Simulation of Tsaoling landslide, Taiwan, based on Saint Venant equations over general topography

The 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake triggered the catastrophic Tsaoling landslide in Taiwan. The geomorphological change measured from the data of the 1989 and 2000 aerial photos reveals that the scar and deposit volumes are about 0.126 km³ and 0.15 km³ respectively. The debris material ran over a distance of 1.6 km with 500 m descent in elevation. In this paper, we use the continuum model of hydraulic flow, SHALTOP^2D, based on the equations of Bouchut and Westdickenberg to simulate numerically the landslide dynamics. When the mass is moving, the flow is assumed hydrostatic with a basal Coulomb friction. The best fit is obtained using the basal friction angle equal to 6°, the only parameter of the simulation, uniformly applied in the calculation domain. The landslide front reaches the Chinshui river valley, the foothill of the slope, within only about 25 s after initiation and the motion settles in about 113 s. The maximum speed is estimated 75 m/s. The spreading of the deposit agrees well with the field measurement.     

On the swelling potential of compacted high plasticity clays

We conducted a study of the spatial distributions of seismicity and earthquake hazard parameters for Turkey and the adjacent areas, applying the maximum likelihood method. The procedure allows for the use of either historical or instrumental data, or even a combination of the two. By using this method, we can estimate the earthquake hazard parameters, which include the maximum regional magnitude Mˆ_max, the activity rate of seismic events and the well-known bˆ value, which is the slope of the frequency-magnitude Gutenberg-Richter relationship. These three parameters are determined simultaneously using an iterative scheme. The uncertainty in the determination of the magnitudes was also taken into consideration. The return periods (RP) of earthquakes with a magnitude M ≥ m are also evaluated. The whole examined area is divided into 24 seismic regions based on their seismotectonic regime. The homogeneity of the magnitudes is an essential factor in such studies. In order to achieve homogeneity of the magnitudes, formulas that convert any magnitude to an M_S-surface scale are developed. New completeness cutoffs and their corresponding time intervals are also assessed for each of the 24 seismic regions. Each of the obtained parameters is distributed into its respective seismic region, allowing for an analysis of the localized seismicity parameters and a representation of their regional variation on a map. The earthquake hazard level is also calculated as a function of the form Θ = (Mˆ_max,RP_6.0), and a relative hazard scale (defined as the index K) is defined for each seismic region. The investigated regions are then classified into five groups using these parameters. This classification is useful for theoretical and practical reasons and provides a picture of quantitative seismicity. An attempt is then made to relate these values to the local tectonics.     

Effects of strong ground motion on the susceptibility of gully type debris flows

Typhoon Herb in 1996 caused widespread debris flows in central Taiwan. The 7.3 Chi-Chi earthquake on September 21, 1999, which also took place in central Taiwan, induced many landslides in the region. These landslides turned into debris flows when Typhoon Toraji struck Taiwan in 2001. This research selects three regions which suffered a ground motion class of 5, 6, and 7 on the Richter scale during the Chi-Chi earthquake as study areas. Air photos from 1997 and 2001 of these regions are used to map the gully-type debris flows that took place after Typhoons Herb and Toraji, respectively. The gullies adjacent to the debris flow, but without a trace of debris flows, are also mapped as the non-debris flow data. The topography, hydrogeology, and rainfall factors – where debris flow occurred and in which there was no occurrence of debris flows in these gullies were retrieved from DTM, geological maps, and iso-countour maps, and of rainfall through GIS processing. These characteristic are introduced into a probabilistic neural network to build a predicting model for the probability of the occurrence of debris flows. Three series of cross analyses are conducted to compare the probability of the occurrence of debris flows of the same dataset predicted by different prediction models. The results reveal that the susceptibility of debris flows was elevated after the Chi-Chi earthquake struck. The upsurge of susceptibility was more obvious for the regions that received a higher class of ground motion.     

Short-term earthquake prediction: Current status of seismo-electromagnetics

Loss of human lives as a result of earthquakes is caused overwhelmingly by the collapse of buildings within less than a few minutes of main shocks. The most urgent countermeasure consists of two key elements. One is strengthening of weak structures and the other is short-term earthquake prediction. Short-term prediction needs precursors. Although some promising precursors are reported, the prevailing views in Japan and elsewhere are overly pessimistic. The pessimism largely roots in the fact that short-term precursors are generally non-seismic and tools developed for seismology are not designed to detect them. Nonetheless, nationally funded large-scale earthquake prediction programs always emphasize the need to reinforce seismometer networks. They do not take into account the views of those in the science community who point to the importance of non-seismic precursors. While there are well-founded causes to be skeptical, the situation needs to be improved. One reason for skepticism is that the observations of precursors have not yet been perfect enough and another is that some important fundamental aspects of non-seismic precursors are still unresolved. We review some of these problems.     

2020年新疆于田MS6.4地震发震断层及孕震机制研究

利用2020年6月26日于田M_S6.4地震序列的震相和波形数据, 对地震序列进行重定位并反演了中强地震的震源机制解, 结合2008年至今的全球矩心矩张量解数据, 反演了西昆仑块体和柴达木—祁连块体间边界地区的应力场。 综合分析研究结果发现: 2020年6月26日于田M_S6.4地震序列的发震断层为走向SSW, 倾向NWW的正断层, 地震的发生可能与琼木孜塔格峰山前展布的正断层破裂有关; 西昆仑块体和柴达木—祁连块体之间的边界地区属于东西向拉张应力模式, 支持青藏高原北部大型走滑断裂所圈定的柴达木—祁连块体的东向运动模型。     

地震应急信息速报视图自动发布系统的设计与实现

基于地震应急基础数据和网络震后灾害信息获取技术的相关研究,利用数据挖掘、大数据分析等理论方法,根据地震应急不同阶段的信息需求,挖掘信息时空属性,建立震情、灾情可视化信息图展现形式,开展对地震数据的整合汇聚、精准服务,创新表达方式,利用高维多元可视化处理技术,构建面向震后信息服务的自媒体可视化产品,并开发“速报视图自动发布系统”。该系统作为地震信息可视化交互服务平台,可实现桌面端和移动端H5页面的可视化发布任务,为今后进一步拓展和充实地震应急信息的可视化工作提供了基础平台和创新思路,在应用示范的基础上,完善系统运行功能,实现大震应急信息可视化服务。     

青海玛多7.4级地震极震区震灾调查及分析

2021年5月22日2时4分,青海省玛多县发生7.4级地震,距震中26 km的野马滩大桥及周边区域为此次地震极震区（地震烈度Ⅹ度,面积约69 km2）,受损尤为严重。桥梁表现为落梁式破坏,房屋不同程度受损。对极震区内野马滩大桥及周边房屋进行实地调查与震灾分析,并提出灾后重建及震灾防御相关建议,包括组织专业人员进行灾区房屋安全鉴定,建议牧民居住建筑采用轻钢式结构,建议原地重建野马滩大桥并增加限位装置及连梁装置。     

略阳县农居房屋抗震现状调查与评价研究

为精准识别贫困山区农居房屋结构现状完好程度,本文开展略阳县境内41894栋农居房屋抗震现状实地调查,搜集整理域内孕灾环境和致灾因子强度,统计分析域内各行政镇（办）经济水平、农居房屋抗震结构类型和震害等级,预测震害矩阵,计算平均震害指数,并评价抗震能力。研究结果表明:域内农居房屋抗震结构类型包括土木结构、砖木结构和砖混结构;域内农居房屋在VI度地震作用下基本完好的比例为74.04%,在VII度地震作用下发生轻微破坏以下震害等级的比例为83.45%,在VIII度地震作用下发生中等破坏以下震害等级的比例为85.46%;域内农居房屋在地震烈度为VI、VII、VIII、IX、X度时的平均震害指数分别为0.13、0.23、0.32、0.49、0.71,抗震性能较差,不满足“小震不坏、中震可修、大震不倒”的抗震设防目标。     

中国地壳运动观测网络在地球科学研究中的应用前景

简要地介绍了中国地壳运动观测网络的概况和目前的进展,论述了地壳运动观测网络在地球科学研究中的重要作用和应用前景。其应用潜力主要体现在:①在中国地壳运动监测研究中发挥重要作用,成为中国地震预测预报研究的重要基础;②为地球动力学研究提供重要的依据;③建立维持ITRF地球参考框架、研究地球自转、极移和章动及变化;④精化、加密全国大地网和大地水准面;⑤在气象学中的应用;⑥研究电离层电子浓度及其变化规律;⑦提供精密近实时的GPS轨道参数;⑧为广域差分定位奠定基础。     

1995年日本兵库县南部地震时淡路岛上出现的地震断层的形态特征

1995年日本兵库县南部地震时在淡路岛上出现的地表地震断层主要由三条地表破裂带组成、野岛地震断层、松帆地震层和楠本地震断层。野岛地震断层从淡路岛北端的淡路町住西南延伸到一宫町的尾崎,长达18km,其北段沿着早期存在的野岛断层分布,而南段则作为新断层出现,野岛地震断层的断层的北段主要由一些相互平行或次平行的右列剪切断层和许多左列和性裂隙组成,其南段则是由集中在十多米宽的大量不连续的地表破裂带所组成。野岛地震断层一般走向N30°～60°E倾向SE,地貌错位和断层擦痕均显示出此断层为一具有逆断层性质的右旋走滑断层,沿一些主要露头测定的北段水平位移量一般为100～200cm,垂直位移量为5O～100cm;而南段的水平、垂直位移量均只有几厘米至20cm。最大位移量在平林断层崖测得;水平180cm、垂直l30cm、实际位移量2l5cm。松帆地震断层走向N40°～60°W,沿着淡路岛北端部的海岸线分布,长达约1km。楠本地震断层沿早期存在的楠本断层出现,分布于淡路岛东北部的海岸边上,走向N35°～6O°W倾向NW 。根据地表地震断层的形态及地貌错位特征,野岛地震断层可被分为四条断层段,并在形态上呈现右列。地质和地貌证据以及余震分布的特征清楚地表明这4条断层段的几何形态和分布特征是受早期存在的地质构造所控制的,同时也说明了地震断层的破裂过程具有拉分(pulling-apart)和推隆(pushing－up)的过程,这两个过程分别产生了张性裂隙、拉分盆地、逆断层和挤压隆起等构造。