in mudrocks; strain dependent behaviour during shear deformation; mechanisms of fracture generation and growth; accelerating patterns of behaviour; new techniques for deformation analysis; subsidence analysis and modelling; and material deformation controls on natural systems.
To this end I have developed the geotechnical laboratory at the Department of Geography to become a cutting-edge facility.

2 Landslide mechanics and landslide hazard and risk assessment
I am very interested in understanding the ways in which first time failures develop. I also have strong interests in various other aspects of landslides, including terrain evaluation and mapping; triggering mechanisms; frequency? magnitude relationships; runout mechanisms and processes; vulnerability analysis for mountain communities; landslide hazard and risk mapping; hill slope hydrological mechanisms; analysis of future patterns of movement; volcanic flank collapse; deep-seated landslide processes; topographic amplification during seismic events; landslide mechanics during intense precipitation; landslide dating; landslide modelling.

3 Remote sensing technology for earth surface mapping
I have a strong interest in the use of remote sensing, especially with respect to landslide mapping / monitoring and movement assessment. More specific interests include: the application of ATM technology to landslide delineation; terrestrial digital photogrammetry, airborne digital photogrammetry; digital elevation model extraction for airborne and terrestrial imagery; high resolution multispectral imaging; SAR interferometry for horizontal and vertical movement analysis; laser scanning for process delineation and monitoring; the integration of multiple datasets.

A (reasonably!) full, up to date CV can be found at: http://www.landslidecentre.org/petleycv.pdf

I maintain a blog of landslide and rockfall events happening worldwide, including maps of the locations of fatal events at: http://daveslandslideblog.blogspot.com/

Research Interests

  • Landslide hazard and risk assessment
  • Landslide mechanics and processes
  • Landslide monitoring
  • Material deformation

Selected Publications

Books: authored

  • Smith, K. & Petley, D.N. (2009). Environmental Hazards. Routledge.
  • D. Petley (2001). Landslide Hazard and risk assessment techniques - a review.
  • D. Petley (2001). Landslide hazard and risk assessments - A definitive scheme.

Books: sections

  • Petley, D.N. (2010). Landslide Hazards. In Geomorphological Hazards and Disaster Prevention. Alcántara-Ayala, I. & Goudie, A. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 63-74.
  • Petley, D.N. (2010). The Continental Shelf and Slope. In Sediment Cascades an integrated approach. Burt, T.P. & Allison, R.J. Chichester: Wiley. 433-448.
  • Petley, D. N., Dunning, S. A., Rosser, N. J. & Kausar, A. B. (2006). Incipient earthquakes in the Jhelum Valley, Pakistan following the 8th October 2005 earthquake. In Frontiers of Science. Marui, H. Yokyo: Universal Academy Press. 47-56.
  • Petley, D. N. & Petley, D. J. (2006). On the initiation of large rockslides: perspectives from a new analysis on the Vaiont movement record. In Massive Rock Slope Failure. Mugnozza, G., Strom, A. & Hermanns, R. L. Rotterdam: NATO. 49.
  • Petley, D. N., Higuchi, T., Dunning, S., Rosser, N. J., Petely, D. J., Bulmer, M. H. K. & Carey, J. (2005). A new model for the development of movement in progressive landslides. In Landslide Risk Management. Hungr, O., Fell, R., Couture, R. & Eberhardt, E. Amsterdam: Balkema.
  • Petley, D. N., Dunning, S. A. & Rosser, N. J (2005). The analysis of global landslide risk through the creation of a database of worldwide landslide fatalities. In Landslide Risk Management. Hungr, O., Fell, R., Couture, R. & Eberhardt, E. Amsterdam: Balkema.
  • Rosser, N. J., Dunning, S. A., Lim, M. & Petley, D. N. (2005). The application of a terrestrial laser scanning technique for quantitative rockfall hazard assessment. In Landslide Risk Management. Hungr, O., Fell, R., Couture, R. & Eberhardt, E. Amsterdam: Balkema.
  • Dunning, S. A., Petley, D. N. & Strom, A. L. (2005). The morphologies and sedimentology of valley confined rock-avalanche deposits and their effect on potential dam hazard. In Landslide Risk Management. Hungr, O., Fell, R., Couture, R. & Eberhardt, E. Amsterdam: Balkema. 601-704.
  • Petley, D. N., Hearn, G. J. & Hart, A. (2005). Towards the development of a landslide risk assessment for urual roads in Nepal. In Landslike hazard and risk. Glade, T., Anderson, M. & Crozier, M. J. Chichester: Wiley. 597-620.
  • Inkpen, R. J., Petley, D. & Murphy, W. (2004). Durability and rock properties. In Stone decay: Its causes and controls. Smith, B. J. & Turkington, A. V. Shaftesbury: 33-52.
  • S.A. Sepulveda, W. Murphy & D. Petley (2004). The role of topographic amplification on the generation of earthquake-induced rock slope failures. In Landslides: Evaluation and Stabilization. W.A. Lacerda, M. Ehrlich, S.A.B. Fontoura & S.F. Sayao Balkema. 1: 311-315.
  • M.H.K. Bulmer, F. Mantovani, W. Murphy & D. Petley (2002). SAR interferometry in landslide monitoring; experiences from Black Ven landslide, Dorset 2001. In Geomorphology: the Expert Opinion to Modelling. D. Delahaye, F. Levoy & O. Maquaire Strasbourg. 21-27.
  • D. Petley (2001). The use of terrain evaluation for hazard assessment in Eastern Taiwan. In Land Surface Evaluation for Engineering Practice. J. Griffiths Engineering Geology Special Publications. 209-213.

Journal papers: academic

  • Petley. D.N. (2012). Global patterns of loss of life from landslides. Geology 40(10): 927-930
  • Brain, M.J., Long, A.J, Woodroffe, S.A., Petley, D.N., Milledge, D.G. & Parnell, A.C. (2012). Modelling the effects of sediment compaction on salt marsh reconstructions of recent sea-level rise. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 345-348: 180-193.
  • Brain, M.J., Long, A.J., Petley, D.N., Horton, B.P. & Allison, R.J. (2011). Compression behaviour of minerogenic low energy intertidal sediments. Sedimentary Geology 233(1 - 4): 28 - 41.
  • Lin, G.W., Chen, H., Petley, D.N., Horng, M.J., Wu, S.J. & Chuang, B. (2011). Impact of rainstorm-triggered landslides on high turbidity in a mountain reservoir. Engineering Geology 117(1-2): 97-103.
  • Lim, M., Rosser, N.J., Petley, D.N. & Keen, M. (2011). Quantifying the Controls and Influence of Tide and Wave Impacts on Coastal Rock Cliff Erosion. Journal of Coastal Research 27(1): 46-56.
  • Lim, M., Rosser, N.J., Allison, R. & Petley, D.N. (2010). Erosional processes in the hard rock coastal cliffs at Staithes, North Yorkshire. Geomorphology 114(1-2): 12-21.
  • Malamud, B. & Petley, D.N. (2009). Lost in Translation. Public Service Review: Science and Technology 2: 164-169.
  • Petley, D.N. (2009). On the impact of urban landslides. Geological Society Engineering Geology Special Publications 22: 83-99.
  • Ng, K-Y. & Petley, D.N. (2009). The use of pore pressure reinflation testing in landslide management in Hong Kong. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology 42(4): 487-498.
  • Rosser, N.J., Lim, M., Petley, D.N. D & Dunning, S.A. (2007). Patterns of precursory rockfall prior to slope failure. Journal of Geophysical Research (Earth Surface) 112: F04014.
  • Rosser, N.J., Lim, M., Petley, D.N., Dunning, S. & Allison, R. (2007). Patterns of precursory rockfall prior to slope failure. Journal of Geophysical Research-Earth Surface 112(F4).
  • Petley, D.N., Hearn, G.J., Hart, A., Rosser, N.J., Dunning, S.A., Oven, K. & Mitchell, W.A. (2007). Trends in landslide occurence in Nepal. Natural Hazards 43(1): 23-44.
  • Ramli, M. F. & Petley, D. N. (2006). Best band combination for landslide studies in temperate environments. International Journal of Remote Sensing 27(6): 1219-1231.
  • Bulmer, M. H., Petley, D. N., Murphy, W. & Mantovani, F. (2006). Detecting slope deformation using two-pass differential interferometry: Implications for landslide studies on Earth and other planetary bodies. Journal of Geophysical Research 111: E06S16.
  • Chia-Hung, J., Lin, J-C., Hsu, M-L. & Petley, D. N. (2006). Fluvial transportation and sedimentation of the Fu-Shan small experimental catchments. Quaternary International 147(1): 34-43.
  • Dunning, S. A., Rosser, N. J., Petley, D. N. & Massey, C. R. (2006). Formation and failure of the Tsatichhu landslide dam, Bhutan. Landslides 3(2): 107-113.
  • Lin, J-C., Petley, D. N., Jen, C-H. & Hsu, M-L. (2006). Slope movements in a dynamic environment - A case study of Tachia river, Central Taiwan. Quaternary International 147(1): 103-112.
  • Petley, D.N. (2006). The Vajont (Vaiont) Landslide. Geo-strata (March-April 2006).
  • Lim, M., Petley, D.N., Rosser, N.J., Allison, R.J., Long, A.J. & Pybus, D. (2005). Combined digital photogrammetry and time-of-flight laser scanning for monitoring cliff evolution. The Photogrammetric Record 20(110): 109-129.
  • Petley, D.N., Higuchi, T., Petley, D.J., Bulmer, M.H. & Carey, J. (2005). Development of progressive landslide failure in cohesive materials. Geology 33(3): 201-204.
  • Ramli, M. F. & Petley, D. N. (2005). Image filtering of airborne thematic mapper or landslide delineation. Ultra Scientist of Physical Sciences 17(2): 221-228.
  • Sepulveda, S., Murphy, W., Jibson, R. W. & Petley, D. N. (2005). Seismically-induced Rock Slope Failures Resulting from Topographic Amplification of Strong Ground Motions: The Case of Pacoima Canyon, California. Engineering Geology 80(3-4): 336-348.
  • Rosser, N. J., Petley, D. N., Lim, M., Dunning, S. A. & Allison, R. J. (2005). Terrestrial laser scanning for monitoring the process of hard rock coastal cliff erosion. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology 38(4): 363-376.
  • Chen, H. & Petley, D. N. (2005). The impact of landslides and debris flows triggered by Typhoon Mindulle in Taiwan. Quaterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology 38(3): 301-304.
  • Petley, D.N., Mantovani, F., Bulmer, M.H. & Zannoni, A. (2005). The use of surface monitoring data for the interpretation of landslide movement patterns. Geomorphology 66(1-4): 133-147.
  • Sepulveda, S. A., Murphy, W., Jibson, R. W. & Petley, D. N. (2005). Topographic controls on co-seismic rock slides during the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, Taiwan. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology 38: 189-196.
  • Petley, D.N. (2005). Tsunami - how an earthquake can cause destruction thousands of kilometres away. Geography Review 18(5): 2-5.
  • Kemeling, I., Scott, I.M., Petley, D.N., Rosser, N.J., Allison, R J. & Long, A.J. (2004). Data driven modelling of a complex mining subsidence process. Proceedings of the SPIE International Symposium on Remote Sensing, Masplalomas Gran Ganaria September 2004.
  • Kemeling, I. & Petley, D.N. (2004). Radar interferometry to monitor slow surface deformation in rural England. Proceedings of the European Space Agency ENVISAT and ERS symposium, Salzburg September 2004.
  • Petley, D.N. (2004). Slip-sliding Away. Planet Earth (NERC) Winter 2004: 26-27.
  • Petley, D. (2004). The evolution of slope failures: mechanisms of rupture propagation. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 4(1): 147-152.
  • N.J. Rosser, M. Lim & D.N. Petley (2004). The use of terrestrial laser scanning for the monitoring of coastal cliff processes. Proceedings of the International Lidar Mapping Forum February 2004.
  • A.J. Wilson, D.N. Petley & W. Murphy (2003). Down-slope variation in geotechnical parameters and pore fluid control on a large-scale Alpine landslide. Geomorphology 54(1-2): 49-62.
  • C.R.J. Kilburn & D.N. Petley (2003). Forecasting giant, catastrophic slope collapse: lessons from Vajont, Northern Italy. Geomorphology 54(1-2): 21-32.
  • Hearn, G. J. & Petley, D. N. (2003). Landslide risk assessment for road planning and management in developing countries. Earthworks 17: 6-7.
  • F. Ramli & D. Petley (2002). Morphological mapping: it's subjectivity and application to the delineation of relict landslides. Science Putra Malaysia 10: 22-26.
  • Petley, D.N., Bulmer, M.H. & Murphy, W. (2002). Patterns of movement in rotational and translational landslides. Geology 30(8): 719-722.
  • W. Murphy, D.N. Petley, J. Bommer & J.M. Mankelow (2002). Uncertainty in ground motion estimates for the evaluation of slope stability during earthquakes. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology 35: 71-78.
  • R. Inkpen & D. Petley (2001). Fitness spaces and their potential for visualizing change in the physical landscape. Area 33(3): 242-251.

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