The primary objective of this paper is to present a semiautomatic procedure that, integrated with traditional methods, can be useful for a rapid definition of rock fall susceptibility scenarios with the purpose of civil protection. Due to its morphology (steep slopes and narrow valleys), regional seismicity, and rock mass characteristics, the Nera Valley (Valnerina, Umbria Region, Italy) is characterized by high rock fall risk. With the aim of covering a wide range of features and investigating the main advantages and drawbacks of the proposed approach, data collection (terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and geomechanical surveys) was carried out at three different slopes. Detailed threedimensional (3D) models were created to reconstruct the shape and volume of the most unstable blocks, to define the position of the main rock fall source areas, and to precisely distinguish the outcropping materials and the position of the elements at risk for reliable runout analyses. The proposed approach can be useful in supporting proper maintenance and land management programs both in ordinary and in emergency circumstances. <...>

This book is a successor to Highway Research Board Special Report 29, Landslides and Engineering Practice (1.8). Special Report 29, which was written by the Highway Research Board Committee on Landslide Investigations and published in 1958, achieved an excellent reputation, both in North America and abroad, as a text on landslides. Because of its popularity, the original printing was sold out within a few years after publication. Since then, there has been a continuing interest in reissuing the original text or publishing a worthwhile successor.
In 1972 the Highway Research Board organized the Task Force for Review of Special Report 29—Landslides. The membership of this task force was selected from several committees within the HRB Soils and Geology Group: its charge was

Understanding the Basics of Landslides and Their Causative Factors
Navigating Hydrological Factors in Understanding and Mitigating Landslide Hazards in the Indian Himalayas: A Short Review
Amulya Ratna Roul, Ajit Kumar Behera, Rudra Mohan Pradhan, and Sarada Prasad Pradhan Geological and Microstructural Controls on a Landslide in Ghat Region Along NH-09, Kumaun Himalaya Piyush Kumar Singh and Sarada Prasad Pradhan
Rainfall Induced Landslides in Bangapani Tehsil of Pithoragarh District, Kumaun Himalaya, India Rahul Negi, Pooja Saini, and R. A. Singh
A Comparative Analysis of Landslide Characteristics of the Himalayan and Western Ghat Mountain Belts N. K. Rai, P. K. Singh, Ravi Shankar, and Digvijay Singh

At a time of surplus of nearly all metals and the inevitable closing of many mining operations, it is a matter of the industry's survival to seek new commodities that are in high demand. The lanthanides, better known as the rare-earth elements (REE), tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb) are among the promising alternatives. Bibliographies of the metallogeny and related aspects of these elements are surprisingly short, despite their rapidly increasing importance in modern technology. A need to review and condense the available expertise has been ernerging in the recent past <...>