Research Projects

04/2016-­04/2020 “Debris-flow modeling and sediment budget monitoring near Oberstdorf (Bavaria, Germany)"

Funding: Bavarian Environmental Ministry
Amount of Funding: 46 k€
Contributing People:

12/2015-­02/2016

“Assessing, Geophysical Reconnaissance and Modelling of slope instability above a hydropower structure Mühltal."

Funding: E.ON (hydropower)
Contributing People:

  • Michael Krautblatter (PI, Technische Universität München)
  • Theresa Raab (PI, Technische Universität München)
11/2015-­05/2017

“Real time monitoring of fracture initiation in natural stones induced by environmental stresses (StoneMon)”

Funding: DBU (German Environmental Foundation) Amount of Funding: 115 k€
Contributing People:

07/2015-­06/2018

"CryoWall – Permafrost rock walls in Norway"

Funding: The Research Council of Norway
Contributing People:

  • Bernd Etzelmüller (PI, Lead, University of Oslo, Norway)
  • Michael Krautblatter (PI, Technische Universität München)
  • Benjamin Jacobs (PI, Technische Universität München)
  • Sebastian Westermann (PI, University of Oslo, Norway)
  • Kristin Sæterdal Myhra (PI, University of Oslo, Norway)
  • Reginald Hermanns (PI, Norwegian Geological Survey, Norway)
  • Paula Hilger (PI, Norwegian Geological Survey, Norway)
  • Jan Otto Larsen (PI, Statens Vegvesen, Norway)
  • Ketil Isaksen (PI, Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Norway)
06/2014-­05/2017

"Georisks in a changing climate, Landslide hazard assessment in the Bavarian Pre-Alps"

Funding: Bavarian Environmental Ministry
Amount of Funding: 130 k€ (extended to 165 k€)
Contributing People:

  • Michael Krautblatter (PI, Technische Universität München)
  • Kurosch Thuro (PI, Technische Universität München)
  • Theresa Raab (PI, Technische Universität München, 75 % project-financed)
  • Benjamin Jacobs (PI, Technische Universität München, 75 % project-financed)
12/2012-­06/2013

"Assessing, Monitoring, Geophysical Reconnaissance and Modelling of slope instability above a lake reservoir (Bavaria)"

Funding: E.ON.
Contributing People:

  • Michael Krautblatter (PI, Technische Universität München)
  • Theresa Raab (PI, Technische Universität München, 100% project-financed).
07/2013-­06/2014

ESA-Project: “Assessment of slow permafrost-controlled Alpine landslides using differential SAR interferometry over two decades”
in cooperation with Dr. S. Plank
Geo-Risks and Civil Security, German Aerospace Center (DLR). Own share: Radar imagery and software. (10 k€)

08/2011-­09/2011

Cooperation project (09/2011) Japanese Southern and Northern Alps, Permafrost site at the Fujiyama.

Funding: 7 k€ (own share)
Contributing People:

  • Norikazu Matsuoka (PI, Tsukuba University)
  • Atsushi Ikeda (PI, Tsukuba University)
  • Thomas Parkner (PI, University of Bonn)
  • Michael Krautblatter (PI, University of Bonn)
    → Own share: 3 week research visit/field work in Japan Honshu/ Hokkaido, international/national flights, invited stay / shipping of samples. (7 k€)
09/2011-­03/2015

Principal applicant in “ISPR: Influences of snow cover on thermal and mechanical processes in steep permafrost rock walls.

D-A-CH (SNF/DFG) proposal, with Dr. M. Phillips (SLF), Prof. M. Hölzle (Fribourg) and Dr. S. Gruber (Zurich). 2 Ph.D. 75%-positions for 36 months.
→ Own share: 75%-positions for 36 months, 6-channel nanoseismic and 128 electrode resistivity tomography monitoring units, 8 crackmeters and piezometers.

11/2010-­11/2011

Co-applicant in TRANSAFROST: Critical Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Transitions in thawing permafrost rocks and soils.

Funding: DFG research group initiation funding of the ABCJ (Geozentrum Aachen Bonn Köln Jülich)
Amount of Funding: 60 k€
Contributing People: ·

  • Andreas Kemna (PI, University of Bonn)
  • Christoph Galerne (PI, University of Bonn)
  • Dani Or (PI, ETH Zurich)
  • Michael Krautblatter (PI, University of Bonn)
05/2010-­11/2012

Co-applicant in "Carbon release from degrading permafrost in the western Canadian Arctic".

Funding: BMBF
Amount of Funding: 15 k€ (own share)
Contributing People:

  • Hugues Lantuit (Lead, Alfred-Wegener Institute)
  • Wayne Pollard (PI, McGill University, Montreal).
  • Michael Krautblatter (PI, Technische Universität München)
10/2010-­01/2012

Scientific partner in “Monitoring the thermal state of permafrost by automated time-lapse Capacitive Resistivity Imaging”.

Funding: NERC/UK
Amount of Funding: ~12 k€ (own share)
Contributing People:

  • Julian Murton (Lead, University of Sussex)
  • Oliver Kuras (PI, British Geologic Survey)
  • Michael Krautblatter (PI, University of Bonn)
09/2010-­10/2010

Principal Applicant in “1st Mid-European Summerschool on Geomorphology: Complex Response of Earth Surface Processes to Environmental Change”.

Funding: Volkswagen Foundation.
Amount of Funding: 25 k€ for 30 participants/13 lecturers from 10 countries.

04/2010-­03/2017

Co-applicant in “Monitoring potential hazardous rock walls and slopes in mountain regions (MOREXPERT)”.

Funding: K2-competence center of Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).
Amount of Funding: → Own share: mechanical and geophysical laboratory testing including a several month postgraduate position, several field campaigns

08/2009-­09/2011

Co-applicant in “Dangerous lakes - Hazard assessment and outburst flood estimation of naturally dammed lakes in Central Asia”.

Funding: Volkswagenstiftung
Amount of Funding: 6 k€ (own share)
Contributing People:

  • Jürgen Herget (Lead, University of Bonn)
  • Michael Krautblatter (PI, University of Bonn)
  • Several international colleagues (UK, RUS)
08/2008-­08/2011

Scientifc design and authoring of “Sensitivity of Rock Permafrost to Climate change (SORP)” in the DFG Bundle-Project „Sensitivity of Permafrost to Climate Change (SPCC)".

main applicant Prof. R. Dikau. (University of Bonn)
→ Own share: 3 year Ph.D. position (S. Verleysdonk) and equipment, travel costs, helicopter, laboratory installation, conferences

06/2005-­10/2007

Scientific partner in the Public-Private Partnership “SensorGIS”

with Terrestris, TÜV Rheinland, Schütz GmbH, Scatterweb to develop an expert system for remote monitoring of slope instability.
→ wireless sensor network instrumentation

04/2005-­04/2008

Student on Position C7: Permafrost Research Training Group Landform, Studies. University of Bonn, Institute of Geography

Funding: German Research Foundation (DFG)
Amount of Funding: ~200 k€ (own share
Contributing People:

  • Michael Krautblatter (PhD, University of Bonn)
  • Richard Dikau (Lead, University of Bonn)

Key Publications:

  • Krautblatter, M. (2008): Rock Permafrost Geophysics and its Explanatory Power for Permafrost-Induced Rockfalls and Rock Creep: a Perspective. In: Proc. of the 9th Int. Conf. on Permafrost, Fairbanks, US: 999-1004.
  • Krautblatter, M. & Hauck, C. (2007): Electrical resistivity tomography monitoring of permafrost in solid rock walls. Journal of Geophysical Research - Earth-Surface. http://dx.doi.org/112. 10.1029/2006JF000546
  • Otto, J.-C., Kleinod, K, König, O, Krautblatter, M., Nyenhuis, M., Roer, I., Schneider, M., Schreiner, B. & R. Dikau (2007): HRSC-A data: a new high-resolution data set with multi-purpose applications in physical geography. Progress in Physical Geography, 31(2): 179-197. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0309133307076479
02/2005-­05/2005 Research Invitation, Rock breakdown laboratory, U. of Oxford (Prof. H.A. Viles): Nonlinear dynamics of weathering in response to climatic fluctuations; test site Nant Ffrancon, North Wales.