3D seismic interpretation of slump complexes: examples from the continental margin of Israel

This paper uses three‐dimensional (3D) seismic data from the continental margin of Israel (Eastern Mediterranean) to describe a series of slump deposits within the Pliocene and Holocene succession. These slumps are linked to the dynamics of subsidence and deformation of the transform margin of the eastern Mediterranean. Repeated slope failure occurred during the post‐Messinian, when a clay‐dominated progradational succession was forming. This resulted in large‐scale slump deposits accumulating in the mid‐lower slope region of the basin at different stratigraphic levels. It is probable that the slumps were triggered by a combination of slope oversteepening, seismic activity and gas migration. The high spatial resolution provided by the 3D seismic data has been used to define a spectrum of internal and external geometries within slump deposits. Importantly, we recognise two main zones for many of the slumps on this margin: a depletion zone and an accumulation zone. The former is characterised by extension and translation, and the latter by complex imbricate thrusts and fold systems. Volume‐based seismic attribute analysis reveals transport directions within the slump deposits, which are predominately downslope, but with subtle variations particularly at the lateral margins. Basal shear surfaces are observed to ramp both up and down stratigraphy. Slump evolution occurs both by retrogressive upslope failure, and by downslope propagation (out‐of‐sequence) failure. Slump anatomy and the combination of factors responsible for slump failure and transport are relatively poorly understood, mainly because of the limited 3D of outcrop control; hence, this subsurface study is an example of how improved understanding of the mechanisms and products can be obtained using this 3D seismic methodology in unstable margin areas.     

GEOMORPHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE EXCAVATION-INDUCED DÜNDAR LANDSLIDE, BURSA — TURKEY

This paper discusses the occurrence and development of the excavation‐induce deep‐seated landslide, which took place near Dündar village, located west of Orhaneli town in northwestern Turkey. The event occurred in the Bursa‐Orhaneli lignite field, which has been actively operating since 1979. Due to undermining of a gently inclined slope (10°) to extract a coal seam, primary tension cracks, which were precursors of the movement, were first observed in the northern head area in mid‐ to late October 2003. This movement happened simultaneously with precipitation that was significantly above long‐term average measured at a nearby climatology station (Keles). This precipitation amount is characterized statistically by a significant standardized anomaly of 1.6. The majority of the monthly precipitation total in October 2003, which mainly consisted of rain showers and thunderstorms, occurred in the last week of the month. By April 2004, rotational failure continued intermittently. After a relatively wet (rainy and snowy) period from January 2004 to April 2004, the main rotational slump occurred in late April 2004, causing the entire destruction of Dündar village's cemetery. Daily climatic and synoptic meteorological data have proved that heavy showers in late April may had triggered the last slump by producing rain showers of 19.3 mm and 19.9 mm daily total on 27 and 28 April 2004, respectively. Field observations carried out along the main head scarp have shown that the slope failure was facilitated by a pre‐existing normal fault with an east‐ west direction and 80° dip. Grain‐size analysis showed that the failure occurred on clayey silt, which forms 55% of the slip surface material. Based on the evidence from X‐ray fluorescence and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy results, smectite‐type clay ‐ a product of the chemical weathering of tuff ‐ was the main constituent of the slip surface material. The landslide occurred over an area of 600 m × 650 m with a total volume of 8775 000 m³. Approximately 28 hectares of farm land were entirely destroyed and the excavated coal seam was buried. The mining operation was moved to 100 m north of the landslide area near Gümü?p?nar village. From morphological evidence, it is concluded that excavation activities caused the failure to extend in more than one direction as an enlarging sliding mechanism; this produced a high landslide risk for Gümü?p?nar village, where the most significant normal fault with a 75 m vertical displacement in a coal‐bearing sequence is found in the lignite field.     

Factors influencing the formation of shallow landslides in the Boston Mountains of northwest Arkansas,USA

Slope failures cause billions of dollars of damage annually and put human lives at risk. This study employed field measurements and observations to provide the framework for laboratory simulations to investigate the effects of environmental characteristics on slope stability in the highly fractured bedrock region of the Boston Mountains, northwest Arkansas. Field measurements, to determine characteristics and possible controls of 10 shallow slope failures along an interstate highway, revealed that slope failures occurred within a relatively narrow range of slope angles (17–36°) and in loamy soils. Based on field observations, flume experiments were conducted to investigate the relationships between soil texture, slope angle, bedrock fractures, soil compaction, and slope instability. Time to failure differed (p < 0.05) among treatment combinations. Generally, slopes composed of loam were more stable than slopes composed of sand. Time to failure decreased more on slopes of 15–20° than on slopes of 20–25°. Flume slopes with sod cover never failed. This study provided a methodology for using field analyses of slope failures to guide laboratory experiments and demonstrated that complex interactions among environmental factors work to stabilize or compromise steep (>20°) slopes.     

Linking hydrological, infinite slope stability and land-use change models through GIS for assessing the impact of deforestation on slope stability in high Andean watersheds

In the Ecuadorian Andes, episodic slope movements comprising shallow rotational and translational slides and rapid flows of debris and soil material are common. Consequently, not only considerable financial costs are experienced, but also major ecological and environmental problems arise in a larger geographical area. Sediment production by slope movement on hillslopes directly affects sediment transport and deposition in downstream rivers and dams and morphological changes in the stream channels. In developing countries world-wide, slope movement hazards are growing: increasing population pressure and economic development force more people to move to potentially hazardous areas, which are less suitable for agriculture and rangelands.This paper describes the methods used to determine the controlling factors of slope failure and to build upon the results of the statistical analysis a process-based slope stability model, which includes a dynamic soil wetness index using a simple subsurface flow model. The model provides a time-varying estimate of slope movement susceptibility, by linking land-use data with spatially varying hydrologic (soil conductivity, evapotranspiration, soil wetness) and soil strength properties. The slope stability model was applied to a high Andean watershed (Gordeleg Catchment, 250 ha, southern Ecuadorian Andes) and was validated by calculating the association coefficients between the slope movement susceptibility map of 2000 and the spatial pattern of active slope movements, as measured in the field with GPS. The proposed methodology allows assessment of the effects of past and future land-use change on slope stability. A realistic deforestation scenario was presented: past land-use change includes a gradual fragmentation and clear cut of the secondary forests, as observed over the last four decades (1963–2000), future land-use change is simulated based on a binary logistic deforestation model, whereby it was assumed that future land-use change would continue at the same rate and style as over the last 37 years (1963–2000).     

瀑布沟水电站坝区崩塌体研究

本文据大渡河瀑布沟水电站勘探资料,揭示了坝址区边坡发生的塌滑和潜在崩滑危险体的地形、地质条件,并以此实例阐述了潜在崩滑危险体的发展趋势及其对坝址选择和水工建筑物安全运行的影响。旨在引起工程界的广泛重视并加强对这方面的研究工作。     

基于GIS的中山站至Dome A冰盖考察数据处理和信息提取

中山站至DomeA冰川学考察断面是国际ITASE计划的核心断面之一。首次利用GIS开展了该断面的数据处理与信息提取 ,采样点的布设与管理。介绍了ADD数字地图拼接与裁剪 ,野外数据和BEDMAP数据地理坐标投影变换的方法。利用ArcView内插等高线方法对GPS导航仪高程数据进行了校正。沿考察路线提取了BEDMAP的冰下基岩高程和冰厚度数据 ,以及冰盖表面的坡度与坡向数据。指出应进一步开展该断面以及兰伯特冰川盆地GIS应用研究。     

Failure process and hydrologic response of a two layer physical model: Implications for rainfall-induced landslides

Field observations and theoretical analysis have been used in the literature to assess slope instability caused by permeability variations. This investigation aims to study the influence of permeability variations on slope behaviour by experimental means. It focuses particularly on the pore water pressure generation in the vicinity of soils with different permeabilities, and the corresponding failure mode. A series of generated failures in a model with 2 soil layers was performed by means of a flume device. The soil layers were made of a medium-sized sand and a fine sand, placed in horizontal layers. A combination of photography and pore water pressure measurements was used to examine the relationship between the pore water pressure generation and failure modes. Experiments were conducted for different arrangements of soil layers (by changing the soil layer position), and infiltration direction (downward infiltration by sprinkling water on the soil, and upward infiltration from the bottom of the lower soil layer).The results revealed no clear link between the failure mode and recorded pore water pressure. Instead, the failure mode was seen to depend mostly on the relative layer position, and the recorded pore water pressures on the imposed infiltration direction. Failure was not confined to a single failure mode, but ranged instead from retrogressive slides and lateral spreads to seepage erosion. Regarding the hydrologic response, interesting results were recorded for experiments performed by downward infiltration, where perched water tables were formed. The granular nature of both soils and the absence of an impermeable barrier at the downslope end of the model seem to have favoured water seepage as the controlling failure mechanism, enhancing seepage erosion and sliding, and restricting other failure modes that require a high soil saturation such as flow failure.As the drainage conditions were not controlled, these experiments provided a unique opportunity to study the effect of water seepage as a trigger. In some experiments, failure evolution was seen to be dominated by sand washout, which started after the pore water pressure reached its maximum, suggesting that the dragging effect of seepage forces have a minor impact on triggering failure. An extra set of experiments conducted in a triaxial apparatus supported the efficacy of pore water pressure as a trigger rather than the dragging effect of seepage forces. The results obtained here provide an insight into the pre-failure mechanisms and processes of heterogeneous natural slopes.     

珠江河网横向汊道水面线演变过程及原因探讨——以东平水道为例

基于1960－2016年东平水道三水、紫洞、澜石、浮标厂月均潮差、余水位数据及三水、马口站月均流量数据,以1993年三水－马口分流比突变为切入口,探讨余水位坡度及潮波衰减率等径－潮动力改变下,东平水道水面线与余水位曲率的时空演变特征及其影响因素。结果表明：东平水道在1993年三水分流比剧增之后,1）余水位坡度或潮波衰减率与流量的双累积曲线斜率下降,即余水位坡度或潮波衰减率对流量的依赖性减弱;2）东平水道水面坡度整体下降且上游（紫洞－三水河段）降幅最大,不同季节坡度的变化率介于-67%~-4%,水面线由下凹转为上凸,即曲率由正转负。同时,曲率波动幅度明显减弱,1993年前曲率波动介于2×10^-10~5.48×10^-10,而1993年后波动介于-0.9×10^-10~-0.07×10^-10。上述曲率变化在冬季较夏季显著;3）上述水面线异变的主要原因为,东平水道中上游河道挖沙导致河床地形大幅下切、水位下降、来水量增大,且同时期的航道疏浚加剧这一变化;下游主要受滩涂围垦影响,河道淤浅。以上地形变化导致河道中游径、潮流量增大,径－潮双向顶托使水面线转变为上凸型。受北江上游飞来峡水库调蓄影响以及过水断面宽深比、海平面变化等季节性调节作用,东平水道冬季水面线及曲率变化较夏季显著。     

Geomorphological characteristics of slope failures in northeast Viti Levu island,Fiji, triggered by Tropical Cyclone Winston in February 2016

The highways circumnavigating Viti Levu play a pivotal role in Fiji's socioeconomic development, and are a crucial link to transport aid during disasters. Slope failures triggered by heavy rainfall and tropical cyclones have led to considerable damage and fatalities along Viti Levu's main roads in the past. Knowledge of slope instability mechanisms is key for the successful identification and management of slope failure hazards, however, there is a paucity of such information for Fiji's main roads. Severe Tropical Cyclone (STC) Winston was the strongest cyclone on record to make landfall in Fiji and affected the Fiji Islands from the early hours of 20 February until 3 am, 21 February, 2016. We present a field reconnaissance examining the characteristics and mechanisms of slope failures induced by STC Winston along a 35 km stretch of the northern part of the Viti Levu's ring road, “Kings Road”. Approximately 61 distinct shallow, small‐scale slope failures were identified most of which were of a complex type and included earth and debris slides (planar and rotational) with a minor flow component. The trigger for the slope failures was the ~258 mm of rainfall in 24 hours after 30‐days of antecedent rainfall totalling 482 mm. This caused rapid increases in porewater pressures, especially at the contact of residual soils and the underlying weathered basement rock. Evidence of recurring slips along Kings Road indicates that contemporary slope instability is likely caused by elevated porewater pressure during high intensity rainfall events in clay‐dominated soils.     

泥石流的结构两相流模型:Ⅱ.应用

本文应用泥石流的结构两相流模型对各类泥石流的运动机理进行探讨,并成功地解释了泥石流运动中的一系列特殊现象,如可能出现的颗粒浓度“上大下小”型分布、泥石流垂线速度的“反Ｓ”型分布、泥石流中颗粒脉动速度分布变化的特殊性、泥石流的输移特性以及在一定条件下出现的“流核”现象,等等。模型计算结果得到了实验资料的验证。     

Changes of Snow Cover Thickness Measured by Conventional Mass Balance Methods and by Global Positioning System Surveying

The most labour-intensive and time-consuming part of many mass balance programmes is the acquisition of snow depth data. The standard technique, which involves probing the snow cover at intervals along a series of profiles, generally by an individual on skis, may involve more than 300 discrete measurements along a total of more than 20 km of profiling at a single glacier. Kinematic surveying with a global positioning system (GPS) in differential mode provides much more information about changes of glacier surface level and snow thickness between surveys. The positions of a large number of points can be fixed in a relatively short time by GPS surveying, and the technique is usable in adverse weather conditions. With real-time kinematic GPS surveying, it is possible to return to the same positions (longitude, latitude) during successive field programmes, and a previously followed route can be retraced precisely. GPS surveying facilitates the production of accurate glacier maps for mass balance programmes. Data obtained by snow depth probing and GPS surveying in 1995 at Austre Okstindbreen, the largest glacier of the Okstindan area, Norway (66°N), indicate that repeated GPS surveys are likely to provide a large amount of information on withinyear and between-year changes of surface topography and are not subject to the errors in mass balance calculations which arise from probing snow depths along selected profiles. Kinematic GPS surveying of several glaciers within an area would overcome the difficulties arising when mass balance studies are confined to a single glacier within a particular area.     

LIDAR monitoring of mass wasting processes: The Radicofani landslide, Province of Siena, Central Italy

The Radicofani Basin, stretching about 30 km NW–SE, is an intra-Central Apennine basin connected to Pliocene–Pleistocene extensional tectonics. It consists of an Early to Middle Pliocene succession including essentially shelf pelites. In the Radicofani area, province of Siena (Tuscany region), morphodynamic processes are very frequent with widespread badlands and rapidly evolving mudflows. In order to evaluate the general instability of the Radicofani area, geological and geomorphological surveys were carried out. The 1954, 1990 and 2003 aerial surveys allowed a comparison of the changes in the various morphological aspects of the study area, which suggested an increase in slope instability with time. A new complex translational landslide evolving into mudflows, activated during the winter of 2003, was monitored using an experimental system based on terrestrial LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and GPS (Global Positioning System) technologies. This system allowed the monitoring of the morphologic and volumetric evolution of the landslide. A comparison of the monitoring data of October 2004, June 2005, May 2006 and May 2007 points out that the evolution is characterised by the sliding of displaced materials. A volume of about 1300 m³ of materials was removed during the period 2004–2005, 300 m³ for 2005–2006, and 400 m³ for 2006–2007. The greater initial mass movement probably reflects a greater static imbalance during the early period of landslide movement and increased rainfall. Therefore, the proposed monitoring system methodology allows the numerical evaluation of the landslide morphological evolution and to validate the landslide evolution model based on geological and geomorphological field surveys.     

国道321线七宝莲边坡失稳机制与整治措施

对国道321线七宝莲边坡的气候、地质、地貌、水文等条件进行了综合分析，认为该边坡是潜伏着危险的不稳定边坡，其中地质构造、岩体结构、地表水和地下水作用是边坡变表破坏的主要影响因素，建议采用预应力框架挡土墙对边坡进行加固的防护措施。     

Medium-term evolution of a gully developed in a loess-derived soil

Field surveys in the Belgian loess belt revealed the presence in many forested areas of large, permanent gully systems, most of which are currently inactive. In cultivated areas, such gullies can only be observed in cross-sectional soil profiles through hollows, as virtually all such large gullies are currently infilled with colluvium. Little is known about the spatial distribution, initiation and temporal evolution of these large, permanent gully systems on loess-derived soils. Therefore, the medium-term evolution of a gully initiated in a cultivated area on loess-derived soils southwest of Leuven (Belgium) in May–June 1986, was studied over 13 years. Two intense rainfall events created this (ephemeral) gully, which was not erased by subsequent tillage. Between June 1986 and the December 1999, eight field surveys were conducted to measure gully dimensions. During two surveys, topographic indices (e.g., slope and drainage area) were also measured. Daily rainfall for the measuring period were obtained from a rainfall station located some 10 km southwest of the gully. Analysis of rainfall data showed that no extreme rainfall event was required to initiate such large (permanent) gullies, as observed in forested areas and through cross-sectional profiles in cultivated fields in the Belgian loess belt. Return periods of the event that caused the gully varied between <1 year and 25 years, depending on the assumptions used for defining event rain intensity. Once established, length, surface area and volume of the studied gully evolved with time, cumulative rainfall or cumulative runoff, following a negative exponential relation. This accords with observations reported for gullies in Australia and the USA. This study shows that a degressive increase of gully extension, can be largely explained by the evolution of a “slope–drainage area” factor (S×A, which is proportional to stream power) with time. While gully length and gully surface area asymptotically evolve towards a final value, gully volume decreased at a given point in time. From this, it is inferred that sediment deposition will potentially infill the gully to such an extent that the farmer can drive across it. From this moment on, the combined effect of water and tillage erosion in the gully drainage area, will lead towards rapid infilling. This expected evolution of a gully in cultivated fields accords with observations of large infilled gully systems in cultivated areas in eastern Belgium. The permanent gullies observed under forest are attributed to the fact that after severe gully erosion, this area was reforested or abandoned. Therefore, the sediment source was cut off and the gully was not filled in by sediment deposition.     

基于遥感与地理信息系统的分布式斜坡稳定性定量评估模型

文章介绍一种进行斜坡稳定性定量研究的分布式模型——SINMAP模型。该模型以水文学理论为基础,耦合稳定状态水文模型TOPMODEL与大范围斜坡稳定性模型,在充分考虑各种影响因素的基础上,对研究区域进行斜坡稳定性评价。选取汉江江口流域作为试验研究区,以DEM、遥感影象、各种专题图件及地面考察资料作为信息源,利用SINMAP方法获得可视化的研究区地表稳定性指数专题图。经实际资料检验表明,该模型可获取较高的预测精度,尤其在流域尺度上具有极大的应用价值。     

黄土丘陵区坡面尺度上不同植被格局下植物群落和土壤性质研究

通过对黄土丘陵沟壑区陕西延安羊圈沟小流域坡面上退耕还林还草后形成的林地(单一种植刺槐人工林)、草地(单一的撂荒草地)、草地-林地-草地(上坡位和下坡位撂荒草地,中坡位种植刺槐人工林)及林地-草地-林地(上坡位和下坡位种植刺槐人工林,中坡位为撂荒草地)四种不同的植被格局下植物物种多样性及土壤理化性质变化的研究,旨在揭示植被恢复过程中,坡面上植被不同的空间配置模式对植物物种的组成及土壤环境变化的影响.研究发现,4种植被格局下植物物种的多样性以单一的撂荒草地坡面最高,人工林的种植一定程度上影响了林下植物物种多样性的恢复,但整个灌木和草本的群落结构4种植被格局之间均未达到极不相似水平.土壤有机碳及总氮含量均以坡面上草地-林地-草地的空间配置格局最高且有机碳存在显著差异,而撂荒草地则在土壤水分的保持及改善土壤pH值上优于其他3种植被格局.     

云南大理暴雨天气过程GPS大气可降水量特征分析

应用云南大理地基GPS观测站的数据反演得到的1h间隔GPS大气可降水量资料和自动气象站逐时降水资料,分析了云南大理地区4次暴雨过程的GPS大气可降水量的演变特征.结果表明,云南大理地区的暴雨天气过程中GPS大气可降水量呈现明显的1～2天的增湿过程和1～2次跃变过程,跃变过程与降水发生和结束有较好的关系,可为短期预报提供一个明确的水汽演变指标.     

玛纳斯河流域人工绿洲扩张对社会经济和生态环境的影响分析

 利用2007—2009年的实地调查资料,结合1958—2006年的5期遥感影像解译数据,从干旱区内陆河流域典型绿洲的演变进程出发,分析了新中国成立以来近60 a玛纳斯河流域人工绿洲快速扩张的影响,强调了保持绿洲适宜规模的重要性,并从可持续发展的角度探讨了绿洲今后发展的方向。主要结论为:①近60 a玛纳斯河流域耕地和绿洲分别以107.756 km2·a-1和122.401 km2·a-1的速度迅速增长,二者扩张的方向基本一致;②绿洲的快速扩张对社会经济产生一定推动作用的同时,也带来了一系列的环境问题。如地表水利用率超过90%,地下水过度开采并以0.5~1 m·a-1的速度下降,水质污染增加,防护林大量死亡,森林破坏严重,草地从1958年到2006年减少4 316.39 km2,土地荒漠化威胁严重等;③从可持续发展的角度看,控制绿洲规模,适度开采地下水,转变产业结构,建立生态补偿机制等是今后本区发展的关键。     

Tectono‐climatic evolution of a Neogene intramontane basin (Late Miocene Carboneras subbasin,southeast Spain): revelations from basin mapping and biofacies analysis

Exceptional 3‐D exposures of fault blocks forming a 5 km × 10 km clastic sediment‐starved, marine basin (Carboneras subbasin, southeast Spain) allow a test of the response of carbonate sequence stratigraphic architectures to climatic and tectonic forcing. Temperate and tropical climatic periods recorded in biofacies serve as a chronostratigraphic framework to reconstruct the status of the basin within three time‐slices (late Tortonian–early Messinian, late Messinian, Pliocene). Structural maps and isopach maps trace out the distribution of fault blocks, faults, and over time, their relative motions, propagational patterns and life times, which demonstrate a changing layout of the basin because of a rotation of the regional transtensional stress field. Progradation of early Messinian reefal systems was perpendicular to the master faults of the blocks, which were draped by condensed fore‐slope sediments. The hangingwall basins coincided with the toe‐of‐slope of the reef systems. The main phase of block faulting during the late Tortonian and earliest Messinian influenced the palaeogeography until the late Pliocene (cumulative throw < 150–240 m), whereas displacements along block bounding faults, which moved into the hangingwall, died out over time. An associated shift of the depocentres of calciturbidites, slump masses and fault scarp degradation breccias reflects 500–700 m of fault propagation into the hangingwall. The shallow‐water systems of the footwall areas were repeatedly subject to emergence and deep peripheral erosion, which imply slow net relative uplift of the footwall. In the dip‐slope settings, erosional truncations of tilted proximal deposits prevail, which indicate rotational relative uplift. Block movements were on the order of magnitude of third order sea‐level fluctuations during the late Tortonian and earliest Messinian. We suggest that this might be the reason for the common presence of offlapping geometries in early Messinian reef systems of the Betic Cordilleras. During the late Pliocene, uplift rates fell below third order rates of sea‐level variations. However, at this stage, the basin was uplifted too far to be inundated by the sea again. The evolution of the basin may serve as a model for many other extensional basins around the world.     

Structure and evolution of mass transport deposits in the South Caspian Basin,Azerbaijan

The Quaternary to late Pliocene sedimentary succession along the margin of the South Caspian Basin contains numerous kilometre‐scale submarine slope failures, which were sourced along the basin slope and from the inclined flanks of contemporaneous anticlines. This study uses three‐dimensional (3D) seismic reflection data to visualise the internal structure of 27 mass transport deposits and catalogues the syndepositional structures contained within them. These are used to interpret emplacement processes occurring during submarine slope failure. The deposits consist of three linked structural domains: extensional, translational and compressive, each containing characteristic structures. Novel features are present within the mass transport deposits: (1) a diverging retrogression of the headwall scarp; (2) the absence of a conventional headwall scarp around growth stratal pinch outs; (3) restraining bends in the lateral margin; (4) a downslope increase in the throw of thrust faults. The results of this study shed light on the deformation that occurred during submarine slope failure, and highlight an important geological process in the evolution of the South Caspian Basin margin.