Spatiotemporal characteristics of ground microtremor in advance of rockfalls.

Identifying cliffs that are prone to fall and providing a sufficient lead time for rockfall warning are crucial steps in disaster risk reduction and preventive maintenance work, especially that led by local governments. However, existing rockfall warning systems provide uncertain rockfall location forecasting and short warning times because the deformation and cracking of unstable slopes are not sufficiently detected by sensors before the rock collapses. Here, we introduce ground microtremor signals for early rockfall forecasting and demonstrate that microtremor characteristics can be used to detect unstable rock wedges on slopes, quantitatively describe the stability of slopes and lengthen the lead time for rockfall warning.

Environmental impact of Hsuehshan Tunnel on water quality at Feitsui Reservoir and its tributaries.

To investigate the possible impact of the traffic flow of mountainous roads and the construction and operation of a long tunnel on the water quality of a reservoir, this study conducts statistical analysis on water quality, meteorological, and traffic data of the Feitsui Reservoir and its upstream tributaries over the last three decades. Results from statistical regression analysis indicate that in the upstream area where the traffic flow is low, water quality varies insignificantly with rainfall and traffic flow, providing as a background reference of natural environment. Water quality near a conventional highway on which many vehicles travel through the catchment area is significantly affected by both rainfall and traffic flow since the drainage system of a conventional highway sends its gathered water into adjacent rivers.