A Unified Framework of Rainfall-Induced Landslide Risk Mitigation for Road Infrastructure in New Zealand

New Zealand’s transport network is increasingly vulnerable to rainfall-induced landslides due to its steep terrain, active tectonics, and intensifying rainfall linked to climate change. Although international case studies offer a range of effective mitigation strategies, New Zealand lacks a unified conceptual framework that integrates these diverse global approaches into a cohesive, locally applicable model.

This project aims to develop a theoretical framework that consolidates global knowledge on landslide mitigation into a structured model tailored to the New Zealand context. Building on an extensive literature review and guided by PRISMA methodology, the research will synthesise international practices across four key dimensions: engineering measures, ecological interventions, early warning systems, and policy frameworks. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the underlying theoretical models such as resilience theory, systems thinking, and adaptive risk governance that support each mitigation strategy.

The resulting framework will align these strategies with New Zealand’s specific geotechnical, climatic, and socio-political conditions. Rather than proposing new empirical interventions, this study provides a conceptual structure for evaluating, integrating, and adapting existing knowledge to guide future research, infrastructure planning, and policy formulation.

The research will aim for publication in a leading infrastructure or geohazard journal, and for presentation at international forums concerned with climate adaptation, geotechnical resilience, or infrastructure sustainability.