Accuracy assessment of InSAR derived input maps for landslide susceptibility analysis: a case study from the Swiss Alps

In recent years SAR interferometry has become a widely used technique for measuring altitude and displacement of the surface of the earth. Both these capabilities are highly relevant for landslide susceptibility studies. Although there are many problems that make the use of SAR interferometry less suitable for landslide inventory mapping, it’s use in landslide monitoring and in the generation of input maps for landslide susceptibility assessment looks very promising. The present work attempts to evaluate the usefulness and limitations of this technique based on a case study in the Swiss Alps. Input maps were generated from ERS repeat pass data using SAR interferometry. A land cover map has been generated by image classification of multi-temporal SAR intensity images. An InSAR DEM was generated and a number of maps were derived from it, such as slope-, aspect, altitude- and slope form classes. These maps were used to generate landslide and rockfall susceptibility maps, which give fairly well acceptable results. However, a comparison of the InSAR DEM with the conventional Swisstopo DEM, indicated significant errors in the absolute height and slope angles derived from InSAR, especially along the ridges and in the valleys. These errors are caused by low coherence mostly due to layover and shadow effects. Visual comparison of stereo images created from hillshading maps and corresponding DEMs demonstrate that a considerable amount of topographic details have been lost in the InSAR-derived DEM. It is concluded that InSAR derived input maps are not ideal for landslide susceptibility assessment, but could be used if more accurate data is lacking.     

Tectono-metamorphic evolution of a nappe stack: A case study of the Swiss Alps

Fold-and-thrust belts are prominent structures that occur at the front of compressional orogens. To unravel the tectonic and metamorphic evolution of such complexes, kinematic investigations, quantitative microstructural analysis and geothermometry (calcite–graphite, calcite–dolomite) were performed on carbonate mylonites from thrust faults of the Helvetic nappe stack in Central Switzerland. Paleo-isotherms of peak temperature conditions and cooling stages (fission track) of the nappe pile were reconstructed in a vertical section and linked with the microstructural and kinematic evolution. Mylonitic microstructures suggest that under metamorphic conditions close to peak temperature, strain was highly localized within thrust faults where deformation temperatures spatially continuously increased in both directions, from N to S within each nappe and from top–down in the nappe stack, covering a temperature range of 180–380 °C. Due to the higher metamorphic conditions, thrusting of the lowermost nappe, the Doldenhorn nappe, was accompanied by a much more pronounced nappe internal ductile deformation of carbonaceous rock types than was the case for the overlying Wildhorn- and Gellihorn nappes. Ongoing thrusting brought the Doldenhorn nappe closer to the surface. The associated cooling resulted in a freezing in of the paleo-isotherms of peak metamorphic conditions. Contemporaneous shearing localized in the basal thrust, initially still in the ductile deformation regime and finally as brittle faulting and cataclasis inducing ultimately an inverse metamorphic zonation. With ongoing exhumation and the formation of the Helvetic antiformal nappe stack, a bending of large-scale tectonic structures (thrusts, folds), peak temperature isotherms and cooling isotherms occurred. While this local bending can directly be attributed to active deformation underneath the section investigated up to times of 2–3 ma, a more homogeneous uplift of the entire region is suggested for the very late and still active exhumation stage.     

Streamflow response to regional climate model output in the mountainous watershed: a case study from the Swiss Alps

Regional climate model (RCM) outputs are often used in hydrological modeling, in particular for streamflow forecasting. The heterogeneity of the meteorological variables such as precipitation, temperature, wind speed and solar radiation often limits the ability of the hydrological model performance. This paper assessed the sensitivity of RCM outputs from the PRUDENCE project and their performance in reproducing the streamflow. The soil and water assessment tool was used to simulate the streamflow of the Rhone River watershed located in the southwestern part of Switzerland, with the climate variables obtained from four RCMs. We analyzed the difference in magnitude of precipitation, maximum and minimum air temperature, and wind speed with respect to the observed values from the meteorological stations. In addition, we also focused on the impact of the grid resolution on model performance, by analyzing grids with resolutions of 50 × 50 and 25 × 25 km². The variability of the meteorological inputs from various RCMs is quite severe in the studied watershed. Among the four different RCMs, the Danish Meteorological Institute provided the best performance when simulating runoff. We found that temperature lapse rate is significantly important in the mountainous snow and glacier dominated watershed as compared to other variables like precipitation, and wind speed for hydrological performance. Therefore, emphasis should be given to minimum and maximum temperature in the bias correction studies for downscaling climatic data for impact modeling in the mountainous snow and glacier dominated complex watersheds.     

Slope stabilization in difficult conditions: the case study of a debris slide in NW Italian Alps

A case study of a debris slide (estimated volume of about 35,000 m³) is described in this paper. This slide occurred in April 2009 in the North Western Italian Alps (Aosta valley) and damaged the SR25 road along the Valgrisenche valley. Ground investigations started with severe safety and logistic issues being posed. Given the need to open as soon as possible the road, the design of the landslide stabilization works was carried out using a “design as you go” approach. The stabilization measures were conceived to be flexible in order to allow for changes and integration during construction, in line with the progressive refinement of the geological–geotechnical slope model being developed. Back analysis by means of the limit equilibrium method (LEM) and the finite element method (FEM) was used. Groundwater level rise following heavy rainfall and spring snow melting was found to be the main cause of the debris slide. The stabilization works were designed by using both the LEM and FEM methods. The stability conditions of the engineered slope were assessed based on the available performance monitoring data.     

Dating incipient metamorphism using 40Ar/39Ar geochronology and XRD modeling: a case study from the Swiss Alps

Six samples of a single carbonate-rich unit of the Swiss Préalpes, progressively metamorphosed from diagenesis to deep anchizone, yield ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar spectra with variably developed staircase patterns, consistent with mixtures of detrital mica and neocrystallized mixed-layer illite/smectite. The lowest temperature heating steps for different size fractions (2–6?μm and 6–20?μm) converge to ～40?Ma providing an imprecise, maximum age of regional metamorphism. A method is described for distinguishing and quantifying the amount of pre-existing detrital mica versus neoformed illite layer in the illite/smectite formed during Tertiary Alpine metamorphism by comparison of X-ray diffraction patterns with Newmod^© simulations. In the least metamorphosed samples the illite/smectite contains ～65% neoformed illite, and this illite accounts for approximately 17% of all dioctahedral phyllosilicate minerals in the rock (e.g., detrital mica and illite/smectite). In contrast, the illite/smectite from the more strongly metamorphosed samples contains >97% neoformed illite, which accounts for ～70% to >90% of all dioctahedral phyllosilicate minerals. Phyllosilicate morphologies viewed by scanning electron microscopy are consistent with these estimates. A process of dissolution/reprecipitation is inferred as a mechanism for the growth of the neoformed phyllosilicates. A plot of neoformed illite content versus ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar total fusion age yields a near-linear curve with an extrapolated age of 27?Ma for 100% neoformed dioctahedral phyllosilicates. This age is interpreted as the time of incipient metamorphism and is consistent with independent biostratigraphic constraints. Model ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectra constructed with the XRD simulation results correspond well to the experimental data and illustrate the changes in degassing properties of progressively metamorphosed mixtures of detrital mica and neoformed illite.     

Deformation mechanisms and flow regimes in limestones from the Helvetic zone of the Swiss Alps

This paper is based on a combined field, transmission-electron (TEM) and transmission-optical (TOM) microscope study of limestones from the Helvetic zone (Swiss Alps) and discusses the deformation mechanisms and flow regimes that governed the deformation of these rocks.During pre-metamorphic regional ductile deformations the limestones deformed by power-law dislocation creep with differential stresses probably not exceeding 1 kbar. Dynamic recrystallization with grain-boundary sliding and grain-boundary migration allowed the grains to be less elliptical than the strain ellipse. A characteristic of the structure is the existence of dislocation-free subgrains. In the footwall of and approaching the Lochseiten calc-mylonite along the Glarus overthrust, grain-boundary sliding becomes more important (shift to diffusional creep or superplastic flow).During a syn- and post-metamorphic deformation, dynamic recovery seems to have become less competitive (no dislocation-free sub-grains), and along thrust faults twinning indicates a shift to higher differential stresses at the close of the deformation.It was not possible to separate these deformation phases on the basis of the dislocation debris. Sub-grain sizes as observed in TEM and TOM were identical.In limestones that underwent cataclastic deformation the rocks seem to have started breaking up along the grain boundaries. The new grain fragments are very small (0.1–0.3 μm) and are heavily twinned. In TEM the old large grains show very long straight glide dislocations, cleavage and, when shattered, ring patterns in diffraction.     

Spatio-temporal variability in debris-flow activity: a tree-ring study at Geisstriftbach (Swiss Alps) extending back to AD 1736

Past debris-flow activity on the forested cone of the Geisstriftbach torrent (St. Niklaus, Valais, Swiss Alps) was assessed from growth disturbances in old conifer trees, providing a much improved record of past events. The study of 633 tree-ring sequences sampled from 252 European larch (Larix decidua Mill.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and Silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) trees allowed reconstruction of 53 debris-flow events since AD 1736. The spatial analysis of trees affected during particular events on the geomorphic map allowed for a spatial representation of individual events and a reconstruction of four flow patterns. Based on our results and Siegfried maps, we believe that before the formation of a dogleg near the cone apex in the late 1890s, debris flows preferentially used the channels located in the west-southwestern part of the Geisstriftbach cone. This study contributes to our understanding of debris-flow processes on cones and provides an example of how dendrogeomorphic techniques may help in the reconstruction and understanding of debris flows in Alpine areas.     

A transform margin in the Mesozoic Tethys: evidence from the Swiss Alps

Remnants of the Liguria-Piemont Ocean with its Jurassic ophiolitic basement are preserved in the South Pennine thrust nappes of eastern Switzerland. Analysis of South Pennine stratigraphy and comparison with sequences from the adjacent continental margin units suggest that South Pennine nappes are relics of a transform fault system. This interpretation is based on three arguments: (1) In the highly dismembered ophiolite suite preserved, Middle to Late Jurassic pelagic sediments are found in stratigraphic contact not only with pillow basalts but also with serpentinites indicating the occurrence of serpentinite protrusions along fracture zones. (2) Ophiolite breccias (»ophicalcites«) occurring along distinct zones within peridotite-serpentinite host rocks are comparable with breccias from present-day oceanic fracture zones. They originated from a combination of tectonic and sedimentary processes: i.e. the fragmentation of oceanic basement on the seafloor and the filling of a network of neptunian dikes by pelagic sediment with locally superimposed hydrothermal activity and gravitational collapse. (3) The overlying Middle to Late Jurassic radiolarian chert contains repeated intercalations of massflow conglomerates mainly comprising components of oceanic basement but clasts of acidic basement rocks and oolitic limestone also exist. This indicates a close proximity between continental and oceanic basement. The rugged morphology manifested in the mass-flow deposits intercalated with the radiolarites is draped by pelagic sediments of Early Cretaceous age.     

沟谷型泥石流地质灾害调查评价方法研究——以皖南小容泥石流地质灾害调查为例

在总结皖南地区泥石流主要特征的基础上,重新梳理了沟谷型泥石流调查评价过程中的调查要素和评价因子,提出了沟谷型泥石流调查评价工作方法:对沟谷进行泥石流初步评价,以可搬运物源量和可淤积容量比值系数作为初步评判标准;以沟谷泥石流集水盆地形态特征、可搬运物源属性分布及储量、堆积区地形等特征作为主要调查内容,对易发性评价因子赋予分值.在此基础上,以皖南小容泥石流地质灾害调查为例,探讨更直观、更科学、更切合实际的沟谷型泥石流地质灾害调查评价工作方法.     

Potassium-argon ages from the Ceneri Zone,Southern Swiss Alps

The Ceneri Zone is a unit of the crystalline basement of the Southern Alps. Its northern boundary is the Tonale Line segment of the Periadriatic Line, an important tectonic lineament separating the Oligocene and younger features of the Central Alps from the older metamorphic and structural trends of the Southern Alps. Unmetamorphosed Permian and younger sedimentary units lap onto the Southern Alpine basement from the south.Potassium-argon results from the Ceneri Zone define a Hercynian age pattern typical for the basement of continental Europe. This pattern extends to within at least 100 meters of the Tonale Line. Thus, amphibolite facies metamorphism in this region occurred around 325 m.y. ago. The geochronologic similarity of the Southern Alps to many other European regions must be taken into account in megatectonic theories.In detail, the Hercynian age pattern of the Ceneri Zone is complicated. Some hornblendes have apparent ages between the Hercynian and a Caledonian value (430 m.y.). They probably retained some radiogenic argon during the Hercynian upper amphibolite facies metamorphism. In addition, mica results between 200 and 300 m.y. have a strong geographic correlation. Apparently, the northwestern portion of the Ceneri Zone was reheated or mildly metamorphosed during the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic. A relationship between these ages and 170–180 m.y. ages from the neighboring Ivrea-Verbano Zone seems likely. No geologic evidence for any post-Hercynian event has been noted as yet in the Ceneri Zone.     

The isotopic composition of carbonaceous matter in a metamorphic profile from the Swiss Alps

44 Δ¹³C-values for carbonaceous matter in a metamorphic profile from the Swiss Alps have been determined. The analyzed samples range from unmetamorphosed sediments to staurolite schists. The carbon isotopic composition is more-or-less constant with δ-values around ?25%. in the unmetamorphosed sediments, but shifts towards higher ¹³C-content with increasing grade of metamorphism. δ¹³C values of around ?11%. were measured in the rocks of the highest metamorphic grade.     

Formation and characteristics of post-earthquake debris flow: a case study from Wenjia gully in Mianzhu, Sichuan, SW China

During the three flood seasons following the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, two catastrophic groups of debris flow events occurred in the earthquake-affected area: the 2008-9-24 debris flow events, which had a serious impact on rebuilding; and the 2010-8-13/14 debris flow events, which destroyed much of the progress made in rebuilding. The Wenjia gully is a typical post-earthquake debris flow gully and at least five debris flows have occurred there. As far as the 2010-8-13 debris flow is concerned, the deposits of the Wenjia gully debris flow reached a volume of 3.1 × 10⁶ m³ in volume and hundreds of newly built houses were buried. This study took the Wenjia gully debris flow as an example and discussed the formation and characteristics of post-earthquake debris flow on the basis of field investigations and a remote sensing interpretation. The conclusions drawn from the investigation and analysis were as follows: (1) Post-earthquake debris flows were a joint result of both the earthquake and heavy rainfall. (2) Gully incision and loose material provision are key processes in the initiation and occurrence of debris flows and a cycle can be presented as the following process: runoff—erosion—collapse—engulfment—debris flow—further erosion—further collapse—further engulfment—debris flow enlargement. (3) The amount of rainfall that triggered debris flows from the Wenjia gully was significantly less than the average daily rainfall, while the intraday rainfall threshold decreased by at least 23.3%. (4) The occurrence mechanism of Wenjia gully debris flow was an erosion type and there was a positive relationship between debris flow magnitude and rainfall, which fitted an exponential model. (5) There were five representative characteristics of Wenjia gully debris flow: the long duration of the occurring process; the long distance of deposition chain conversion during the process of damage; magnification in the scale of debris flow; and the high frequency of debris flow events.     

急陡沟道泥石流起动特征模型试验研究——以汶川县福堂沟为例

急陡沟道泥石流是汶川震区发现的一类特殊泥石流,调查发现其具有物源量大、侵蚀强烈,冲出规模大等特点,是震区地质灾害治理的难点。本文以汶川县典型急陡沟道泥石流福堂沟为原型,分析了其发育条件和特征,并通过模型试验等手段,还原并分析了急陡沟道泥石流起动及形成的过程,以及相应的土体内部参数变化特征。试验显示在20°、25°、30°的坡度和480mL/s、410mL/s、360mL/s的径流量的试验条件下,泥石流分别以不同的方式起动(沟床侵蚀型、滑坡流态化起动型、消防管起动型),同时结合实验过程中土体内部孔隙水压力及体积含水率变化特征的研究,详细还原了相应的泥石流起动全过程。试验数据的分析结果显示,在不同的起动方式下,土体内部的数据变化表现出不同的特征:其中,不同试验条件下的泥石流起动孔隙水压力呈现出规律性差异,即水槽坡度、径流量越大,泥石流所需的起动力越小;此外,坡度越大,土体所需的饱水时间越长,而在相同坡度下,流速越大,预饱水时间越短;研究还发现,泥石流的爆发时间与沟床坡度呈反比,并且径流量越大,泥石流持续时间也越长。基于实验结果,通过相似理论计算得到的泥石流起动流速,与实际情况一致,表明本的...     

Substantiation of debris flow velocity from super-elevation: a numerical approach

The use of super-elevations that a forced vortex flow leaves on the valley walls of a curved flume is a plausible approach toward estimating debris flow velocities in earthquake-induced geo-hazard studies. The centrifugal force of a speeding flow is responsible for a higher flow depth on the outer bend. However, in reality, a flow is not steady, and only the highest flow-marks are left at the outer and inner bends of the flow, which can lead to an inaccurate estimation of the actual velocity. Seeing the real scenario of the field, a series of numerical flume tests using smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is conducted to validate the estimation of debris flow velocities from flow-marks. Velocities estimated from flow-marks are lower than real velocities near the source region, but they converge to real velocities as the distance to the source increases. Based on several simulations, a best-fit line is proposed for adjusting debris flow velocity from mud-marks, and it is used to estimate flow velocities of the well-documented debris event called “Shiraito river debris flow,” which happened near the rim of the Hakone Crater, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, ensuing from the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake.     

泥石流防治工程损毁度评价

泥石流岩土防治工程被广泛应用于泥石流灾害的治理,而工程的损毁程度会对工程的功能性产生一定的影响,并影响效益的持续发挥。文章以汶川为研究区域,选取18条泥石流沟的岩土防治工程作为研究对象,结合现场考察,对防治工程的损毁程度进行评价。评价指标体系总体上分为拦挡工程因子和排导工程因子2项,细化二级评价指标包括坝基损毁度、坝肩损毁度、坝体损毁度、基础冲刷度、结构冲击度、斜坡推力度等6项。运用模糊综合评价方法构建判断矩阵和隶属度函数,将损毁度等级划分为优、良、中、差四个等级。评价结果显示,除板子沟和登溪沟的防治工程损毁等级为差和中以外,其余泥石流沟内防治工程损毁等级均为良或优,且评价结果与现场考察一致。     

基于增量加载法的泥石流拦挡坝抗冲击力数值模拟

为提高泥石流重力式拦挡坝的设计安全和避免资金投入过大而造成浪费,选择合理的泥石流冲击力作为设计依据尤为重要。文章结合舟曲县三眼峪沟灾后重建防治工程相关数据,利用有限元软件ABAQUS进行计算分析,采用增量加载的数值计算方法,分别求得2种工况下重力式拦挡坝的抗冲击力。根据三眼峪沟治理工程运行至今的反馈情况,证明在泥石流治理工程设计中,冲击力选择工况1和2的平均值较合理,同时说明该方法与经验公式结合使用,其结果更加精确可靠,在泥石流工程设计和研究中具有良好的应用前景。     

A dilatant,two-layer debris flow model validated by flow density measurements at the Swiss illgraben test site

We propose a dilatant, two-layer debris flow model validated by full-scale density/saturation measurements obtained from the Swiss Illgraben test site. Like many existing models, we suppose the debris flow consists of a matrix of solid particles (rocks and boulders) that is surrounded by muddy fluid. However, we split the muddy fluid into two fractions. One part, the inter-granular fluid, is bonded to the solid matrix and fills the void space between the solid particles. The combination of solid material and inter-granular fluid forms the first layer of the debris flow. The second part of the muddy fluid is not bonded to the solid matrix and can move independently from the first layer. This free fluid forms the second layer of the debris flow. During flow the rocky particulate material is sheared which induces dilatant motions that change the location of the center-of-mass of the solid. The degree of solid shearing, as well as the amount of muddy fluid and of solid particles, leads to different flow compositions including debris flow fronts consisting of predominantly solid material, or watery debris flow tails. De-watering and the formation of muddy fluid washes can occur when the solid material deposits in the runout zone. After validating the model on two theoretical case studies, we show that the proposed model is able to capture the streamwise evolution of debris flow density in time and space for real debris flow events.

     

Duration of Eo-Alpine metamorphic events obtained from multicomponent diffusion modeling of garnet: a case study from the Eastern Alps

Rocks from the Micaschist–Marble Complex of the Wölz Tauern, which are part of the middle Austroalpine unit, contain large (up to 2 cm) garnet crystals that show clear evidence of multistage growth. Isotopic dating indicates that a Variscan (～270 Ma) garnet core was overgrown by new garnet formed during Eo-Alpine metamorphism at Cretaceous times. P-T paths for the Eo-Alpine metamorphism were obtained using the method of pseudosections (Powell and Holland in Metam Geol 16:309–343, 1998) and are consistent with earlier results from independent thermobarometry. Due to the large size of the garnets, growth zoning was preserved during amphibolite facies metamorphism at both Variscan and Alpine times. Full multicomponent diffusion modeling of compositional zoning at the interface of the Alpine and Pre-Alpine garnets in conjunction with the retrieved P-T paths allow average subduction/exhumation as well as heating/cooling rates to be retrieved. The modeling suggests that a minimum subduction/exhumation rate of ～4 cm/a and heating/cooling rates on the order of 100–260°C/Ma for a 60°C subduction angle are required to preserve the observed compositional zoning overall while modifying the zoning at the interface between two garnets to the extent observed. Such rapid rates of burial/exhumation are consistent with the results of direct GPS measurements of convergence rates at several orogenic belts as well as with inferred rates from modeling in the Alps and other areas. In combination, this indicates that such rapid rates are commonplace during metamorphism in collisional orogens and places important constraints on the rheological behavior of crustal blocks in such orogens.