Steep volcanic slopes are often covered by soils that can be mobilised during intense rainfall, generating dense and potentially hazardous flows of water and volcanic particles. A new international collaboration is examining the factors that increase the susceptibility of these soils to failure, with a particular focus on the influence of vegetation cover.
The project brings together Dr Carmen Solana and Dr Ehsan Khalefa from the University of Portsmouth’s School of the Environment and Life Sciences and Dr Ivo Fustos-Toribio from the University of La Frontera in Temuco, Chile, as well as associate researchers Dr Matías Clunes (AMTC, University of Chile) and Dr Jorge Romero (O’Higgins University, Rancagua).
The team in the field in Villarica volcano in Chile.
Left to right - Dr Jorge Romero, Dr Matías Clunes, , Dr Ivo Fustos-Toribio, Dr Carmen Solana, Dr Ehsan Khalefa.
Funded by the Royal Society International Exchanges programme, the collaboration supports the development of innovative research partnerships. In May 2026, the University of Portsmouth team visited the University of La Frontera and undertook a field campaign at Villarrica Volcano, Chile’s most active volcanic systems. During this campaign, 18 soil samples were collected, including undisturbed soils and soils under native vegetation and timber plantation cover, enabling comparative analysis of their physical and mechanical properties.
The samples are currently being analysed in the Civil Engineering laboratories at the University of La Frontera by Dr Fustos-Toribio’ research group. This work aims to improve understanding of how land-use change and vegetation cover influence slope stability in volcanic environments.
At the end of May, Dr Fustos-Toribio visited the University of Portsmouth to discuss future directions for the collaboration. He also visited the University’s rock and soil mechanics facilities, as well as the Near Infrared (NIR) Laboratory, learning about the research activities undertaken in the school and across the University of Portsmouth.
The team in the rock mechanics lab at the University of Portsmouth.
Beyond the immediate research objectives, the partnership also presents opportunities for student mobility, including the potential for field-based learning through mapping projects in Chile.
The team anticipates reporting on the outcomes of this work in due course and looks forward to strengthening the collaboration further, including welcoming Dr Fustos and his students to Portsmouth in the future.