Characteristics and geomorphic effects of earthquake-initiated landslides in the adelbert range, Papua New Guinea

On November 1, 1970, an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 occurred 32 km north of Madang on the north coast of Papua New Guinea, and on the fringes of the Adelbert Range. Dense landsliding occurred over an area of 240 km². Debris avalanches removed shallow soil and forest vegetation from slopes of 45°. Earthflows occurred on deeper soils and lower-angled slopes. The nature of the landslides and disposition of the vegetation debris suggest that falling trees triggered the landslides during the earthquake. Logs in the deposits were an important influence on the movement of landslide debris in the channel systems.     

A seismic landslide susceptibility rating of geologic units based on analysis of characteristics of landslides triggered by the 17 January, 1994 Northridge, California earthquake

One of the most significant effects of the 17 January, 1994 Northridge, California earthquake (M=6.7) was the triggering of thousands of landslides over a broad area. Some of these landslides damaged and destroyed homes and other structures, blocked roads, disrupted pipelines, and caused other serious damage. Analysis of the distribution and characteristics of these landslides is important in understanding what areas may be susceptible to landsliding in future earthquakes. We analyzed the frequency, distribution, and geometries of triggered landslides in the Santa Susana 7.5′ quadrangle, an area of intense seismic landslide activity near the earthquake epicenter. Landslides occurred primarily in young (Late Miocene through Pleistocene) uncemented or very weakly cemented sediment that has been repeatedly folded, faulted, and uplifted in the past 1.5 million years. The most common types of landslide triggered by the earthquake were highly disrupted, shallow falls and slides of rock and debris. Far less numerous were deeper, more coherent slumps and block slides, primarily occurring in more cohesive or competent materials. The landslides in the Santa Susana quadrangle were divided into two samples: single landslides (1502) and landslide complexes (60), which involved multiple coalescing failures of surficial material. We described landslide morphologies by computing simple morphometric parameters (area, length, width, aspect ratio, slope angle). To quantify and rank the relative susceptibility of each geologic unit to seismic landsliding, we calculated two indices: (1) the susceptibility index, which is the ratio (given as a percentage) of the area covered by landslide sources within a geologic unit to the total outcrop area of that unit; and (2) the frequency index [given in landslides per square kilometer (ls/km²)], which is the total number of landslides within each geologic unit divided by the outcrop area of that unit. Susceptibility categories include very high (>2.5% landslide area or >30 ls/km²), high (1.0–2.5% landslide area or 10–30 ls/km²), moderate (0.5–1.0% landslide area or 3–10 ls/km²), and low (<0.5% landslide area and <3 ls/km²).     

Topographical changes revealed by high-resolution airborne LiDAR data: The 1999 Tsaoling landslide induced by the Chi–Chi earthquake

The 1999 Chi–Chi earthquake triggered the catastrophic Tsaoling landslide in central Taiwan. We mapped the landslide area and estimated the landslide volume, using a high-resolution digital elevation model from airborne LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), aerial photographs and topographic maps. The comparison between scar and deposit volumes, about 0.126 km³ and 0.150 km³ respectively, suggests a coseismic volume increase of 19% due to decompaction during landsliding. In July 2003, the scar and deposit volumes were about 0.125 km³ and 0.110 km³ respectively. These estimates suggest that 4 years after the event, the volume of landslide debris removed by river erosion was nearly 0.040 km³. These determinations are confirmed by direct comparison between the most accurate topographic models of the post-landslide period, indicating a very high erosion rate at the local scale (0.01 km³/year) for the deposit area of the landslide. Such a large value highlights the importance of landslide processes for erosion and long-term denudation in the Taiwan mountain belt.     

Statistical analysis of an earthquake-induced landslide distribution — the 1989 Loma Prieta, California event

The 1989 Loma Prieta, California earthquake (moment magnitude, M=6.9) generated landslides throughout an area of about 15,000 km² in central California. Most of these landslides occurred in an area of about 2000 km² in the mountainous terrain around the epicenter, where they were mapped during field investigations immediately following the earthquake. The distribution of these landslides is investigated statistically, using regression and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques to determine how the occurrence of landslides correlates with distance from the earthquake source, slope steepness, and rock type. The landslide concentration (defined as the number of landslide sources per unit area) has a strong inverse correlation with distance from the earthquake source and a strong positive correlation with slope steepness. The landslide concentration differs substantially among the various geologic units in the area. The differences correlate to some degree with differences in lithology and degree of induration, but this correlation is less clear, suggesting a more complex relationship between landslide occurrence and rock properties.     

Landslides triggered by the 23 November 2000 rainfall event in the Imperia Province, Western Liguria, Italy

From mid-October to 22 November 2000, the western Liguria Region of Italy experienced prolonged and intense rainfall, with cumulative values exceeding 1000 mm in 45 days. The severe rainfall sequence ended on November 23 with a high-intensity storm that dumped more than 180 mm of rain in 24 h. The high-intensity event caused flooding and triggered more than 1000 soils slips and debris flows and a few large, complex landslides. Slope failures caused three fatalities and severe damage to roads, private homes, and agriculture. Large (1:13,000) and very large (1:5000) scale colour aerial photographs were taken 45 days after the event over the areas most affected by the landslides. Through the interpretation of the 334 photographs covering an area of 500 km², we prepared a landslide inventory map that shows 1204 landslides, for a total landslide area of 1.6 km². We identified the rainfall conditions that triggered landslides in the Armea valley using cumulative- and continuous-rainfall data, combined with detailed information on the time of landslide occurrence. Landslide activity initiated 8 to 10 h after the beginning of the storm, and the most abundant activity occurred in response to rainfall intensities of 8 to 10 mm per hour. For the Ceriana Municipality, an area where the landslides were numerous in November 2000, we also collected information about a historical event that occurred on 8–11 December 1910 and triggered abundant landslides resulting in severe economic damage. A comparison of the damage caused by the historical and the recent landslide events indicated that damage caused by the 1910 historical event was more diffused but less costly than the damage caused by the 2000 event.     

北京延庆地区南湾道豁子沟泥石流发育特征

以北京市延庆地区南湾道豁子泥石流沟为研究对象,通过野外泥石流沟精细调查及历史资料统计,详细了解该泥石流发育特征和形成条件,针对流域内松散堆积物补给条件进行重点分析;综合研究该泥石流的动力学特征,进行泥石流危险区预测评价,提出相应的防治措施建议。研究结果表明:该泥石流沟内松散堆积物动储量为18.47×10⁴ m³,分为冲洪积、残坡积、人工堆积和崩滑塌等4种补给来源,其中冲洪积和残坡积所占比重最大;泥石流发展阶段处于衰退期;经动力学分析,洪峰流量值在10年一遇的降雨条件下为52.53 m³/s,20年一遇的降雨条件下为59.25 m³/s,50年一遇的降雨条件下为68.13 m³/s,100年一遇的降雨条件下为74.85 m³/s,对应的一次固体冲出总量分别为0.77×10⁴ m³、0.87×10⁴ m³、1.00×10⁴ m³和1.10×10⁴ m³;属于中型泥石流,最大危险区面积为0.238 3 km²。通过评价分析,该泥石流沟仍存在爆发中型泥石流的可能性,将对下游南湾村以及千沙公路行车和行人的生命财产安全造成威胁。研究成果可为延庆地区该类泥石流单沟预警模型研究和灾害防治提供科学依据。     

基于贡献率权重模型的川藏铁路沿线大型滑坡危险性区划

川藏铁路工程是国家重大基础设施建设项目,保障铁路的顺利建设和后期安全运营十分重要。铁路沿线发育广泛、危害严重的大型滑坡已成为全线的关键控制性问题,关乎工程建设的成败。以川藏铁路工程沿线大型滑坡作为主要研究对象,采用历史数据分析、实地调查、遥感解译的研究方法,基于ArcGIS平台,采用贡献率权重模型对铁路沿线区域进行了大型滑坡危险性评价,并利用自然断点法对危险性评价结果进行分区及统计分析。研究结果表明:川藏铁路沿线共发育大型、特大型滑坡共147处,其中大型滑坡106处,特大型滑坡41处,主要分布于白玉至江达段、昌都至八宿段、朗县至加查段等区段;铁路沿线处于高中低度三个等级危险区的面积分别为35918.5 km2、95484.3 km2和12039.7 km2,高度危险区大型滑坡分布密度为0.00199处/km?2,约为中度或低度危险区的2倍,高度危险区主要集中在邦达—八宿段、古乡—拉月段、白玉—江达段。根据贡献率权重模型求得的川藏铁路沿线大型滑坡危险度等级与野外实地调查的大型滑坡分布密度是一致的。相关研究成果可以为川藏铁路工程建设提供科学参考与依据。     

Analysing the spatio-temporal evolution of an active debris slide in Eastern Himalaya,India

Landslide is one of the prominent geohazards in the Himalayas where loss of lives and property are common. Owing to the complicated geomorphic and tectono-stratigraphic setting of this active Fold-thrust belt (FTB), landsliding of all possible types and spatial scales observed exhibit conspicuous spatio-temporal signatures and evolution. This evolution of landslides is commonly studied by regional assessment and by examining the multi-temporal landslide inventories of a particular area. The success of creating such multi-temporal landslide inventory depends on (i) the availability of relevant past source data (e.g., images, post event maps, air photos etc.) of suitable resolution, scale and quality, (ii) time of generation of source data with respect to the time of landsliding event, (iii) skill of the investigators in interpreting the old images, air photos etc. However, this method is of restricted use in studying the spatio-temporal evolution of a single landslide which is perennially active in the Himalayan terrain, where rapid changes in land use and land cover patterns readily obliterate the signatures of past landsliding. Moreover because of scale constraints, subtle and frequent changes in the spatial dimensions of these individual landslides, and their temporal activity become difficult to identify in such regional assessment carried out over a larger area. In this study therefore, a different approach is adopted whereby the spatio-temporal activity and style of Lanta Khola landslide, a perennially active and large (0.25 km²) debris flow in the Eastern Himalayas, has been studied in detail through detailed scale (1:1000) site-specific geological mapping in phases during the last 28 years (1983–2011). Such site-specific geological observations coupled with numerical slope stability analysis utilising the limit equilibrium method facilitate in detailed understanding of the temporal and spatial evolution and inherent mechanism of this perennial landslide.     

Soil slip susceptibility assessment using mechanical–hydrological approach and GIS techniques: an application in the Apuan Alps (Italy)

This study aims at contributing to the soil slip susceptibility assessment in a typical basin of the southern Apuan Alps, Italy. On June 1996, this basin (Cardoso Torrent, 13 km² large) was hit by an extremely heavy rainstorm (maximum intensity of about 160 mm/h), which caused many landslides (debris slide–debris flows) and valley bottom flows (hyperconcentrated flows), destruction and deaths. Detailed surveys provided the characterization of the main factors (geological, geomorphologic, hydrological, hydrogeological and geotechnical) which contributed in triggering landslides. In order to evaluate the soil slip susceptibility in this area, a physically based model was applied and a GIS analysis of digital elevation model was performed. This approach couples a mechanical model based on an infinite slope form of the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion, and a steady-state hydrological one (a modified version of Shalstab, which considers the cohesion of the debris material potentially involved in landsliding). GIS techniques allowed evaluating the effects of topographic convergence and drainage area on slope failure. In this way, based on the infiltration rate, the triggering of the June 1996 landslides was simulated and the critical rainfall thresholds assessed at about 200–250 mm/24 h.     

新疆开都-孔雀河流域绿洲需水量与稳定性分析

水是绿洲存在和发展的核心, 干旱区绿洲稳定性与水密切相关. 根据2000-2009年资料, 采用蒸发系数法和定额法估算开都-孔雀河流域绿洲自然生态系统和社会经济系统综合需水量, 并对水资源约束条件下的绿洲稳定性进行初步探讨. 结果表明: 2000-2009年, 绿洲年均总需水量理论值约为54.80×10⁸ m³, 其中开都河绿洲总需水量约为20.55×10⁸ m³, 孔雀河绿洲总需水量约为21.90×10⁸ m³, 博斯腾湖区耗水量约为12.35×10⁸ m³, 与绿洲10 a平均供水量相比, 供需表现出极大地不平衡性. 水资源可承载绿洲面积(不含博斯腾湖)约为3139.66 km², 其中可承载灌溉地面积约为1395.41 km², 与绿洲10 a平均面积5 248 km²相比, 差别较大, 绿洲处于不稳定状态, 现状绿洲面积应适当收缩. 最后, 对博斯腾湖最低生态水位进行讨论, 初步把大湖最低水位定为海拔1 045 m, 小湖最低生态水位定为海拔1 046.5 m.     

Quantifying geomorphic evolution of earthquake-triggered landslides and their relation to active normal faults. An example from the Gulf of Corinth, Greece

Photogrammetric analysis of aerial photographs is used to investigate morphological changes in two large landslides located adjacent to the active Marathias normal fault along the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. This E–W trending fault intersects at almost right angles a series of west-verging and east-dipping thrust faults, and has a clear geomorphic expression. The fault's structural signature, such as the trace length, displacement, segmentation, and scarp freshness resembles other normal faults within the Gulf of Corinth. Along this fault we mapped a series of landslides that are mainly concentrated at the near tip areas. Two of them are hosted in the damage zone formed by the intersecting normal and reverse faults. The Marathias and Sergoula landslides show a significant geomorphic evolution on aerial photographs from 1945 to 1991.

Evolution of landslides in the study area appears to be correlated with two earthquake clusters that drive mass wasting in the order of 10⁶ m³, significant drainage adjustment, and triggering of post-landslide river incision. We infer the following process sequence for these presumably earthquake-triggered landslides in the region: eroded material in Marathias landslide and reactivation of movement within the main body of the Sergoula landslide were observed in 1969 aerial photographs. Both landslides are deep-seated rotational rockslides. Obstruction or abandonment of channels due to the landslides establishes river incision and a dramatic increase of the rate of fan-delta progradation in the order of 1 m/yr. These large landslides are related to strong (M > 6.5) earthquakes concentrated along faults, and their reactivation period is almost a century, based on seismological or paleoseismological analyses.     

Impact of rainstorm-triggered landslides on high turbidity in a mountain reservoir

Typhoon-triggered landslides deliver huge amounts of sediment to the upstream channel of the Shihmen Reservoir in northern Taiwan. Observation data regarding landsliding, sediment discharge and water turbidity following five major typhoon events from 1985 to 2006 demonstrated that each time water turbidity in the reservoir area rapidly increased up to ten-fold from the river catchment drainage, and the weight of landslide debris exceeded total sediment discharge five-fold. The fact that huge amounts of landslide debris still remained on upstream slopes and water turbidity suddenly increased in the reservoir area but not in upstream channel implied that the increasing water turbidity in the Shihmen Reservoir was indirectly related to the large landslides occurring in the upstream catchment. The main cause of high turbidity in the reservoir area was that, during a typhoon event, high water discharge flowing into the reservoir scoured the fine fraction sediment at the bottom of the reservoir and formed hyperpycanl flow with high turbidity, which then ascended to contaminate the reservoir surface water.     

Using an airborne laser scanner for the identification of shallow landslides and susceptibility assessment in an area of ignimbrite overlain by permeable pyroclastics

An airborne laser scanner can identify shallow landslides even when they are only several meters in diameter and are hidden by vegetation, if the vegetation is coniferous or deciduous trees in a season with fewer leaves. We used an airborne laser scanner to survey an area of the 1998 Fukushima disaster, during which more than 1,000 shallow landslides occurred on slopes of vapor-phase crystallized ignimbrite overlain by permeable pyroclastics. We identified landslides that have occurred at the 1998 event and also previous landslides that were hidden by vegetation. The landslide density of slopes steeper than 20° was 117 landslides/km² before the 1998 disaster. This event increased the density by 233 landslides/km² indicating that this area is highly susceptible to shallow landsliding.     

Transformation of dilative and contractive landslide debris into debris flows—An example from marin County, California

The severe rainstorm of January 3, 4 and 5, 1982, in the San Francisco Bay area, California, produced numerous landslides, many of which transformed into damaging debris flows. The process of transformation was studied in detail at one site where only part of a landslide mobilized into several episodes of debris flow. The focus of our investigation was to learn whether the landslide debris dilated or contracted during the transformation from slide to flow.

The landslide debris consisted of sandy colluvium that was separable into three soil horizons that occupied the axis of a small topographic swale. Failure involved the entire thickness of colluvium; however, over parts of the landslide, the soil A-horizon failed separately from the remainder of the colluvium.

Undisturbed samples were taken for density measurements from outside the landslide, from the failure zone and overlying material from the part of the landslide that did not mobilize into debris flows, and from the debris-flow deposits. The soil A-horizon was contractive and mobilized to flows in a process analogous to liquefaction of loose, granular soils during earthquakes. The soil B- and C-horizons were dilative and underwent 2 to 5% volumetric expansion during landslide movement that permitted mobilization of debris-flow episodes.

Several criteria can be used in the field to differentiate between contractive and dilative behavior including lag time between landsliding and mobilization of flow, episodic mobilization of flows, and partial or complete transformation of the landslide.     

三峡库区典型顺斜向岩质滑坡变形破坏特征及失稳机制分析

近年来,三峡库区城集镇开发区顺斜向岩质滑坡失稳破坏现象时有发生,研究顺斜向岩质滑坡的变形破坏特征及失稳机制对防治此类滑坡具有重要意义。本文以巫山县白杨湾滑坡为例,通过现场踏勘、钻探和多种监测手段,对这一典型顺斜向岩质滑坡的变形破坏特征及失稳机制进行了深入研究。此滑坡所处地层为巴东组第二段泥岩,岩体破碎,地下水较丰富。滑坡岩层向右边界倾斜,右边界受断层控制,断层面与岩层面相交切割形成楔形体顺斜向滑移。滑坡体积约320×104 m3,滑动方向与岩层倾向夹角60°。受坡脚开挖和坡体建筑荷载等人类工程活动的影响,滑坡于2019年7月开始出现显著变形,滑坡中部的位移速率达到2～5 mm/d。2019年9月中旬,滑坡前部设置应急抗滑桩后,滑坡变形开始减缓至0～0.5 mm/d。白杨湾滑坡对城集镇开发区金科城造成巨大威胁,建议采取“搬迁避让+工程治理+专业监测”的防治对策。本文的研究成果对指导三峡库区顺斜向岩质滑坡防治和人工开挖诱发滑坡的防治具有重要借鉴意义。     

珠穆朗玛峰自然保护区湖泊动态及对区域气候变化的响应

利用Landsat卫星影像,采用面向对象分类方法提取珠穆朗玛峰自然保护区湖泊信息,分析了湖泊动态及对区域气候变化的响应关系。结果表明：（1）2015年保护区湖泊总面积为489.07 km²,构造湖、河成湖、冰川湖分别占总面积的77.3%、2.6%、20.1%。（2）1975-2015年,保护区内各类湖泊面积变化速率不同,冰川湖最大（1.05 km²·a^-1）,构造湖次之（-0.85 km²·a^-1）,河成湖最稳定（0.013 km²·a^-1）;保护区南坡冰川湖面积变化速率（0.53 km²·a^-1）略大于北坡（0.52 km²·a^-1）。（3）北坡构造湖、河成湖对区域气候的响应呈阶段性变化规律,1975-2000年珠峰地区气候呈暖湿化趋势,2000年构造湖、河成湖面积达到峰值,两类总计增加22.8 km²;2000-2015年转变为显著的暖干气候,构造湖、河成湖面积均呈减少趋势,总共减少57.16 km²。随着区域气候的变暖,冰川湖总面积不断扩大,近40年间冰川湖面积累计增加43.06 km²。（4）灰色关联度分析显示,年极端低温对构造湖面积变化影响最显著,年均气温对冰川湖起主导作用,年均相对湿度对河成湖影响最大。较其他气候因子而言,降水量对各类湖泊面积变化的影响均最小。     

长吉图经济区地质灾害易发性区划研究

利用地质灾害综合危险性指数法对长吉图经济区崩塌、滑坡、泥石流等环境地质灾害的易发性进行分区.研究区内诱发地质灾害最主要的因素是降水,其次为地形地貌.和龙市、龙井市、延吉市、珲春市、安图县部分地区、汪清县嘎呀河上游沿岸以及长白山天池周边等地为崩塌、滑坡、泥石流等地质灾害高易发区,约占研究区总面积的22.31%,共有地质灾害点726处,平均密度为4.52个/100 km²;蛟河市、永吉县、敦化市、汪清县等低山丘陵地区为崩塌、滑坡、泥石流地质灾害中易发区,约占研究区总面积48.10%,共有地质灾害点671处,平均密度为1.94个/100 km²;伊通县、吉林市、长春市、德惠县、农安县一带为崩塌、滑坡、泥石流地质灾害低易发区,约占研究区总面积29.59%,共有地质灾害点157处,平均密度为0.74个/100 km².     

A Simplified Numerical Approach for the Prediction of Rainfall-Induced Retrogressive Landslides

Retrogressive landslides are common geological phenomena in mountainous areas and on onshore and offshore slopes. The impact of retrogressive landslides is different from that of other landslide types due to the phenomenon of retrogression. The hazards caused by retrogressive landslides may be increased because retrogressive landslides usually affect housing, facilities, and infrastructure located far from the original slopes. Additionally, substantial geomorphic evidence shows that the abundant supply of loose sediment in the source area of a debris flow is usually provided by retrogressive landslides that are triggered by the undercutting of water. Moreover, according to historic case studies, some large landslides are the evolution result of retrogressive landslides. Hence the ability to understand and predict the evolution of retrogressive landslides is crucial for the purpose of hazard mitigation. This paper discusses the phenomenon of a retrogressive landslide by using a model experiment and suggests a reasonably simplified numerical approach for the prediction of rainfall-induced retrogressive landslides. The simplified numerical approach, which combines the finite element method for seepage analysis, the shear strength reduction finite element method, and the analysis criterion for the retrogression and accumulation effect, is presented and used to predict the characteristics of a retrogressive landslide. The results show that this numerical approach is capable of reasonably predicting the characteristics of retrogressive landslides under rainfall infiltration, particularly the magnitude of each landslide, the position of the slip surface, and the development processes of the retrogressive landslide. Therefore, this approach is expected to be a practical method for the mitigation of damage caused by rainfall-induced retrogressive landslides.     

基于遥感和GIS的喜马拉雅山科西河流域冰湖变化特征分析

受全球气候变暖的影响, 冰川退缩, 冰湖数量增多和面积增大被认为指示气候变化的重要依据, 冰湖面积增大导致其潜在危险性增大. 因此, 研究冰湖的变化对于气候变化和冰湖灾害研究具有重要意义. 基于Landsat TM/ETM+遥感影像采用人工解译的方法, 获取了喜马拉雅山地区科西河流域1990年前后、2000年和2010年的冰湖数据, 并对冰湖面积>0.1 km²且一直存在的199个冰湖的面积和长度变化进行对比分析. 结果表明: 科西河流域内面积>0.1 km²的冰湖的面积呈现增加趋势, 1990年冰湖面积为73.59 km², 2010年冰湖面积增加至86.12 km². 科西河流域内喜马拉雅山南北坡冰湖变化存在差异, 喜马拉雅山北坡变化较大的冰湖主要分布在海拔4 800~5 600 m之间, 而南坡变化较大的冰湖主要分布在海拔4 300~5 200 m之间; 喜马拉雅山北坡的冰湖有65%的冰湖表现扩张, 且扩张冰湖的面积主要是由冰湖在靠近终碛垅的一端基本不发生变化, 而仅在靠近冰川一端发生变化贡献的; 喜马拉雅山南坡的冰湖有32%的冰湖变化表现扩张, 且扩张的冰湖面积主要来自于冰面湖扩张. 在科西河流域内, 位于喜马拉雅山北坡的冰湖平均变化速度略高于南坡的冰湖平均变化速度.     

Application of an analytical hierarchical process approach for landslide susceptibility mapping in A Luoi district,Thua Thien Hue Province,Vietnam

A Luoi is a Vietnamese–Laotian border district situated in the western part of Thua Thien Hue province, central Vietnam, where landslides occur frequently and seriously affect local living conditions. This study focuses on the spatial analysis of landslide susceptibility in this 263-km² area. To analyze landslide manifestation in the study area, causative factor maps are derived of slope angle, weathering, land use, geomorphology, fault density, geology, drainage distance, elevation, and precipitation. The analytical hierarchical process approach is used to combine these maps for landslide susceptibility mapping. A landslide susceptibility zonation map with four landslide susceptibility classes, i.e. low, moderate, high, and very high susceptibility for landsliding, is derived based on the correspondence with an inventory of observed landslides. The final map indicates that about 37% of the area is very highly susceptible for landsliding and about 22% is highly susceptible, which means that more than half of the area should be considered prone to landsliding.