Physically based hydrogeological and slope stability modeling of the Turaida castle mound

This study explores the potential of integrating state-ofthe-
art physically based hydrogeological modeling into slope stability
simulations to identify the hydrogeological triggers of landslides.
Hydrogeological models considering detailed
morphological, lithological, and climatic factors were elaborated.
Groundwater modeling reveals locations with elevated pore water
pressures in the subsurface and allows the quantification of temporal
dynamics of the pore water pressures. Results of the
hydrogeological modeling were subsequently applied as boundary
conditions for the slope stability simulations. The numerical
models illustrate that the hydrogeological impacts affecting hillslope
stability are strongly controlled by local groundwater flow
conditions and their conceptualization approach in the
hydrogeological model. Groundwater flow itself is heavily influenced
by the inherent geological conditions and the dynamics of
climatic forcing. Therefore, both detailed investigation of the
landslide’s hydrogeology and appropriate conceptualization and
scaling of hydrogeological settings in a numerical model are essential
to avoid an underestimation of the landslide risk. The study
demonstrates the large potential in combining state-of-the-art
computational hydrology with slope stability modeling in realworld
cases.