Characteristics and numerical runout modeling of the heavy rainfall-induced catastrophic landslide–debris flow at Sanxicun,Dujiangyan, China,following the Wenchuan Ms 8.0 earthquake

The 2008 Ms 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake triggered a large number of extensive landslides. It also affected geologic properties of the mountains such that large-scale landslides followed the earthquake, resulting in the formation of a disaster chain. On 10 July 2013, a catastrophic landslide–debris flow suddenly occurred in the Dujiangyan area of Sichuan Province in southeast China. This caused the deaths of 166 people and the burying or damage of 11 buildings along the runout path. The landslide involved the failure of ≈1.47 million m³, and the displaced material from the source area was ≈0.3 million m³. This landslide displayed shear failure at a high level under the effects of a rainstorm, which impacted and scraped an accumulated layer underneath and a heavily weathered rock layer during the release of potential and kinetic energies. The landslide body entrained a large volume of surface residual diluvial soil, and then moved downstream along a gully to produce a debris flow disaster. This was determined to be a typical landslide–debris flow disaster type. The runout of displaced material had a horizontal extent of 1200 m and a vertical extent of 400 m. This was equivalent to the angle of reach (fahrböschung angle) of 19° and covered an area of 0.2 km². The background and motion of the landslide are described in this study. On the basis of the above analysis, dynamic simulation software (DAN3D) and rheological models were used to simulate the runout behavior of the displaced landslide materials in order to provide information for the hazard zonation of similar types of potential landslide–debris flows in southeast China following the Wenchuan earthquake. The simulation results of the Sanxicun landslide revealed that the frictional model had the best performance for the source area, while the Voellmy model was most suitable for the scraping and accumulation areas. The simulations estimated that the motion could last for ≈70 s, with a maximum speed of 47.7 m/s.     

深圳“12.20”渣土场远程流化滑坡动力过程分析

文章采用DAN3D数值方法对深圳人工堆填体滑坡运动过程进行了模拟研究,探讨了深圳“12.20”滑坡远程动力成灾过程。通过研究得到以下几点结论:（1）滑坡后破坏运动主要分为两个阶段:前一阶段为滑源区内运动,体现了高孔隙水压力下滑剪切;后一阶段为在流通区和堆积区内运动,体现了高饱和度滑体流动（涌动）剪切。（2）饱水渣土滑坡远程流化运动分析中,摩擦模型适合模拟孔隙水压力作用下的滑源区渣土体的失稳下滑运动过程;宾汉姆模型适合模拟非牛顿流体饱和渣土体的流化剪切过程;摩擦-宾汉姆组合模型更适用于该类型滑坡全过程的反演运动分析。（3）深圳滑坡后破坏运动速度变化主要经历了“启动-加速-持速-减速”的运动过程,高含水渣土的固-流转化致使滑坡远程运动,并造成巨大伤亡损失。（4）模拟结果显示:堆积区平均堆积厚度为11 m,堆积范围为0.4 km 2,最大运动速度为30 m/s,最大速度发生于距滑坡后缘620 m处,堆积范围、堆积厚度和运动速度同滑坡实际值基本一致。上述研究思路和方法对城市地质中渣土滑坡灾害的危险区划和渣土场科学选址评估具有一定借鉴意义。     

Experimental and numerical investigations of a catastrophic long-runout landslide in Zhenxiong,Yunnan, southwestern China

On 11 January 2013, a catastrophic landslide of ～0.2 million m³ due to a prolonged low-intensity rainfall occurred in Zhenxiong, Yunnan, southwestern China. This landslide destroyed the village of Zhaojiagou and killed 46 people in the distal part of its path. The displaced landslide material traveled a horizontal distance of ～800 m with a vertical drop of ～280 m and stopped at 1520 m a.s.l. To examine the possible mechanism and behavior of the landslide from initiation to runout, the shear behavior of soil samples collected from the sliding surface and runout path was examined by means of ring shear tests. The test results show that the shear strength of sample from the sliding surface is less affected by shear rate while the shear rate has a negative effect on the shear strength of runout path material. It is suggested that the source and runout path materials follow the frictional and Voellmy rheology, respectively. Post-failure behavior of the landslide was modeled by using a DAN-W model, and the numerical results show that the selected rheological relationships and parameters based on the results of ring shear tests may provide good performance in modeling the Zhenxiong landslide.     

Characteristics and numerical runout modelling of a catastrophic rock avalanche triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake in the Wenjia valley,Mianzhu, Sichuan,China

The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake triggered more than 100 rock avalanches with volumes greater than 10 million cubic metres. The rock avalanche with the longest runout amongst these destructive landslides occurred in the Wenjia valley, Mianzhu, Sichuan, China. The landslide involved the failure of about 27.5 million cubic metres of sandstone from the source area. The displaced material travelled about 4,170 m with an elevation descent of about 1,360 m, equivalent to a fahrböschung of 16.9° and covered an area of 1.5 million square metres, with the final deposited volume of approximately 49 million cubic metres. The catastrophic event destroyed the village of Yanjing, killed 48 people and buried some houses at the mouth of the Wenjia valley. On the basis of a detailed field investigation, we introduce basic characteristics of the rock avalanche and find that the rock avalanche resulted in two run-ups and a superelevation along the runout path, and downslope enlargement due to the entrainment of path materials. A numerical model (DAN3D) is used to simulate the post-failure behaviour of the rock avalanche. By means of trial and error, a combination of the frictional model and Voellmy model is found to provide the best performance in simulating this rock avalanche. The simulation results reveal that the rock avalanche had a duration of about 240 s and an average velocity of 17.4 m/s.     

The August 27, 2014, rock avalanche and related impulse water waves in Fuquan,Guizhou, China

At about 8:30 p.m. on 27 August 2014, a catastrophic rock avalanche suddenly occurred in Fuquan, Yunnan, southwestern China. This landslide and related impulse water waves destroyed two villages and killed 23 persons. The impulse waves occurred after initiation of the landslide, caused by the main part of the slide mass rapidly plunging into a water-filled quarry below the source area. The wave, comprising muddy water and rock debris, impacted the opposite slope of the quarry on the western side of the runout path and washed away three homes in Xinwan village. Part of the displaced material traveled a horizontal distance of about 40 m from its source and destroyed the village of Xiaoba. To provide information for potential landslide hazard zonation in this area, a combined landslide–wave simulation was undertaken. A dynamic landslide analysis (DAN-W) model is used to simulate the landslide propagation before entering the quarry, while Fluent (Ansys Inc., USA) is used to simulate the impulse wave generation and propagation. Output data from the DAN-W simulation are used as input parameters for wave modeling, and there is good agreement between the observed and simulated results of the landslide propagation. Notably, the locations affected by recordable waves according to the simulation correspond to those recorded by field investigation.     

Progressive evolution and failure behavior of a Holocene river-damming landslide in the SE Tibetan Plateau,China

This paper presents a study on an ancient river-damming landslide in the SE Tibet Plateau, China, with a focus on time-dependent gravitational creep leading to slope failure associated with progressive fragmentation during motion. Field investigation shows that the landslide, with an estimated volume of 4.9?×?10⁷ m³, is a translational toe buckling slide. Outcrops of landslide deposits, buckling, toe shear, residual landslide dam, and lacustrine sediments are distributed at the slope base. The landslide deposits formed a landslide dam over 60 m high and at one time blocked the Jinsha River. Optically stimulated luminescence dating for the lacustrine sediments indicates that the landslide occurred at least 2,600 years ago. To investigate the progressive evolution and failure behavior of the landslide, numerical simulations using the distinct element method are conducted. The results show that the evolution of the landslide could be divided into three stages: a time-dependent gravitational creep process, rapid failure, and granular flow deposition. It probably began as a long-term gravitationally induced buckling of amphibolite rock slabs along a weak interlayer composed of mica schist which was followed by progressive fragmentation during flow-like motion, evolving into a flow-like movement, which deposited sediments in the river valley. According to numerical modeling results, the rapid failure stage lasted 35 s from the onset of sudden failure to final deposition, with an estimated maximum movement rate of 26.8 m/s. The simulated topography is close to the post-landslide topography. Based on field investigation and numerical simulation, it can be found that the mica schist interlayer and bedding planes are responsible for the slope instability, while strong toe erosion caused by the Jinsha River caused the layered rock mass to buckle intensively. Rainfall or an earthquake cannot be ruled out as a potential trigger of the landslide, considering the climate condition and the seismic activity on centennial to millennial timescales in the study area.

     

Analysis of waves generated by Gongjiafang landslide in Wu Gorge, three Gorges reservoir, on November 23, 2008

At 4:40p.m. on November 23, 2008, the Gongjiafang slope collapsed on the north bank of Yangtze River in Wu Gorge of Three Gorges Reservoir. The 380,000-m³ sliding mass consisted mainly of cataclastic rock. A video record of the major sliding incident was analyzed using the general laws of physical motion. The analysis indicated that the maximum speed and maximum acceleration of the sliding mass were 11.65?m/s and 2.23?m/s², respectively, and that the maximum amplitude and the propagation velocity of the water wave near the landslide were 31.8?m and 18.36?m/s, respectively. Wave run-up investigation indicated that the maximum run-up on shore was 13.1?m, which declined to 1.1?m at Wushan dock 4?km away. The incident causes no casualties, but did result in economic losses of RMB five million. The numerical simulation model GEOWAVE was used to simulate and reproduced the impulse wave generated by the landslide; the results were in good agreement with the observed incident. The numerical simulation data were then applied to analyze the decay and amplification effects of the landslide wave in the river course. The field investigations and witness information provide valuable materials for the studies of landslide kinematics and impulse waves generated by landslides. In addition, the research results provide a useful reference for future similar waves generated by landslides in reservoirs.     

三峡库区千将坪滑坡高速滑动机制研究

2003年7月13日,三峡水库初期蓄水至135 m高程30 d之际,在三峡库区秭归县发生了三峡库区的第一个水库滑坡,滑坡方量达1 500万m3,最大滑速达16 m/s,最高涌浪达24.5 m。滑坡造成10人死亡,14人失踪,摧毁129间民房以及4个工厂,致1 200人无家可归。千将坪滑坡发生后,为了预测三峡库区及世界其它水库工程可能发生的同类高速滑坡,持续数年研究千将坪滑坡的高速滑动机制,通过理论分析及数值模拟,探索了千将坪滑坡的高速滑动机制,认为千将坪滑坡具有孕育高速滑坡的典型结构特征,滑坡滑带的峰残强降差是滑坡高速启动的根本原因,高陡边坡蕴藏的高势能及滑带液化是滑坡加速高速滑动的主要原因。     

贵州水城“7.23”高位远程滑坡冲击铲刮效应分析

以2019年贵州水城“7.23”滑坡为例,采用现场调查、无人机航测和数值模拟技术,分析了滑坡的运动过程和冲击铲刮特征,结果表明:（1）水城“7.23”滑坡属典型的高位远程滑坡,滑体高位启动后冲击下方凸起山脊,铲刮地表残坡积土层,并解体形成碎屑流,最大铲刮深度可达11 m;（2）模拟结果显示,滑坡运动最大速度为30 m?s-1,最大动能达8 900 kJ,铲刮体积达46×104 m3,最终体积为116×104 m3,灾害放大效应明显;（3）水城滑坡的冲击铲刮过程可分为冲击嵌入→剪切推覆→裹挟混合三个阶段。      

Susceptibility assessment of the precursor stage of a landslide threatening Haivan Railway Station,Vietnam

Haivan Station is an important station on the North-South railway line in central Vietnam. Field investigation has identified a precursor stage of a landslide that would threaten this railway. Therefore, a landslide susceptibility assessment for Haivan Station was urgently needed to protect passenger safety and the national railway. Conducted investigations included air-photo interpretation, drilling, ground water and inclinometer monitoring, laboratory testing, and landslide simulation. This research applied the undrained dynamic loading ring shear apparatus ICL-2 to drill-core samples from the precursor landslide. Samples for ring shear tests were taken from sandy soil layers found at depths of ~21, ~31, and ~50 m in the cores. Each of these was believed to be a possible sliding surface of a landslide, and all were tested to shear failure in the ICL-2 apparatus. The boundary between highly weathered granitic rock and weathered granitic rock was identified at about 50 m depth. The inclinometer monitoring detected slight movement at this depth. Therefore, the present day risk of a landslide forming at 50 m is higher than for one forming at either 21 or 31 m. The landslide dynamic parameters obtained from the ring shear test of the 50-m-deep sample were used in an integrated numerical simulation model LS-RAPID. The simulation result gave the critical pore-pressure ratio for landslide occurrence, and landslide’s likely maximum speed, total volume, and depth of landslide debris that could cover the railway. These estimates serve to raise awareness of the vulnerability of the Vietnam national railway sector to landslide impact.     

三峡库区巫山金鸡岭滑坡成因机制与变形特征

三峡库区新城区迁建多采用就地后靠方式,工程扰动叠加强降雨往往诱发滑坡失稳。基于重庆巫山江东小区金鸡岭滑坡,对其影响因素和成因机制进行探讨。工程扰动不仅是传统认为的后缘加载、前缘削脚作用,更重要的是坡体表层土方堆填阻断了滑坡体地表水泄流通道,使地表水向地下水转化。强降雨作用下滑坡体内地下水位明显升高,导致金鸡岭滑坡2018年8月1日前后发生较大变形。采取降水井抽排地下水等应急处置后,滑坡变形明显趋缓,可见工程扰动导致的地下水升高是该滑坡诱发的关键因素。数值模拟表明,工程扰动后稳定系数明显降低,对应堆填区渗流场变化明显,渗流加剧,孔隙水压力、水力梯度、总水头上升,结合达西定律与有效应力原理可知渗透力增加,抗剪强度削弱,诱发滑坡变形。     

Mechanism and failure process of Qianjiangping landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir,China

The Qianjiangping landslide is a large planar rock slide which occurred in July 14, 2003 shortly after the water level reached 135 m in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. The landslide destroyed 4 factories and 129 houses, took 24 lives, and made 1,200 people homeless. Field investigation shows that the contributing factors for the landslide are the geological structure of the slope, the previous surface of rupture, the water level rise, and continuous rainfall. In order to reveal the mechanism and failure process of the landslide, numerical simulation was conducted on Qianjiangping slope before sliding. Based on the characteristics and the engineering conditions of the landslide, the topography and the geological profiles of Qianjiangping slope before sliding is reconstructed. The seepage field of Qianjiangping slope before sliding was simulated with the Geostudio software. The results show that ground water table rises and bends to the slope during the rise of water level, and the slope surface becomes partially saturated within the period of continuous rainfall. Using the ground water table obtained above, the failure process of Qianjiangping slope is simulated with the Flac3D software. The results demonstrate that the shear strain increment, displacement, and shear failure area of the slope increased greatly after the water level rose and continuous rained, and the landslide was triggered by the combined effect both of water level rise and continuous rainfall. The development of shear strain increment, displacement, and shear failure area of the slope shows that the landslide was retrogressive in the lower part of the slope and progressive in the upper part of the slope.     

A seismic landslide hazard analysis with topographic effect,a case study in the 99 Peaks region,Central Taiwan

It has been known that ground motion amplitude will be amplified at mountaintops; however, such topographic effects are not included in conventional landslide hazard models. In this study, a modified procedure that considers the topographic effects is proposed to analyze the seismic landslide hazard. The topographic effect is estimated by back analysis. First, a 3D dynamic numerical model with irregular topography is constructed. The theoretical topographic amplification factors are derived from the dynamic numerical model. The ground motion record is regarded as the reference motion in the plane area. By combining the topographic amplification factors with the reference motions, the amplified acceleration time history and amplified seismic intensity parameters are obtained. Newmark’s displacement model is chosen to perform the seismic landslide hazard analysis. By combining the regression equation and the seismic parameter of peak ground acceleration and Arias intensity, the Newmark’s displacement distribution is generated. Subsequently, the calculated Newmark’s displacement maps are transformed to the hazard maps. The landslide hazard maps of the 99 Peaks region, Central Taiwan are evaluated. The actual landslide inventory maps triggered by the 21 September 1999, Chi-Chi earthquake are compared with the calculated hazard maps. Relative to the conventional procedure, the results show that the proposed procedures, which include the topographic effect can obtain a better result for seismic landslide hazard analysis. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

四川省盐源玻璃村特大型玄武岩古滑坡复活机制

受前期14 d持续累计350.6 mm降雨影响,2018年7月19日盐源玻璃村一巨型玄武岩古滑坡体发生大规模复活,复活体积为1 390×104 m3,损坏房屋186间,造成重大经济损失。基于现场调查、无人机航测、钻探揭露、物理力学试验及数值模拟分析,在查明滑坡体地质结构、失稳特征基础上,对其影响因素及复活机制进行了探讨。研究结果表明,破碎岩土体及地形地貌是滑坡复活的孕灾基础,持续降雨及其引起的地下水位升高是滑坡复活的诱发因素。复活滑坡可分为主滑区和侧滑区两种破坏模式不同的区域。降雨作用下滑坡体内渗流场明显变化,孔隙水压力增大,导致7月13日古滑坡体开始发生变形,稳定性系数逐渐降低。受微地貌约束,主滑区具有多级、多次失稳,渐进破坏的特点。侧滑区斜坡前缘临空条件受坡脚主滑坡控制,在主滑坡运动过程中,侧滑区坡体位移量、最大剪切应变增量逐渐增大,塑性区扩展,破坏过程表现出与主滑坡一定的关联性和滞后性。分析表明,受地下水长期影响,滑带土体强度逐渐削弱,降雨导致坡体渗流作用加剧,抗剪强度降低,从而诱发滑坡复活。     

Numerical modeling of the June 24, 2015, Hongyanzi landslide generated impulse waves in Three Gorges Reservoir,China

Subaerial landslides falling into confined water bodies often generate impulsive waves. Damaging landslide tsunamis in Three Gorges Reservoir, China, have struck several times in the last 15 years. On June 24, 2015, a 23?×?10⁴ m³ slope failure occurred on the east bank of the Daning River opposite Wushan Town. The sliding mass intruded into the Three Gorges Reservoir and initiated a reservoir tsunami that resulted in two deaths and significant damage to shipping facilities. A post-event survey revealed the landslide geometry and wave run-up distribution, while an eyewitness video captured most of the landslide motion. Employing these firm constraints, we applied the Tsunami Squares method to simulate the 2015 Hongyanzi landslide and tsunami. The simulation revealed that the landslide experienced a progressive failure in the first few seconds and impacted the water with a maximum velocity of ~?16 m/s. The initial wave propagated to the opposite shore in an arch shape, and the water surface reached a maximum amplitude of ~?11 m near the landslide. Wave amplitude-time curves at four points on the river cross section show that the initial wave reached Wushan town in about 50 s with an average wave velocity of ~?30 m/s. The maximum wave run-ups on the shoreline opposite the landslide are around 6 m and attenuate to less than 1 m beyond 2-km distance. The landslide simulation matches the observed geological profile and the eyewitness video, and the numerical results coincide with the observed wave run-up heights. Nearly 80% of landslide energy is lost due to frictional resistances, but the remaining fraction imparted to the tsunami carried catastrophic consequences to a large region. The numerical results emphasize the efficiency and accuracy of Tsunami Squares method for a “Quick Look” simulation of a potential landslide.     

A new landslide-induced tsunami simulation model and its application to the 1792 Unzen-Mayuyama landslide-and-tsunami disaster

By combining landslide dynamics research and tsunami research, we present an integrated series of numerical models quantitatively simulating the complete evolution of a landslide-induced tsunami. The integrated model simulating the landslide initiation and motion uses measured landslide dynamic parameters from a high-stress undrained dynamic-loading ring shear apparatus. It provides the numerical data of a landslide mass entering and moving under water to the tsunami simulation model as the trigger of tsunami. The series of landslide and tsunami simulation models were applied to the 1792 Unzen-Mayuyama megaslide and the ensuing tsunami disaster, which is the largest landslide disaster, the largest volcanic disaster, and the largest landslide-induced tsunami disaster to have occurred in Japan. Both the 1792 megaslide and the tsunami portions of the disaster are well documented, making this an excellent test of the reliability and precision of the new simulation model. The simulated tsunami heights at the coasts well match the historical tsunami heights recorded by “Tsunami-Dome-Ishi” (a stone showing the tsunami reaching point) and memorial stone pillars.     

复合型滑坡固液耦合过程数值模拟分析——以无山坪滑坡为例

固液耦合作用是碎屑流向泥石流转化形成复合型滑坡灾害的关键因素, 会导致成灾范围和规模放大, 是防灾减灾领域研究中的热点和难点问题之一。文中采用自主研发的滑坡后破坏数值模拟平台(LPF3D, Landslides post failure 3D), 以2014年9月强降雨诱发的重庆奉节无山坪滑坡为例, 探讨了滑坡在水动力作用下远程成灾的动力过程, 揭示了固液耦合影响机制。研究结果显示: 水动力作用在滑坡运动过程中主要体现为液化和拖曳两种, 两种力学作用的增程效应明显, 往往使得碎屑流转化为泥石流, 导致远程成灾; 基于光滑粒子流体动力学(SPH)方法的两相耦合计算模型, 考虑流体状态方程、固体黏塑性本构方程和相间作用力的共同影响, 基本还原了强降雨条件下重庆奉节无山坪滑坡两相运动过程; 数值计算结果显示无山坪滑坡最大运动速度为34 m/s, 最大堆积厚度为21.5 m, 堆积面积为0.12 km2, 最远运动距离为1300 m, 模拟结果同实际滑坡的堆积形态基本一致。综上认为, 在高位远程滑坡风险调查与预测过程中, 需充分考虑强降雨工况下孔隙水压力和固液相间作用, 基于LPF3D方法的数值模拟为高位远程滑坡的风险定量评估提供了依据。      

An integrated model simulating the initiation and motion of earthquake and rain induced rapid landslides and its application to the 2006 Leyte landslide

A gigantic rapid landslide claiming over 1,000 fatalities was triggered by rainfalls and a small nearby earthquake in the Leyte Island, Philippines in 2006. The disaster presented the necessity of a new modeling technology for disaster risk preparedness which simulates initiation and motion. This paper presents a new computer simulation integrating the initiation process triggered by rainfalls and/or earthquakes and the development process to a rapid motion due to strength reduction and the entrainment of deposits in the runout path. This simulation model LS-RAPID was developed from the geotechnical model for the motion of landslides (Sassa 1988) and its improved simulation model (Sassa et al. 2004b) and new knowledge obtained from a new dynamic loading ring shear apparatus (Sassa et al. 2004a). The examination of performance of each process in a simple imaginary slope addressed that the simulation model well simulated the process of progressive failure, and development to a rapid landslide. The initiation process was compared to conventional limit equilibrium stability analyses by changing pore pressure ratio. The simulation model started to move in a smaller pore pressure ratio than the limit equilibrium stability analyses because of progressive failure. However, when a larger shear deformation is set as the threshold for the start of strength reduction, the onset of landslide motion by the simulation agrees with the cases where the factor of safety estimated by the limit equilibrium stability analyses equals to a unity. The field investigation and the undrained dynamic loading ring shear tests on the 2006 Leyte landslide suggested that this landslide was triggered by the combined effect of pore water pressure due to rains and a very small earthquake. The application of this simulation model could well reproduce the initiation and the rapid long runout motion of the Leyte landslide.     

三峡树坪滑坡动力学的有限元模拟

三峡工程是迄今为止最大的水利工程,对库区滑坡灾害的监测和机制研究一直是重要的研究课题。本文利用Terra SAR-X的强度图进行相关计算,求解出2009年5月20日至8月5日期间三峡树坪滑坡的形变场。该形变场特征和树坪滑坡体的地形特征吻合甚好,位移大小、方向和三峡大学对滑坡体的野外观测结果基本吻合。以此高精度位移场为外部约束,结合野外观测资料对滑坡体介质力学性质进行分类并选取边界条件,利用有限元方法对滑坡活动进行动力学计算模拟。计算过程中对滑坡体的滑动面形状、因降雨引起材料参数变化和三峡水库水位等因素分别反演和调整,得出符合其变形和发展过程的滑坡动力学特征。发现软弱带的物性参数决定滑坡体总体滑动量,滑坡体的物性参数决定位移分布的峰值位置。在确定了滑坡动力学特征之后,进一步讨论降雨和库区水位下降对滑坡产生的贡献权重,得出降雨是树坪滑坡的决定因素。     

Numerical modeling of seismic triggering,evolution, and deposition of rapid landslides: Application to Higashi–Takezawa (2004)

A mathematical model is developed for the dynamic analysis of earthquake‐triggered rapid landslides, considering two mechanically coupled systems: (a) the accelerating deformable body of the slide and (b) the rapidly deforming shear band at the base of the slide. The main body of the slide is considered as a one‐phase mixture of Newtonian incompressible fluids and Coulomb solids sliding on a plane of variable inclination. The evolution of the landslide is modeled via a depth‐integrated model of the Savage–Hutter type coupled with: (a) a cyclic hysteretic constitutive model of the Bouc–Wen type and (b) Voellmy's rheology for the deformation of the material within the shear band. The original shallow‐water equations that govern the landslide motion are appropriately reformulated to account for inertial forces due to seismic loading, and to allow for a smooth transition between the active and the passive state. The capability of the developed model is tested against the Higashi–Takezawa landslide. Triggered by the 2004 Niigata‐ken Chuetsu earthquake, the slide produced about 100m displacement of a large wedge from an originally rather mild slope. The mechanism of material softening inside the shear band responsible for the surprisingly large run‐out of the landslide is described by a set of equations for grain crushing‐induced pore‐water pressures. The back‐analysis reveals interesting patterns on the flow dynamics, and the numerical results compare well with field observations. It is shown that the mechanism of material softening is a crucial factor for the initiation and evolution of the landslide, while viscoplastic frictional resistance is a key requirement for successfully reproducing the field data. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.