Landslides at Qingjiang River in the Downstream Area of Shuibuya Dam Site, China

INTRODUCTIONLandslides annually cause a great amount of cas-ualties withinthe Chinese population and great lossesin the Chinese economy . The number of casualtiesreached 232 killed and 2 missing people in 2003 and283 killed and 69 missing people in 2004 . The eco-nomic losses amount to a total of 730 billion US $in2003 and 475 billion US $in 2004 (Zanetti ,2005 ,2004) .The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Serv-ice) is financing a project to investigate landslides .The project is a coo…     

Geotechnical characterisation of pyroclastic soils involved in huge flowslides

Landslides of the flow type involving granular geo-materials frequently result in casualties and damage to property because of the long travel distance and the high velocities that these may attain. This was true for the events that took place in Campania Region (Southern Italy) in May 1998, involving pyroclastic soils originating from explosive activities of the Somma-Vesuvius volcano. Although these phenomena have frequently affected various areas of the Campania region over the last few centuries, there were no useful geological and geotechnical references available in the aftermath of the May 1998 events. For this reason Salerno University, which was involved in the scientific management of the emergency, addressed the issue of acquiring data on the geological, geomorphological and hydrogeological features of the slopes where the landslides had taken place. The information acquired made it possible to set up a slope evolution model that is able to interpret, from a geological point of view, past and more recent landslides that had occurred in the same area. As preliminary geotechnical analyses had already validated the above model, more detailed investigations were performed both on the pore pressure regimen of the covers still in place as well as on the physical and mechanical properties of pyroclastic soils, in saturated and unsaturated conditions. The present paper begins by discussing the data acquired during the .rst phase of the studies and then goes on to illustrate the laboratory results so far obtained with the aid of approximate procedures. These help advance our knowledge of pyroclastic soils within a reasonable time frame, thus improving landslide triggering analysis.     

Engineering-geological and geotechnical investigation for risk assessment

Before construction activities could begin, engineering geological and geotechnical investigations had to be approved in order to establish a map with suitable areas for safe construction. The example used in this study is Tunis City which has complex geology and geomorphology. The risk analysis was based on a large-scale land-suitability map that was prepared using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The approach used in this study combined physical data with the geotechnical properties of Tunis City. The adopted methodology and analyses were performed to assess the risk of urban expansion and landscape management. Results are presented as a zoning map that shows the suitable area for safe extension of the urban area. The data used and multi-criterion analysis of geotechnical and geological data seems to be useful for similar case studies and the adopted methodology can be used successfully for identifying similar cities for risk assessment.     

Ground deformation monitoring by using the Permanent Scatterers Technique: The example of the Oltrepo Pavese (Lombardia, Italy)

The applicability of the Permanent Scatterers Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (PSInSAR) technique for detecting and monitoring ground displacements was tested in the Oltrepo Pavese territory (Northern Italy, southern Lombardia), which could be representative of similar geological contexts in the Italian Apennines. The study area, which extends for almost 1100 km², is characterized by a complex geological and structural setting and the presence of clay-rich sedimentary formations. These characteristics make the Oltrepo Pavese particularly prone to several geological hazards: shallow and deep landslides, subsidence and swelling/shrinkage of the clayey soils. The PSInSAR technique used in this study overcomes most of the limitations of conventional interferometric approaches by identifying, within the area of interest, a set of “radar benchmarks” (PS), where very precise displacement measurements can be carried out. More than 90,000 PS were identified by processing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images acquired from 1992 to 2001 by the European Remote Sensing satellites (ERS). The PSInSAR application at a sub-regional scale detected slow ground deformations ranging from + 5 to − 16 mm/year, and resulting from various processes (landslides, swelling/shrinkage of clay soils and water pumping). The PS displacements were analysed by collecting data obtained through geological, geomorphologic field surveys, geotechnical analysis of the soils and the information was integrated within a landslide inventory and the damaged building inventory. Despite the limited number of landslide bodies with PS (7% of the inventoried landslides), the PS data helped to revise the state of activity of several landslides. Furthermore, some previously unknown unstable slopes were detected. Two areas of uplift and two areas of subsidence were identified.     

Shallow landslide susceptibility assessment in granitic rocks using GIS-based statistical methods: the contribution of the weathering grade map

Shallow landslides (i.e., slide, flow, and complex) are widespread around the world, affecting the soil mantle and upper regolith as a result of the weathering of granitic bedrock, and periodically cause enormous social and economic damages. Shallow landslide hazards are predominantly due to the scarcity of warning signs during the pre-failure stage, high velocities reached in the post-failure phase, and an increase in mobilized volumes caused by the entrapment of material in the downhill path of the phenomena. Owing to the abovementioned aspects, susceptibility assessment of shallow landslides in weathered granitic rocks is a relevant issue for land use planning and design purposes. This study proposes a three-step methodology for the susceptibility assessment of these phenomena. The methodology has been tested and validated at the 1:10,000 scale over a 30.4-km² area in southern Italy, where weathered granitic rocks are periodically affected by shallow landslides. This methodology is divided into three successive steps: step 1 consists of database creation, with an emphasis on the weathering grade map (including five weathering classes, from class II to class VI, each one characterized by comparable mechanical behavior), and steps 2 and 3 focus respectively on susceptibility map calibration and validation through statistical analyses. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) shows values ranging from 0.95 in step 2 (calibration) to 0.88 in step 3 (validation) and is a testament to the good overall predictive accuracy of the methodology. The obtained results demonstrate both the effectiveness and the consistency of the proposed methodology in performing susceptibility mapping of shallow landslides in weathered granitic rocks, as well as the important role played by the weathering grade map.     

Typical source areas of May 1998 flow-like mass movements in the Campania region, Southern Italy

Flow-like mass movements in granular materials are among the most serious natural hazards, systematically producing huge amounts of damage and numerous victims, especially when involving volcanic soils. This is the case of the events in Southern Italy in May 1998, when rainfall triggered many destructive landslides along the slopes of a carbonate massif mantled by pyroclastic soils. Due to the complexity of the occurred phenomena, a shared interpretation of their triggering stage is still not available.

As a contribution to the topic, the paper initially discusses the geological and geomorphological features of the massif combining them in three hillslopes models. The models are then associated to the hydrogeological features and anthropogenic factors in order to define six typical landslides source areas that are not casually distributed on the massif. The study subsequently focuses on the most frequent type of source areas, associated to the largest unstable soil volumes and longest run-out distances. For these source areas, the triggering mechanism is discussed, with an example of geotechnical validation being proposed for a well monitored mountain basin. The geotechnical modelling at site scale confirms the geological analyses at massif scale and provides further insights into the events, thus highlighting the potential of a multidisciplinary approach for the interpretation of very complex slope instability phenomena.     

A multi-method approach for the characterization of landslides in an intramontane basin in the Andes (Loja,Ecuador)

In the last several decades, population growth in the cities of the Andes has caused urban areas to expand into landslide-prone areas. Fatal landslides affecting urban settlements are especially frequent in cities located in the Neogene intramontane basins of the Andes. These basins have similar situations and include geographical and geological features that frequently generate ground instabilities. We studied the characteristics of the mass movements observed in these basins by carrying out a detailed analysis of four landslides that have occurred in the Loja Basin (Ecuador). This multi-method study integrated geophysical, geotechnical methods, mineralogical studies and analyses of precipitation time series. Our study characterizes the slope movements as active, slow-moving, complex earthslide earthflows. According to Differential GPS measurements, these landslides move at velocities of up to several metres per year. Electrical resistivity tomography profiles show that most of the landslides are mainly surficial. Time-series analyses of precipitation reveal that rainfall events that are not exceptionally intensive can reactivate these landslides. This characteristic and the development of these landslides on low-gradient slopes are explained using the results obtained from the geotechnical and mineralogical analyses. We find that the smectite clay minerals detected in the mobilized geological formations, combined with the tropical climate of the northern Andean region, induce the observed weak slope stability conditions. The conceptual model for the studied landslides may aid in assessing landslide-prone areas in Loja and other Neogene intramontane basins of the Andes and can help to mitigate the associated risks.     

Flow-type landslides in pyroclastic soils on flysch bedrock in southern Italy: the Bosco de’ Preti case study

In the last 20 years, major efforts have been made to investigate shallow flow-type landslides. Such phenomena are usually rainfall-induced and in the geological context of Campania (Southern Italy) occur in pyroclastic soils resting on steep slopes mainly constituted by carbonate or volcanic bedrock and by flysch deposits. They are generally complex landslides with an early soil slide and a subsequent flow evolution. In this paper, a database of flowslides occurring in recent years within the flysch deposits of Avellino (Campanian Apennines) is first discussed and then the case study of Bosco de’ Preti landslide on March 4, 2005, is described. The geological and geotechnical characteristics of the soils involved are described and the monitoring of the groundwater heads collected over 1 year from June 2005 to June 2006 is also shown. The last part of the paper illustrates the results of numerical modelling of the landslide triggering to gain insights into such phenomena. Slope stability analyses are preceded by hydrological modelling of the slope based on the monitoring data. Numerical analysis demonstrated that the rainfall during the 2 months preceding the event was able to fully saturate the pyroclastic cover and to establish positive pore water pressure at the depth of the surface of rupture, a soil condition never witnessed in carbonatic contexts. Hence, a combination of antecedent (predisposing factors) and single rainfall events (triggering factors) led to slope failure, as usually happens in pyroclastic soils in carbonatic and volcanic contexts. Finally, analysis of the historical landslides together with detailed investigation of the Bosco de’ Preti case study permitted comparison between flow-type landslides in pyroclastic soils on carbonatic/volcanic bedrock and those on flysch.     

Statistical approach to earthquake-induced landslide susceptibility

Susceptibility analysis for predicting earthquake-induced landslides has most frequently been done using deterministic methods; multivariate statistical methods have not previously been applied. In this study, however, we introduce a statistical methodology that uses the intensity of earthquake shaking as a landslide triggering factor. This methodology is applied in a study of shallow earthquake-induced landslides in central western Taiwan. The results show that we can accurately interpret landslide distribution in the study area and predict the occurrence of landslides in neighboring regions. This susceptibility model is capable of predicting shallow landslides induced during an earthquake scenario with similar range of ground shaking, without requiring the use of geotechnical, groundwater or failure depth data.     

Geotechnical consequences of the Newcastle Coal Measures rocks

This paper attempts to relate the lithology and fabric of four main groups of Newcastle Coal Measures rock types to their geotechnical properties and engineering behaviour. The four groups comprise: massive sandstone and conglomerate; claystones and tuffs; mudstone, shale and siltstone; and the coal itself. Although their geological relevance is primarily concerned with underground coal mining, these rocks are exposed at the surface across most of Newcastle and its suburbs, and are thus significant in terms of urban environmental geology. The key mining issues include longwall support design and panel layouts, caving and subsidence mechanisms, soft floors and stiff roofs, water inflows and pillar design. The urban geotechnical issues include landslides and rock falls, shallow abandoned mine workings, reactive and erodible soils, waste disposal and potential sources for geomaterials.     

Engineering geological mapping developed in the Fortaleza Metropolitan Region, State of Ceara, Brazil

Engineering geological mapping was carried out, at a scale of 1:100,000, in the Fortaleza Metropolitan Region, located in northeastern Brazil, to provide engineering geological information as an aid in planning land use and occupation. In this study, eight basic maps were produced drawing: urban areas, lithology, unconsolidated materials in addition to geomorphological map showing slopes, water resources, engineering geological zoning and distribution of geological–geotechnical environmental problems based on information collected through field and laboratory investigations. The region was divided into nine engineering geological zones analyzed in terms of geohazard susceptibility and foundation, excavation and waste disposal conditions.     

Ground zoning against seismic hazard in Athens, Greece

The 1999, Ms=5.9, Athens earthquake caused serious structural damage to buildings in the western part of Athens, Greece. This paper presents the ground zoning against seismic hazard proposed shortly after the earthquake in order to aid reconstruction of the area. Existing engineering geological and geotechnical data were combined with local observations to provide a unified set of classification criteria, consistent with provisions of the Greek Seismic Code EAK. The accuracy and the possible limitations of this zoning procedure are addressed through comparison with observed damage distribution as well as results from seismic ground response analyses performed at sites with well established soil profiles. There is clear evidence that the proposed zones correspond to geological formations exhibiting grossly different seismic response with regard to the design of common engineering structures. However, the mostly qualitative nature of the guidelines for ground categorisation provided by EAK and the general lack of systematic, site-specific geotechnical data for the whole area induce uncertainties in the definition of the seismic design actions for the different zones. These objective uncertainties certainly demand increased conservatism but do not limit application of the proposed methodology for first aid, preliminary planning in the event of destructive earthquakes.     

An analysis of storm-induced landslides in colluvial soils overlying mudrock sequences, southeastern Ohio, USA

In late-June, 1998, a series of thunderstorms dropped 16.5 cm (6.5 in.) of rain in a 72-h period over southeastern Ohio, causing extensive flooding, six deaths, and 179 million dollars in property damage. The storms also triggered more than 60 shallow landslides along a 64 km (40-mi) stretch of Interstate 77 between Buffalo and Marietta, Ohio. Almost all of the landslides were translational, occurring along the contact between colluvial soils and the underlying bedrock (shales, claystones, mudstones). Six sites were selected in the affected area for a detailed study of the shallow landslides. At each site, a record was made of the stratigraphy, slope geometry, number of landslides, landslide dimensions, hydrologic conditions, and influence of vegetation on landslide distribution. Both colluvial soils and underlying bedrock were sampled for laboratory investigations, which included determination of natural water content, grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, permeability, slake durability, and shear-strength parameters. Data from laboratory tests were used to perform sensitivity and stability analyses with respect to varying slope angles, strength parameters, and thicknesses of saturated colluvial soil. The results of the study indicate that the shallow landslides along Interstate 77 occurred when the colluvial soils reached 90% to 100% saturation, depending upon the slope angles.     

A simplified three-dimensional shallow landslide susceptibility framework considering topography and seismicity

Shallow landslides are a prevalent concern in mountainous or hilly regions that can result in severe societal, economic, and environmental impacts. The challenge is further compounded as the size and location of a potential slide is often unknown. This study presents a generalized approach for the evaluation of regional shallow landslide susceptibility using an existing shallow landslide inventory, remote sensing data, and various geotechnical scenarios. The three-dimensional limit equilibrium model derived in this study uses a raster-based approach that uniquely integrates tree root reinforcement, earth pressure boundary forces, and pseudo-static seismic accelerations. Contributions of this methodology include the back-calculation of soil strength from a landslide inventory, sensitivity analyses regarding landslide size-pixel size relationships, and the determination of shallow landslide susceptibility for a landscape or infrastructure considering various root, water, and seismic conditions using lidar bare-earth DEMs as a topographic input. Using a distribution of inventoried landslide points and random points in non-landslide locales, the proposed methodology demonstrated reasonable correlation between regions of high landslide susceptibility and observed shallow landslides within a 150-km² region of the Oregon Coast Range when the water-height ratio was 0.5. The method may be improved by considering spatial hydrologic conditions and geology more explicitly.     

Modeling regional initiation of rainfall-induced shallow landslides in the eastern Umbria Region of central Italy

We model the rainfall-induced initiation of shallow landslides over a broad region using a deterministic approach, the Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-based Slope-stability (TRIGRS) model that couples an infinite-slope stability analysis with a one-dimensional analytical solution for transient pore pressure response to rainfall infiltration. This model permits the evaluation of regional shallow landslide susceptibility in a Geographic Information System framework, and we use it to analyze susceptibility to shallow landslides in an area in the eastern Umbria Region of central Italy. As shown on a landslide inventory map produced by the Italian National Research Council, the area has been affected in the past by shallow landslides, many of which have transformed into debris flows. Input data for the TRIGRS model include time-varying rainfall, topographic slope, colluvial thickness, initial water table depth, and material strength and hydraulic properties. Because of a paucity of input data, we focus on parametric analyses to calibrate and test the model and show the effect of variation in material properties and initial water table conditions on the distribution of simulated instability in the study area in response to realistic rainfall. Comparing the results with the shallow landslide inventory map, we find more than 80% agreement between predicted shallow landslide susceptibility and the inventory, despite the paucity of input data.     

A distributed hydrological–geotechnical model using satellite-derived rainfall estimates for shallow landslide prediction system at a catchment scale

This paper describes the potential applicability of a hydrological–geotechnical modeling system using satellite-based rainfall estimates for a shallow landslide prediction system. The physically based distributed model has been developed by integrating a grid-based distributed kinematic wave rainfall-runoff model with an infinite slope stability approach. The model was forced by the satellite-based near real-time half-hourly CMORPH global rainfall product prepared by NOAA-CPC. The method combines the following two model outputs necessary for identifying where and when shallow landslides may potentially occur in the catchment: (1) the time-invariant spatial distribution of areas susceptible to slope instability map, for which the river catchment is divided into stability classes according to the critical relative soil saturation; this output is designed to portray the effect of quasi-static land surface variables and soil strength properties on slope instability and (2) a produced map linked with spatiotemporally varying hydrologic properties to provide a time-varying estimate of susceptibility to slope movement in response to rainfall. The proposed hydrological model predicts the dynamic of soil saturation in each grid element. The stored water in each grid element is then used for updating the relative soil saturation and analyzing the slope stability. A grid of slope is defined to be unstable when the relative soil saturation becomes higher than the critical level and is the basis for issuing a shallow landslide warning. The method was applied to past landslides in the upper Citarum River catchment (2,310 km²), Indonesia; the resulting time-invariant landslide susceptibility map shows good agreement with the spatial patterns of documented historical landslides (1985–2008). Application of the model to two recent shallow landslides shows that the model can successfully predict the effect of rainfall movement and intensity on the spatiotemporal dynamic of hydrological variables that trigger shallow landslides. Several hours before the landslides, the model predicted unstable conditions in some grids over and near the grids at which the actual shallow landslides occurred. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential applicability of the modeling system for shallow landslide disaster predictions and warnings.     

Effects of soil-engineering properties on the failure mode of shallow landslides

Some landslides mobilize into flows, while others slide and deposit material immediately down slope. An index based on initial dry density and fine-grained content of soil predicted failure mode of 96 landslide initiation sites in Oregon and Colorado with 79% accuracy. These material properties can be used to identify potential sources for debris flows and for slides. Field data suggest that loose soils can evolve from dense soils that dilate upon shearing. The method presented herein to predict failure mode is most applicable for shallow (depth <5?m), well-graded soils (coefficient of uniformity >8), with few to moderate fines (fine-grained content <18%), and with liquid limits <40.     

Adaptive neuro-fuzzy modeling for the swelling potential of compacted soils

This paper aims to present the usability of an adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for the prediction swelling potential of the compacted soils that are important materials for geotechnical purposes such as engineered barriers for municipal solid waste, earth dams, embankment and roads. In this study the swelling potential that is also one of significant parameters for compacted soils was modeled by ANFIS. For the training and testing of ANFIS model, data sets were collected from the tests performed on compacted soils for different geotechnical application in Nigde. Four parameters such as coarse-grained fraction ratio (CG), fine-grained fraction ratio (FG), plasticity index (PI) and maximum dry density (MDD) were presented to ANFIS model as inputs. The results obtained from the ANFIS models were validated with the data sets which are not used for the training stage. The analyses revealed that the predictions from ANFIS model are in sufficient agreement with test results.     

Geometric and kinematic characterization of landslides affecting urban areas: the Lungro case study (Calabria,Southern Italy)

The geometric and kinematic characterization of landslides affecting urban areas is a challenging goal that is routinely pursued via geological/geomorphological method and monitoring of ground displacements achieved by geotechnical and, more recently, advanced differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (A-DInSAR) data. Although the integration of all the above-mentioned methods should be planned a priori to be more effective, datasets resulting from the independent use of these different methods are commonly available, thus making crucial the need for their standardized a posteriori integration. In this regard, the present paper aims to provide a contribution by introducing a procedure that, taking into account the specific limits of geological/geomorphological analyses and deep/surface ground displacement monitoring via geotechnical and A-DInSAR data, allows the a posteriori integration of the results by exploiting their complementarity for landslide characterization. The approach was tested in the urban area of Lungro village (Calabria region, southern Italy), which is characterized by complex geological/geomorphological settings, widespread landslides and peculiar urban fabric. In spite of the different level of information preliminarily available for each landslide as result of the independent use of the three methods, the implementation of the proposed procedure allowed a better understanding and typifying of the geometry and kinematics of 50 landslides. This provided part of the essential background for geotechnical landslide models to be used for slope stability analysis within landslide risk mitigation strategies.     

Landslide susceptibility mapping of the slopes in the residual soils of the Mengen region (Turkey) by deterministic stability analyses and image processing techniques

The aim of the present study is to prepare a landslide susceptibility map of a region of about 120 km², between Gökcesu and Pazarköy (around Mengen, NW Turkey) at approximately 10 km north of the North Anatolian Fault Zone, where frequent landslides occur. For this purpose, mechanisms of the landslides were studied by two-dimensional stability analyses together with field observations, and the parameters controlling the development of such slides were identified. Field observations indicated that the failures generally developed within the unconsolidated and/or semiconsolidated soil units in forms of rotational, successive shallow landslides within the weathered zone in Mengen, Cukurca and Sazlar formations. Although consisting of residual soils, Capak and Gökdag formations do not exhibit landslides as the natural slopes formed on these, do not exceed the critical slope angles. Statistical evaluations and distribution of the landslides on the topographical map showed that such parameters as cohesion, angle of internal friction, slope, relative height, orientation of slopes, proximity to drainage pattern, vegetation cover and proximity to major faults were the common features on the landslides. Digital images were obtained to represent all these parameters on gray scale on the SPOT image and on the digital elevation model (DEM) of the area using image processing techniques. Soil mechanics tests were carried out on 36 representative samples collected from different units, and parameters were determined for two-dimensional stability analyses basing on “sensitivity approach” and for the preparation of digital shear strength map. In order to determine the critical slope angle values for the residual soils, a series of sensitivity analyses were realized by using two-dimensional deterministic slope stability analyses techniques for varying values of cohesion, angle of internal friction and slope height along with varying saturation conditions. According to the results of the sensitivity analyses, the Mengen formation was found to be most susceptible unit to landslides, covering about 33.5% of the region studied in terms of surface area. The distribution of the critical slopes were determined by superimposing the critical slope values from sensitivity analyses on slope map of the study area. On the other hand, iso-cohesion and iso-friction maps were produced by locating the values of cohesion and internal friction angles in a geographic coordinate system such that they coincide with sample locations on the DEM and by further interpolation of the values concerned. The pixel values were evaluated in gray scale from 0 to 255, 0 representing the lowest pixel value and 255 representing the highest. Sensitivity analyses on cohesion and angle of internal friction to investigate the effects of these parameters only on stability, revealed that cohesion was effective at a rate of 70% by itself, while angle of internal friction alone controlled the stability by a rate of 30%. The iso-cohesion and iso-friction maps previously obtained were digitally combined in these rates and a “shear strength map” was prepared. The geographic setting of the study area is such that northern slopes usually receive dense precipitation. In relation to this fact, about 42% of the landslides are due north. Thus, a slope orientation map was prepared using the DEM, and slopes facing north were evaluated as being more susceptible to sliding. Proximity to the drainage pattern was another important factor in the evaluation, as streams could adversely affect the stability by either eroding the toe or saturating the slope, or both. When considered together, in conjunction with the field observations, faults and landslides showed a close association. In the area, about 88% of the landslides were detected within an area closer than 250 m to major faults, therefore, a main discontinuity map was produced using the SPOT image of the region, and “proximity to major faults” was evaluated as a parameter as most of the landslides developed in areas where the vegetation was rather sparse. A vegetation cover map was therefore obtained from the SPOT image, and the areas with denser vegetation were considered to be less susceptible to sliding with respect to the areas with less or no vegetation. Having prepared the maps accounting for the distribution of critical slopes, shear strength properties, relative height, slope angle, orientation of the slopes, vegetation cover, proximity to the drainage pattern, geographic corrections were carried on each of these, and a potential failure map was obtained for the residual soils by superimposing all these maps. Next, a classification was performed on the final map and five relative zones of susceptibility were defined. When compared with this map, all of the landslides identified in the field were found to be located in the most susceptible zone. The performance of the method used in processing the images appears to be quite high, the zones determined on the map being the zones of relative susceptibility.