Kinematics of a deep-seated landslide derived from photogrammetric, GPS and geophysical data

The deep-seated landslide located at the intersection of the Gradenbach and Möll valleys near Döllach, Austria, has been the target of many previous investigations [Kronfellner-Kraus, G., 1980. Neue Untersuchungsergebnisse in Wildbächen — Der Talzuschub in Abhängigkeit von Niederschlägen. Int. Symp. Interpraevent Bad Ischl 1: 179–192; Weidner, S., Moser, M., Lang, E., 1998. Influence of hydrology on sagging of mountain slopes (“Talzuschübe”) — New results of time series analysis. 8th International IAEG Congress, Vancouver, Canada, Balkema, Rotterdam, 1259–1266; Weidner, S., 2000. Kinematik und Mechanismus tiefgreifender alpiner Hangdeformationen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der hydrologischen Verhältnisse. Dissertation, Friedrich–Alexander-Universität Erlangen–Nürnberg, 246.]. In this paper, photogrammetric, GPS and geophysical data have been utilized to derive a constraint on the kinematics of the sagging process. The photogrammetric models have been based on aerial photographs from 1962 and 1996. Displacement vectors of about 50 individual characteristic points have been determined; these clearly show the area of the sagging slope. From 1999 to 2004, eleven GPS campaigns have been carried out, yielding very accurate displacement vectors at four monitoring points. Information about the internal structure of the slope was determined using seismic surveys.

The displacements observed by photogrammetry and GPS have shown a rather uniform movement of the whole sagging slope, with a slight longitudinal compression of 0.6%. In order to extend the kinematic consideration to 3D, a special form of the equation of continuity (conservation of mass) has been applied to the 1962–1996 photogrammetric data, together with the cross-sections derived from the seismic data. The average velocities through cross-sections have been calculated by integrals of the mass-balance above and below these cross-sections. Changes of the total rock mass, due to accumulation and especially to erosion, as well as an overall compaction of 1.5% between 1962 and 1996, have been considered. The calculated average velocities through a cross-section and the surface velocities independently determined by photogrammetry agree within an uncertainty of 15%. The results indicate a block movement with shear concentration at the basal sliding surface.