Mapping debris flow susceptibility using analytical network process in Kodaikkanal Hills,Tamil Nadu (India)

Rapid debris flows, a mixture of unconsolidated sediments and water travelling at speeds > 10 m/s are the most destructive water related mass movements that affect hill and mountain regions. The predisposing factors setting the stage for the event are the availability of materials, type of materials, stream power, slope gradient, aspect and curvature, lithology, land use and land cover, lineament density, and drainage. Rainfall is the most common triggering factor that causes debris flow in the Palar subwatershed and seismicity is not considered as it is a stable continental region and moderate seismic zone. Also, there are no records of major seismic activities in the past. In this study, one of the less explored heuristic methods known as the analytical network process (ANP) is used to map the spatial propensity of debris flow. This method is based on top-down decision model and is a multi-criteria, decision-making tool that translates subjective assessment of relative importance to weights or scores and is implemented in the Palar subwatershed which is part of the Western Ghats in southern India. The results suggest that the factors influencing debris flow susceptibility in this region are the availability of material on the slope, peak flow, gradient of the slope, land use and land cover, and proximity to streams. Among all, peak discharge is identified as the chief factor causing debris flow. The use of micro-scale watersheds demonstrated in this study to develop the susceptibility map can be very effective for local level planning and land management.     

基于地学信息图谱的龙口市土地利用动态变化研究

阐述了地学信息图谱的内涵及其概念模式,以山东省龙口市为例,在RS和GIS技术支持下,利用1989年和2003年数字遥感图像、土地利用图及自然、社会经济统计数据,建立了龙口市土地利用动态变化信息图谱。根据信息图谱从空间和时间两方面分析了龙口市土地利用动态变化过程,推测出其土地利用变化的主要驱动力。     

A novel triggerless approach for mass wasting susceptibility modeling applied to the Boston Mountains of Arkansas,USA

This research deploys a novel mass wasting susceptibility modeling approach for cases where temporal information is unavailable and circumstances are prejudiced to merit applying traditional susceptibility modeling strategies. Conventional models typically employ approaches deemed problematic for this study, e.g., biased weighted input; a “more is better” approach pertaining to voluminous inputs; neglecting geologic structural influence; and establishing temporal linkages between cause (trigger) and effect (failure) with a trigger being defined as a catalyst for failure, such as timed events like earthquakes or precipitation as well as physical changes like vegetation removal or slope disturbance. Road bias may also influence modeling dramatically when event data are derived from observations of road-related failures, which become unreliable at predicting susceptibility in regions with no roads. However, a triggerless approach can extrapolate naturally occurring susceptibility via priori knowledge of local topography and structural geology factors. Two models are then created for comparison: One model has integrated empirical Bayesian kriging and fuzzy logic considering basically local topography and structural geology, while the second model has employed a standard implementation of a weighted overlay using all available (8) input data layers. Statistical comparisons show that the first model has identified ~ 83%, compared to only ~ 28% for the latter model, of the 47 documented mass wasting events in the selected study site. These results demonstrate that the introduced triggerless approach is efficiently capable of modeling mass wasting susceptibility in areas lacking temporal datasets, which in turn can help in mitigating future geohazards.     

Stability Analysis of Landslide near Dewal Village along Murree-Muzaffarabad Road,Pakistan

This study presents a detailed geological and geotechnical analysis of Dewal landslide along Murree-Muzaffarabad road, Pakistan. The study area is situated in a tectonically active region of the earth where mass movements like rock fall, rockslides and slumps cause adverse economic loss through disruption of travelling on roads. The study has the main focus on factors responsible for its instability together with stability analysis using limit equilibrium method by use of computer program Slide (version 5.0). The input parameters of rock mass was evaluated by field investigations and laboratory testing. To analyze the net deposit and net slide mass of the landslide area, multi-date point’s data of 2008 and 2012 of the slide area was obtained and their digital elevation models were generated by using Inverse distance weighting (IDW) technique in ArcGIS 9.3. The study has concluded that the present slope instability is the function of a specific deformation pattern in the rock units (leading towards the possibility of a shear plane under the slid mass), surface and subsurface drainage and the engineering behavior of the overburden and underlying rock units. This study recommends several protection parameters for landslide and suggests that detailed investigation of Dewal landslide is required for long term stability.     

天水-定西公路路域地质环境安全评价与灾害防治对策研究(1):地质环境安全现状评价

天水-定西公路工程通过地区地质构造复杂,环境地质安全如果不加以重视,易造成道路的地质灾害,影响到工程建设的安全性.根据已有资料及野外调查,区内地质灾害类型主要为滑坡、崩塌、泥石流,共发育80处;此外尚有黄土湿陷、软土等工程地质问题.其中,发育滑坡32处,现状评估稳定性好的21处、较差的7处、差的4处,处于危险性中等的2处,危险性小的30处;崩塌13处,现状评估稳定性差的8处、较差的5处,处于现状危险性中等的1处,危险性小的12处;泥石流沟谷35条,现状评估中易发12条、低易发23条,处于危险性大的2条,危险性中等的11条,危险性小的22条.区内黄土丘陵和河谷区黄土广布,黄土湿陷性普遍存在;软土在雨水和施工机械联合影响下,会造成路面翻浆变形,但易于清理,其危险性小.     

煤矿区地质灾害对新农村建设的影响

河南省煤炭资源丰富,分布于六大煤矿区,主要煤矿119个。煤矿区地质灾害主要有地面塌陷、地裂缝、崩塌、滑坡、不稳定斜坡等。各类灾害造成居民住房、学校、道路、水利、电力等设施和土地资源的破坏。煤矿区地质灾害已成为阻碍农村经济持续发展的重要因素。在论述煤矿区地质灾害对新农村建设影响的基础上,初步制定地质灾害防治措施,提出煤矿塌陷区新农村建设中村庄选址对策。     

基于确定性系数的降雨型滑坡影响因子敏感性分析

本文选择东南沿海地区具有典型降雨型滑坡的淳安县作为研究区,在完成全县地质灾害详细调查的基础上,选取高程、坡度、坡向、曲率、工程地质岩组、距断层距离、距道路距离、土地利用和植被等9个滑坡影响因子,利用GIS技术与确定性系数分析方法,对这9个影响因子开展敏感性分析。研究结果表明:(1) 寒武、震旦、石炭和白垩系是滑坡易发地层,侵入岩组、紫红色砂岩、碳酸盐岩夹碎屑岩、碳酸盐岩为主的岩组是滑坡高敏感性岩组;滑坡受断层影响总体上随着距离断层由近及远逐渐降低;(2) 坡度范围10°~35°是滑坡的易发坡度,30°~35°滑坡数量达到峰值;SE和S等朝南坡向是滑坡最易发坡向;高程范围为100~200m是滑坡最易发区间;凹坡最易发生滑坡,而凸坡则滑坡敏感性最差;非林地、茶叶、竹林和经济林等是滑坡高敏感植被类型;(3) 住宅用地、耕地、园地等与人类活动密切相关的用地类型是滑坡易发地类;距道路距离因子对滑坡敏感性低,相关性不明显。上述各滑坡影响因子最利于滑坡发生的数值区间确定,将为研究区进一步开展降雨型滑坡区域易发性评价及预测奠定基础。     

Stratigraphical signatures of glacier activity,marine processes and a possible tsunami in the Leirfjorden fjord‐valley system,north Norway

An integrated interpretation of on‐ and offshore stratigraphical records at Leirfjorden, north Norway, reveals new aspects of the area's palaeoenvironmental history. The study is based on marine sparker data and well‐exposed sections on land that were analysed for their sediment facies, mineralogy and fossil assemblages. Existing research and new radiocarbon dates provide a chronological framework for the interpretation. The late Younger Dryas Nordli substage type locality in the Leirfjorden catchment is revised and found to reflect local glacial activity, maybe a collapse of stagnant ice rather than glacier advance, while late Younger Dryas to Preboreal glacier re‐advances south of Leirfjorden and near Ranfjorden are here named the Bardal substage. The stratigraphical record includes pre‐Younger Dryas, valley‐crossing, glacial striae and old till with provenance of resistant bedrock typical of more elevated mountain areas. It differs from younger till units representing topographically controlled glacier movement. Part of the Leirfjorden fjord‐valley system is located between the main glacial and fluvial drainage paths affecting the sediment supply. As a result, highstand deposits are indistinct and fluvial sediments form only a minor part of the forced‐regressive systems tract. Instead, the valley fill overlying till and subtill sediments is dominated by the deglacial transgressive tract and a forced‐regressive systems tract with composite marine deposits and various marine erosion surfaces. A special event bed is interpreted as a possible tsunami deposit caused by seismicity and/or mass‐wasting in the fjord following glacier retreat. The study highlights the stratigraphical complexity of interconnected fjord and sound systems in a low accretion setting.     

贵州省近期土地利用变化及其生态效应

在全球环境变化研究中,土地利用和土地覆被动态研究是一个关键而迫切的课题。本文依据覆盖贵州省20世纪90年代末5 a时间间隔的陆地卫星数据资料,研究了土地利用变化的特征和空间分布规律,并通过土地利用转移矩阵揭示了各区域土地利用变化动态的转化过程;同时以生态系统服务功能衡量相应土地利用类型的相对生态价值,评价区域土地利用/土地覆被变化的生态效应。结果表明,在研究时段内,省内各区域退耕还林与毁林开荒并存,区域间有明显的差异,整体景观尚处于波动状态。在1995~2000年的土地利用变化中,由于旱地、有林地、灌木林地、中低覆盖度荒草地等土地利用类型相互间的频繁转换,各区域土地利用生态价值并未有明显的提高。     

Assessment of a coastal landslide subjected to building loads at Sinop, Black Sea region, Turkey, and stabilization measures

The large landslides along the Black Sea shore in Turkey are well-known instability phenomena and responsible for considerable economic losses each year. The severity of the problem increased particularly in recent years as increased scarcity of land forced utilization of inherently unstable areas. In 1988, severe rainstorms at the city of Sinop on the Black Sea shore triggered ground movements on a gentle coastal slope subjected to building loads and caused extensive damage to buildings founded on the slope. Comprehensive investigations of the failure were carried out and used to establish a geotechnical model for the slide. The model allowed consideration of building loads and different groundwater conditions. In addition, the model studies were complimented by limit-equilibrium and finite-element stress analyses. The results indicated movements on a circular sliding surface through stiff clay. The toe of the landslide is located at the shoreline and remains active. The failure was probably initiated by rising groundwater level combined with surcharge loads imposed by buildings on the slope. Other contributing factors include sand extraction and coastal erosion. Remedial works are recommended involving a rockfill buttress at the toe of the slide and drainage improvements on the surface of the slope.     

Deep-seated gravitational slope deformations and their influence on consequent mass movements (case studies from the highest part of the Czech Carpathians)

Gravitational spreading of mountain ridges displays primary disequilibrium of flysch mountain areas of the Czech Carpathians. The progression of various types of mass movements is a product of long-term ridge disintegration and is predisposed by the geological structure of the area and the upper Tertiary-Quaternary morphogenesis of the mountain area. Deep-seated slope deformations are spatially interconnected by the occurrence of some other types of slope deformations (e.g. debris flows, debris slides, slumps, rock avalanches, etc.), which pose a considerable risk for the existence of human society. An important causative factor in these dynamically developing hazardous processes is, among other factors, the way in which land has been used in the last three centuries. Therefore, the occurrence of various types of slope deformations is studied in terms of their relation to deep-seated gravitational deformations and in terms of other limiting factors (structural geological, morphological and climatic factors, manmade impacts, etc.). The paper presents several case studies of slope deformations (Velká Čantoryje Mt, Lysá hora Mt, Ropice Mt and Smrk Mt) in the area of the Outer Carpathians within the territory of the Czech Republic and also adverts to some consequences in terms of the socioeconomic structure of the landscape.     

Slope instability in Nicaragua triggered by Hurricane Mitch: distribution of shallow mass movements

The heavy rains associated with Hurricane Mitch triggered off a number of slope instability processes in several Central American countries. Different instability processes have been acknowledged for the various mountainous regions of Nicaragua. An enormous movement of the Casita Volcano slopes resulted in numerous deaths and some deep movements have been reactivated. On the other hand, numerous shallow mass movements and debris flows have given rise to great material loss throughout a large part of Nicaraguan mountains.Mapping the shallow mass movements in an area of Central Nicaragua clearly reveals the close ties between their distribution and some geomorphological factors. A susceptibility model has been constructed for shallow mass movements based on field mapping of the shallow mass movement distribution, the geomorphological map as well as the digital slope and accumulated flow models. A logistical regression analysis was applied. The study area has been categorized into three classes of relative landslide susceptibility. Given that phenomena of this nature occur much more frequently in the high susceptibility class, 94% of the shallow mass movements that have been used to test the model are in the high and medium susceptibility classes . The geological and geomorphological conditions of the study area are representative of a large sector of the central Nicaraguan region. Consequently, the methodology followed in this paper is deemed to constitute a useful tool, both regarding the design of new infrastructures, and as a guide to the urban development of the area.     

Slab break‐off – abrupt cut or gradual detachment? New insights from the Vrancea Region (SE Carpathians,Romania)

Slab break-off is a plate-tectonic process which does not only return lithospheric material into the deeper mantle, but also has severe effects on surface movements and seismic hazard: slab-pull induced seismicity is reduced when the subducted slab decouples from the overlying crust. In the Vrancea region (SE Carpathians), strong earthquakes frequently occur at intermediate depths (70–180 km) in a laterally small volume, while the crust shows low but distributed seismicity. The stress pattern shows similar partitioning with vertical extension in the slab and no preferred orientation in the overlying crust. Both features indicate a decoupling between slab and overlying crust, either by slab break-off or delamination. However, the strong vertical elongation of the slab requires that the upper end of the slab is fixed vertically. Thus, a 'soft' coupling is assumed that is strong enough to enable elongation of the slab, but weak enough to inhibit 'quasi-static' stress transfer to the overlying crust.     

Impact of mass movements in the Kocaeli Province,Turkey

Recent mass movements in the Kocaeli Province, Turkey in 2010 caused damage to people, property and infrastructure, especially in Izmit and its vicinity. The causes and impact of these mass movements are outlined, so as to increase awareness of their dangerous aspects. Some of these mass movement events took place in urban areas, bringing attention to the need for better and more effective land use practices. The impact of these movements indicates the benefit there would be from geology and engineering geology in the planning of any property development and land use.     

Global strain rates in western to central Himalayas and their implications in seismic hazard assessment

The Himalayas has experienced varying rates of earthquake occurrence in the past in its seismo-tectonically distinguished segments which may be attributed to different physical processes of accumulation of stress and its release, and due diligence is required for its inclusion for working out the seismic hazard. The present paper intends to revisit the various earthquake occurrence models applied to Himalayas and examines it in the light of recent damaging earthquakes in Himalayan belt. Due to discordant seismicity of Himalayas, three types of regions have been considered to estimate larger return period events. The regions selected are (1) the North-West Himalayan Fold and Thrust Belt which is seismically very active, (2) the Garhwal Himalaya which has never experienced large earthquake although sufficient stress exists and (3) the Nepal region which is very seismically active region due to unlocked rupture and frequently experienced large earthquake events. The seismicity parameters have been revisited using two earthquake recurrence models namely constant seismicity and constant moment release. For constant moment release model, the strain rates have been derived from global strain rate model and are converted into seismic moment of earthquake events considering the geometry of the finite source and the rates being consumed fully by the contemporary seismicity. Probability of earthquake occurrence with time has been estimated for each region using both models and compared assuming Poissonian distribution. The results show that seismicity for North-West region is observed to be relatively less when estimated using constant seismicity model which implies that either the occupied accumulated stress is not being unconfined in the form of earthquakes or the compiled earthquake catalogue is insufficient. Similar trend has been observed for seismic gap area but with lesser difference reported from both methods. However, for the Nepal region, the estimated seismicity by the two methods has been found to be relatively less when estimated using constant moment release model which implies that in the Nepal region, accumulated strain is releasing in the form of large earthquake occurrence event. The partial release in second event of May 2015 of similar size shows that the physical process is trying to release the energy with large earthquake event. If it would have been in other regions like that of seismic gap region, the fault may not have released the energy and may be inviting even bigger event in future. It is, therefore, necessary to look into the seismicity from strain rates also for its due interpretation in terms of predicting the seismic hazard in various segments of Himalayas.     

西南地区现代构造应力场与地震活动性的实验研究

前言西南地区(指云南、四川西部地区)位于我国南北构造带即南北地震带的南段,是地壳运动剧烈、构造形态复杂、地震活动十分频繁的地区。它西临印度洋板块的俯冲带,东濒古老稳定的四川地台和黔桂古陆,岩层遭到十分强烈的挤压,形成了一系列平行于印度洋板块的巨型褶皱带、深大断裂带及弧形山脉。     

Trap magmatism and mobilization of hydrocarbon fluids (Western Siberia)

Drill core material from the superdeep SG-6 and SG-7 wells (Koltogor-Urengoi Graben) has been examined. It has been established that the temperature conditions of alteration of sediments were non-linear and discontinuous. The basalts underlying these sediments are metamorphosed and metasomatically altered under the influence of high-temperature fluids associated with a superplume. The tuffs under the basalts have a phreatic origin. It is assumed that the intrusion of basaltic sills into the coal-bearing Permo-Carboniferous rock mass beneath the tuffs caused thermolysis of coals and the generation of hydrocarbon gases of a methane composition.     

牛背至天水高速公路路域环境地质安全性评价方法探讨

天(水)宝(鸡)高速公路牛背至天水段工程通过地区地质构造复杂,岩土种类繁多,岩土工程和环境地质安全如果不加以重视,易造成道路的地质灾害,直接影响到工程建设的质量和安全性,也将给未来运营安全带来严重的隐患和经济损失.在野外地质调查的基础上,探讨了公路路域环境地质安全性评价的影响因素和安全性评估内容,通过遥感技术等方法对地质和岩土工程信息提取并进行安全性评价,对研究区进行了初步评价,并提出了应对措施.     

Regional assessment of landslide impact in the Three Gorges area, China, using ASTER data: Wushan-Zigui

This paper is focussed on the hazard impact of landslides in the Three Gorges, and represents the progression of our ongoing study on regional land instability assessment in the Three Gorges area using imagery data from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission Radiometer (ASTER). The key development here is the establishment of a model that integrates land instability with several factors that can relate hazard to human life, such as slope failures occurring in proximity to built-up areas and roads, and areas of high landslide risk along the bank of Yangtze and its major tributaries. The method correctly identifies some of the known destructive landslides in the region, like Qianjiangping and Huangtupo, as belonging to areas of potentially high landslide impact. Our results suggest that several population centres, including the towns of Wushan and Badong, are rated at high landslide hazard levels. This study highlights the importance of differentiating between landslide types within susceptibility assessment, and identifies those locations in the Three Gorges where the probability of landslide occurrence with negative impact to life and property is greatest.     

Long-term measurements using an integrated monitoring network to identify homogeneous landslide sectors in a complex geo-environmental context (Lago,Calabria, Italy)

Mass movements of different thicknesses and types affect the slope where the Greci and Piscopie villages lie (Lago, Calabria, Italy). The study concerns a moderately urbanized area where the lithological, structural, and hydrogeological conditions have produced a large and complex unstable area. In the study area, a multi-temporal field survey has allowed for detailed landslide inventory mapping and definition of the geometric and kinematic characteristics of mass movements with long-term monitoring. In particular, an integrated monitoring network was progressively put in place, since 1996 to measure superficial and deep displacements (GPS stations and inclinometers). The network dataset shows that the mass movements in the study area are characterized by an extremely slow or very slow rate of displacement. The elements acquired by a long-term monitoring of the deep displacements point out that the landslide bodies are prone to develop new failure surfaces progressively shallower, with a consequent increase of the hazard. Moreover, medium-deep and deep-seated landslides may rapidly accelerate in relation to rainfall conditions and significantly affect structures and infrastructures. The integration of the geological and geomorphological knowledges with the monitoring data allows for distinguishing six different homogeneous sectors on the slope, as well as the relative geometric and kinematic characteristics, and the type of mass movements. In the study area, which is representative of several aspects of other areas, the method proposed and the knowledge acquired by long-term monitoring could be useful to define mass movement mechanisms, geotechnical models, and risk mitigation strategies.