Climate-Resilient Geotechnical Engineering: Unsaturated Soils & Nature-Based Solutions

Climate change has intensified extreme weather events, altering soil moisture regimes, groundwater levels, and thermo-hydro-mechanical soil behavior, thereby threatening the stability and longevity of geotechnical infrastructure such as slopes, embankments, foundations, dams, tunnels, and coastal defenses. Traditional geotechnical practices, predominantly relying on saturated soil mechanics, are insufficient for capturing these dynamic, climate-driven changes. This article emphasizes the central role of unsaturated soil mechanics (USM) in developing climate-adaptive designs, particularly through understanding matric suction, soil-water characteristic curves (SWCC), hydraulic hysteresis, and coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical processes. It further explores nature-based solutions (NBS) - including vegetation reinforcement, root-soil hydrological interactions, bio-cementation (MICP), phytoremediation, and green infrastructure — as low-carbon, sustainable strategies to enhance resilience. Recent advances (۲۰۲۴-۲۰۲۵) in numerical modeling (THM coupled analyses), physics-informed machine learning, reliability-based design under climate projections, and eco-friendly geo-materials (bio-polymers, recycled aggregates, geopolymers) are reviewed. Case studies from diverse regions (coastal zones, arid/semi-arid areas, mountainous terrains) illustrate practical applications and performance under extreme events. Findings suggest that combining USM with NBS can reduce failure risks by ۳۰-۶۰% while lowering embodied carbon. The paper concludes with recommendations for updating design codes, promoting multidisciplinary approaches, long-term monitoring, and future research priorities to transition toward truly resilient and sustainable geotechnical engineering in a changing climate.

کلیدواژه ها:

Unsaturated soil mechanics ، Climate adaptation ، Sustainable geotechnical infrastructure