Impacts of September 21, 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake on the characteristics of gully-type debris flows in central Taiwan |
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Authors: | Chia-Nan Liu Hsiao-Fung Huang Jia-Jyun Dong |
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Institution: | (1) Civil Engineering Department, National Chi-Nan University, Nantou, 545, Taiwan;(2) Graduate Institute of Applied Geoloy, National Central University, Jhongli, Taiwan |
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Abstract: | Debris flows are more frequent in central Taiwan, because of its mountainous geography. For example, many debris flows were
induced by Typhoon Herb in 1996. The Chi-Chi earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3, which took place in 1999 in central Taiwan,
induced many landslides in this region. Some landslides turned into debris flows when Typhoon Toraji struck Taiwan in 2001.
This study investigates the characteristics of the gullies where debris flows have occurred for a comparison. Aerial photos
of these regions dated in 1997 (before the earthquake) and 2001 (after the earthquake) are used to identify the occurrence
of gully-type debris flows. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is applied to acquire hydrological and geomorphic characteristics:
stream gradient, stream length, catchment gradient, catchment area, form factor, and geology unit of these gullies. These
characteristics in different study regions are presented in a statistical approach. The study of how strong ground motion
affects the debris flows occurrence is conducted. The characteristics of the debris flow gullies triggered by typhoons before
and after the Chi-Chi earthquake are quantitatively compared. The analysis results show that a significant transformation
in the characteristics was induced by the Chi-Chi earthquake. In general, the transformation points out a lower hydrological
and geomorphic threshold to trigger debris flows after the Chi-Chi earthquake. The susceptibility of rock units to strong
ground motion is also examined. The analysis of debris flow density and accumulated rainfall in regions of different ground
motion also reveal that the rainfall threshold decreases after the Chi-Chi earthquake. |
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Keywords: | Debris flow Rainfall Earthquake Characteristic Geographic Information System (GIS) |
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