The Landscape Hazards Research (LazR) lab works to address natural hazards such as landslides, debris flows and flooding, by combining high-resolution geospatial data with in-situ soil and hydrologic monitoring and publicly available remote sensing data. Research areas include using multitemporal high-resolution landscape change detection for hazard analysis, post storm-event investigations, slope hydrology and landslide initiation, the evolution of slopes and landscapes over time, and the development of weather-driven landslide forecasting methods.

We are affiliated with the Landslide and Engineering Geology team at the Kentucky Geological Survey, and with the Environmental Sciences department at the University of Kentucky. Our lab teams with the Kentucky Geological Survey’s Surface Processes and Modeling (SP&M) lab and Civil Engineering’s Soil Mechanics lab to produce a full suite of hazard related data and analysis.

Research Areas

• Multitemporal, high-resolution landscape change detection and hazard analysis
• Landslide mapping and long-term monitoring
• Post storm-event mapping and investigation
• Slope hydrology, landslide initiation and runout
• Development of real-time weather-driven landslide forecasting methods
• Tectonic and climate-driven landscape evolution

Tools

The LazR lab tools include multiple lidar and high-resolution imagery systems, using both handheld and UAV platforms. Our affiliated labs in soil mechanics and surface processes and modeling (SP&M) expand the lab capabilities for soil and landscape hazard analysis and modeling.