Bridge2MineMod - Modelling of flood- and landslide-induced mobilization and dispersion of landmines


Project management:       Dr.-Ing. Ivo Baselt

Project engineer:                  Dr.-Ing. Ivo Baselt

                                                      E-Mail: ivo.baselt@unibw.de, Tel.: 089/6004-3844

Running time:                       01.09.2023 – 31.08.2025

Promotion:                              Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)

Project sponsor:                  Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) 

Funding code:                        01DS23018

Project partner:                    Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg Mosbach, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Bender

                                                      Universität Sarajevo, Dr. Adis Skejic

                                                      Universität Belgrad, Dr. Budo Zindovic

Further links:                       Background information / Feature-Paper (open access)

Project description:  

The first step in the funding phase of the Bridge2ERA programme is to establish a multilateral project consortium of experts to pool the necessary background knowledge on the flood- and landslide-induced mobilization and spread of landmines and explosive ordnance (EC) (see Section II.I). The initial focus will be on the Balkan region, as there is a high density of documented events here. An initial viable international consortium has already been established as part of this Bridge2ERA application. It consists of experts for hydromechanical and morphological processes (Prof. Bender, Prof. Zindovic, Dr. Baselt) as well as for gravitational mass flows (debris flows, landslides) (Prof. Skejic, Dr. Baselt). Furthermore, the existing consortium includes experts for EC-contaminated areas as well as for their technical and humanitarian evacuation (Ms. Marcía Auracher-Hamzat).

Mine1.png

Fig.1: Possible representation of a stochastic-deterministic ordnance model for predicting the risk of migrating landmines and ERWs downstream of a contaminated area.

Expansion of the network: In the project phase of the Bridge2ERA program, other important players are also to be integrated into the existing consortium. Through the existing network, scientists as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the official and potential EU accession candidates can be reached and motivated to cooperate. The expansion of the consortium with experts from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia is essential, as local experts for ECs have the specific specialist knowledge required to achieve the overarching project objectives, are familiar with the topographical and geological conditions of the affected areas and also have networks (e.g. to the local Mine Action Centers) that can support the achievement of the objectives. Other important players in South Eastern Europe are being sought in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo, as well as in neighboring EU member states (e.g. Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria).

Long-term cooperation: In this way, the established consortium and the resulting network should lead to fruitful, long-term and sustainable collaborations that will be maintained and continue beyond the Bridge2ERA project period. This will make an important contribution to increasing Europe's scientific performance and innovative strength. With at least two German members in the consortium (Prof. Bender, Dr. Baselt), German impulses for the European Research Area will be set at the same time.

Joint application for a multilateral research project: Thanks to the intensive networking and cooperation of the extended consortium within the first project phase of Bridge2ERA, the joint preparation of an application for a multilateral research project (e.g. for Horizon Europe, Interreg, Eurostars) can begin in the second phase. The participating actors from Central Eastern and South Eastern Europe are thus simultaneously introduced to the European Research Area. The overall objective of the MineMod R&D project is to develop an approach for estimating the risk and hazard posed by the mobilization and transport of EC using numerical models. As a result, the possible hazard areas with drifted EC are to be predicted or mapped in the aftermath of an event. The two mechanisms “flow” and “landslide” are considered separately, but possible interactions are taken into account. Based on intensive physical model tests at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich with mock-ups of typical EC used in south-eastern Europe, a hydrodynamic-numerical flow model is to be developed in the research project applied for. This model will then be used to simulate the mobilization, dispersal and deposition of EC and landmines. The focus of the flow model is not on the exact tracking of the individual EC in the water or earth body, but on the identification of possible hazard areas after a flood or landslide event (see Fig. 1). The hazard maps obtained using this method can then be created and evaluated directly by local authorities and decision-makers in the future. This will make a significant contribution to minimizing the risk to the population.

Mine2.png

Fig.2: Possible processes by which a landmine or ERW can migrate due to a flood event. The result is likely to be influenced by the interaction between the flowing water and the sediment layer.