Academic literature on the topic 'Very slow landslide'

Based on a study of 45 large slow-moving landslides, it is apparent that for a landslide to travel slowly after failure, the sliding is most likely to be active or reactivated, on a basal rupture surface at or close to residual strength. The likelihood of slow movement after failure is also increased when the inclination of the basal rupture surface is less than the residual friction angle. The slow-moving landslides are all of low rock-mass strength with varying degrees of disaggregation, or they possess soil strength. The influence of lateral margins on landslide restraint is generally small, with landslide movement typically controlled by fluctuations in piezometric pressure. The most commonly observed slow large landslides are mudslides and translational debris–rock slides, followed by particular forms of translational rock slides and internally sheared compound slides. Some mudslides display evidence of short periods of up to moderate velocities.

The Thompson River valley hosts 14 landslides along a 10 km section, which threaten the two major railroads connecting the Port of Vancouver and the interior provinces in Canada. The Ripley landslide is one of the active landslides in this section of the valley. Previous research at this site included an analysis of landslide deformations using satellite radar interferometry focusing on deformations measured in the line of sight between the satellite and the slopes, and average downslope displacement (deformations projected in the average downslope direction). Since then, further stratigraphic interpretation has provided an enhanced understanding of the Ripley landslide. In this update, the new stratigraphic interpretation is supplemented with satellite InSAR data from May 2015 to May 2017 to enhance the current understanding of the landslide kinematics. The results indicate that the Ripley landslide has been moving at a rate between 2 and 82 mm per year, corresponding to a very slow to slow landslide. It is also observed that the movements tend to be near-horizontal on areas closer to the toe of the landslide, while the vertical component of deformation increases near the scarp of the landslide. This, together with the interpreted stratigraphy, indicates the kinematics corresponds to a compound landslide. This is consistent with interpreted landslide kinematics of older, more mature landslides in the area that have shown episodes of retrogression and suggests the possibility of a similar future behaviour of the Ripley landslide.

Fourteen large landslides have occurred within a 10 km stretch of the Thompson River Valley south of Ashcroft, British Columbia. The slides have had movements ranging from rapid (metres per hour) to very slow, and the largest slides have volumes approaching 15.0 × 106 m3. Investigations of these slides have been conducted since the early failures of the slopes were noted in the 1860s, and have continued with the periodic reactivations and slope movements since then. This paper focuses on the Ripley Slide, which is one of the slides within the Thompson River Valley. This slide is a very slow-moving landslide, which has recently been reactivated. This landslide is crossed by a major transportation corridor and has therefore been the subject of ongoing geotechnical investigation and instrumentation. The results of this investigation are interpreted in light of the wealth of accumulated knowledge from more than a century of geotechnical investigation within this valley. The data collected from the landslide show that, like other slow-moving landslides in this valley, the seasonal fluctuations of the Thompson River elevation strongly influence the instability and the rate of slope movement. Continuous global positioning system monitoring of the movement of the landslide combined with measurement of the pore pressures within the sliding mass and elevation of the river have allowed for an empirical correlation between the limit equilibrium method modelled factor of safety and the velocity of the landslide.

The interpretation of landslide kinematics provides important information for those responsible for the management of landslide risk. This paper presents an interpretation of the kinematics of the slow-moving Kostanjek landslide, located in the urbanized area of the city of Zagreb, Croatia. The sliding material (very weak to weak marls, often covered with clayey topsoil) exhibits plastic, rather than rigid behavior. Due to this reason, and low landslide velocities, landslide features, such as main scarps or lateral flanks, are barely noticeable or do not exist in most of the landslide area. The data used for the kinematic interpretation were obtained from 15 GNSS sensors, for the period of 2013-2019. The monitoring data revealed a different spatial and temporal distribution of landslide velocities, resulting as a consequence of geomorphological conditions and forces that govern the landslide movements. Temporally, eight periods of faster movements and seven periods of slower movements were determined. Spatially, velocities measured in the central part of the landslide were higher than on its boundaries. The interpretation of the surface (horizontal and vertical) displacements and the direction of movement reveal a new insight into the engineering geological model and provide important information for the management of the Kostanjek landslide risk.

Landslides along a 10 km reach of Thompson River south of Ashcroft, British Columbia, have repeatedly damaged vital railway infrastructure, while also placing public safety, the environment, natural resources, and cultural heritage features at risk. Government agencies, universities, and the railway industry are focusing research efforts on a representative test site — the very-slow-moving Ripley Landslide — to manage better the geohazard risk in this corridor. We characterize the landslide’s form and function through hydrogeological and geophysical mapping. Field mapping and exploratory drilling distinguish 10 hydrogeological units in surficial deposits and fractured bedrock. Electrical resistivity tomography, frequency domain electromagnetic conductivity measurements, ground-penetrating radar, seismic pressure wave refraction, and multispectral analysis of shear waves; in conjunction with downhole measurement of natural gamma radiation, induction conductivity, and magnetic susceptibility provide a detailed, static picture of soil moisture and groundwater conditions within the hydrogeological units. Differences in electrical resistivity of the units reflect a combination of hydrogeological characteristics and climatic factors, namely temperature and precipitation. Resistive earth materials include dry glaciofluvial outwash and nonfractured bedrock; whereas glaciolacustrine clay and silt, water-bearing fractured bedrock, and periodically saturated subglacial till and outwash are conductive. Dynamic, continuous real-time monitoring of electrical resistivity, now underway, will help characterize water-flow paths, and possible relationships to independently monitor pore pressures and slope creep. These new hydrogeological and geophysical data sets enhance understanding of the composition and internal structure of this landslide and provide important context to interpret multiyear slope stability monitoring ongoing in the valley.

The Thompson River valley is one of the most important transportation corridors in western Canada as it hosts two important railways. This valley has experienced several historical landslide events, many of them along a 10 km section south of the town of Ashcroft. Six of these landslides, showing varying states of activity, were selected for analysis in this paper, as these have the potential for the biggest impact on the railways. The subsurface interpretation of these landslides is combined with satellite InSAR data from May 2015 to May 2017 to enhance the current understanding of the landslide kinematics. Two InSAR orientations are combined geometrically with the assumption that the horizontal component of landslide movement is parallel to the slope azimuth, which provides a practicable approach to approximate landslide displacement vectors. The results classify these landslides as very slow-moving. The maximum velocities recorded are 29, 35, 26, 64, 18, and 52 mm/year for the Goddard, North, South, South extension, Barnard, and Redhill landslides, respectively. All landslides except the Redhill landslide show near-horizontal movements near the toe, with increasing vertical components as measurements approach the back scarp. This confirms that kinematics include rotational and compound mechanisms.

Several countries worldwide are funding large-scale programs to mitigate landslide risk by implementing engineering remedial works. However, the overall effectiveness of such measures is rarely monitored, and they are typically performed at the slope scale without fully exploiting the wide-area capabilities of remote sensing technologies. A multi-scale and multi-source monitoring procedure for evaluating the slope stability and the effectiveness of related remedial works was proposed in this study and applied in the middle section of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA), China. The area is highly exposed to landslide hazards, and a massive program of engineering remedial works was recently implemented. Satellite interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR)-based techniques were first exploited at the regional scale with the objective to provide a general overview of the deformative scenario and to highlight localized problems (active landslides or high deformation zones) to be further investigated; then, local-scale field investigation and multi-source ground monitoring data were employed to verify the deforming states of active landslides and to evaluate the effectiveness of the landslide engineering remedial works. The results indicated that, among the 310 mapped landslides in the study area, 52 were identified to be active and in a slow-moving state by satellite InSAR; Among the 58 controlled landslides, 9 of them were suspected to be active in a slow-moving state and require further concern. Particular attention was paid to two controlled landslides that were found in a continuously and progressively deforming state. We observed that the regional-scale program of slope stabilization was highly successful; however, the variation of the surrounding environmental setting could have led to landslide reactivation or partial invalidation of the landslide remedial works. The proposed multi-scale and multi-source monitoring framework is low-cost, easy to perform, and very straightforward to communicate to citizens and authorities. It can be easily implemented with very wide areas to assess the slope stability and to investigate the effectiveness of large-scale governmental risk mitigation programs, identifying precursor signals that could allow for intervention before reaching critical conditions.

Landslides in the Thompson River valley, British Columbia have the potential to adversely impact vital national railway infrastructure and operations, the natural environment, cultural heritage features, communities, public safety and the economy. To better manage geohazard risks in the primary national transportation corridor, government agencies, universities and railway industry partners are focusing research efforts on the Ripley Landslide, 7 km south of Ashcroft. The internal composition and structure of this very slow-moving landslide as revealed by geophysical surveys and terrain mapping provides contextual baseline data for interpreting slope stability monitoring results and guiding geohazard mitigation efforts. Terrestrial and waterborne geophysical surveys were undertaken using subsets of the following methods: electrical resistivity tomography, frequency electromagnetic conductivity, ground penetrating radar, primary-wave refraction and multispectral analysis of shear-waves, natural gamma radiation, induction conductivity and magnetic susceptibility. Small and irregular anomalies, areas of complex subsurface geometry and groundwater-rich zones are resolved along all terrestrial geophysical survey lines. Terrain mapping and geophysical surveys indicate a high relief bedrock sub-surface overlain by a 10 m to >30 m thick package of complex fine-grained sediments containing groundwater. Planar sub-surface features revealed in surface exposures, borehole logs and geophysical profiles include tabular bedding and terrain unit contacts. Profiles also show discrete curvilinear features interpreted as rotational-translational failure planes in clay-rich beds in the main body of the slide beneath the rail ballast and retaining wall. Integrating data from surficial geology mapping and an array of geophysical methods provided significantly more information than any one technique on its own.

AbstractOn 15 March 2019, a fatal deep-seated landslide occurred at the village of Zaoling in Xiangning County of Shanxi Province, China. Extending to an area of about 120 m by 85 m, with an estimated displaced mass volume of 72,000 m3, the landslide left 20 people dead, 13 injured, and 8 buildings destroyed. There were no precursory signals prior to the event, and usual triggering mechanisms for a landslide were absent. Investigation conducted immediately after the incident revealed that the landslide was initiated in a 1.0 to 1.5-m thick-softened layer located at 40 m depth along the contact between the loess and interbedded paleosol layer. This softened layer was highly saturated due to the perched water on top of the relatively impervious paleosol layer and became a critical weak zone since the shear strength of loess is very sensitive to water content. We suggest that the perched water originated from extensive long-term unsaturated seepage of rainwater and local rapid percolation along preferential channels such as sinkholes and root network. The Zaoling landslide confirms that unlike most landslides in non-loess areas, loess landslides can occur without identifiable triggering events. They can result from gradual build up of instability due to slow (in the span of hundred years) accumulation of deep soil water. Based on the lessons learned from this landslide event, suggestions are given for the planning of urban and rural development in loess areas. Due to the fact that the process leading to the development of such a landslide is largely concealed, further research should be aimed at gaining a more thorough understanding of the mechanism of this landslide type.

Abstract We found ubiquitous evidence of ongoing slope instability by analysing the variability of tree-ring eccentricity index in trees growing on three apparently relict landslide slopes in the Sudetes (Poland, Central Europe). Slow movement of these landslide bodies occurs in the present-day conditions and is recorded almost every year, although with variable intensity. Correlation of dendrochronological record with the rainfall record from a nearby station in Mieroszów for the 1977–2007 period is very poor for two deep-seated rotational slides at Mt Suchawa and Mt Turzyna but considerably better for a shallow flowslide at Mt Garbatka. While this may reflect higher permeability of heavily jointed rocks involved in deep-seated sliding this could be linked with imperfections in the rainfall record. Dendrochronology proved capable of detecting minor displacements within landslides which otherwise show no geomorphic evidence of recent activity. Therefore, claims for the entirely relict nature of the landslides are not substantiated.

Le deformazioni lente di versante in roccia (DGPV e grandi frane) sono fenomeni diffusi che interessano interi versanti e mobilizzano volumi di roccia anche di miliardi di metri cubi. La loro evoluzione è legata a processi di rottura progressiva sotto forzanti esterne e di accoppiamento idromeccanico, rispecchiate da un complesso processo di creep. Sebbene caratterizzate da bassi tassi di spostamento (fino a pochi cm / anno), queste instabilità di versante danneggiano infrastrutture e ospitano settori potenzialmente soggetti a differenziazione e collasso catastrofico. È quindi necessaria una robusta caratterizzazione del loro stile di attività per determinare il potenziale impatto sugli elementi a rischio e anticipare un eventuale collasso. Tuttavia una metodologia di analisi finalizzata a questo scopo è ancora mancante. In questa prospettiva, abbiamo sviluppato un approccio multiscala che integra dati morfostrutturali, di terreno e tecniche DInSAR, applicandoli allo studio di un inventario di 208 deformazioni lente di versanti mappate in Lombardia. Su questo dataset abbiamo eseguito una mappatura geomorfologica e morfostrutturale di semi dettaglio tramite immagini aeree e DEM. Abbiamo quindi sviluppato un pacchetto di procedure oggettive per lo screening su scala di inventario delle deformazioni lente di versante integrando dati di velocità di spostamento, cinematica e di danneggiamento dell’ammasso roccioso per ogni frana. Utilizzando dataset PS-InSAR e SqueeSAR, abbiamo sviluppato una procedura mirata a identificare in maniera semiautomatica la velocità InSAR rappresentativa, il grado di segmentazione e l'eterogeneità interna di ogni frana mappata identificando la presenza di possibili fenomeni secondari. Utilizzando la tecnica 2DInSAR e tecniche di machine learning, abbiamo inoltre sviluppato un approccio automatico caratterizzare la cinematica di ciascuna frana. I dati così ottenuti sono stati integrati tramite analisi di PCA e K-medoid per identificare gruppi di frane caratterizzati da stili di attività simili. Partendo dai risultati della classificazione su scala regionale, ci siamo poi concentrati su 3 casi di studio emblematici, le DGPV di Corna Rossa, Mt. Mater e Saline, rappresentativi di problematiche tipiche delle grandi frane (segmentazione spaziale, attività eterogenea, sensibilità alle forzanti idrologiche). Applicando un approccio DInSAR mirato abbiamo indagato la risposta del versante a diverse baseline temporali per evidenziare le eterogeneità spaziali e, tramite un nuovo approccio di stacking su basline temporali lunghe abbiamo estrattoi segnali di spostamento permanenti ed evidenziato i settori e le strutture con evoluzione differenziale. Lo stesso approccio DInSAR è stato utilizzato per studiare la sensibilità delle deformazioni lente di versante alle forzanti idrologiche. Il confronto tra i tassi di spostamento stagionale e le serie temporali di precipitazioni e scioglimento neve per il monte. Mater e Saline hanno delineato complessi trend di spostamento stagionale. Queste tendenze, più evidenti per i settori più superficiali, evidenziano una risposta maggiore a periodi prolungati di precipitazione modulati dagli effetti dello scioglimento della neve. Ciò suggerisce che le DGPV, spesso considerate non influenzate dalla forzante climatica a breve termine (pluriennale), sono sensibili a input idrologici, con implicazioni chiave nell'interpretazione del loro fallimento progressivo. I nostri risultati hanno dimostrato l'efficacia della metodologia multi-scala proposta, che sfrutta i prodotti DInSAR e l'analisi mirata per identificare, classificare e caratterizzare l'attività delle deformazioni lente di versante includendo dati geologici in tutte le fasi dell'analisi. Il nostro approccio, è applicabile a diversi contesti e dataset e fornisce gli strumenti per indagare processi chiave in uno studio finalizzato alla definizione del rischio connesso alle deformazioni lente di versante.
Slow rock slope deformations (DSGSDs and large landslides) are widespread, affect entire hillslopes and displace volumes up to billions of cubic meters. They evolve over long time by progressive failure processes, under variable climatic and hydro-mechanical coupling conditions mirrored by a complex creep behaviour. Although characterized by low displacement rates (up to few cm/yr), these slope instabilities damage sensitive structures and host nested sectors potentially undergoing rockslide differentiation and collapse. A robust characterization of the style of activity of slow rock slope deformations is required to predict their interaction with elements at risk and anticipate possible failure, yet a comprehensive methodology to this aim is still lacking. In this perspective, we developed a multi-scale methodology integrating geomorphological mapping, field data and different DInSAR techniques, using an inventory of 208 slow rock slope deformations in Lombardia (Italian Central Alps), for which we performed a geomorphological and morpho-structural mapping on aerial images and DEMs. On the regional scale, we developed an objective workflow for the inventory-scale screening of slow-moving landslides. The approach is based on a refined definition of activity that integrates the displacement rate, kinematics and degree of internal damage for each landslide. Using PS-InSAR and SqueeSAR datasets, we developed an original peak analysis of InSAR displacement rates to characterize the degree of segmentation and heterogeneity of mapped phenomena, highlight the occurrence of sectors with differential activity and derive their characteristic displacement rates. Using 2DInSAR velocity decomposition and machine learning classification, we set up an original automatic approach to characterize the kinematics of each landslides. Then, we sequentially combine PCA and K-medoid cluster analysis to identify groups of landslides characterized by consistent styles of activity, accounting for all the relevant aspects including velocity, kinematics, segmentation, and internal damage. Starting from the results of regional-scale classification, we focused on the Corna Rossa, Mt. Mater and Saline DSGSDs, that are emblematic case studies on which apply DInSAR analysis to investigate typical issues in large landslide studies (spatial segmentation, heterogenous activity, sensitivity to hydrological triggers). We applied a targeted DInSAR technique on multiple temporal baselines to unravel the spatial heterogeneities of complex DSGSDs and through a novel stacking approach on raw long temporal baseline interferograms, we outlined the permanent displacement signals and sectors with differential evolution as well as individual active structures. We then used DInSAR to investigate the possible sensitivity of slow rock slope deformations to hydrological triggers. Comparison between seasonal displacement rates, derived by interferograms with targeted temporal baselines, and time series of precipitation and snowmelt at the Mt. Mater and Saline ridge outlined complex temporally shifted seasonal displacement trends. These trends, more evident for shallower nested sectors, outline dominant controls by prolonged precipitation periods modulated by the effects of snowmelt. This suggests that DSGSDs, often considered insensitive to short-term (pluri-annual) climatic forcing, may respond to hydrological triggering, with key implication in the interpretation of their progressive failure. Our results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed multi-scale methodology that exploits DInSAR products and targeted processing to identify, classify and characterize the activity of slow rock slope deformation at different levels of details by including geological data in all the analysis stages. Our approach, readily applicable to different settings and datasets, provides the tools to solve key scientific issues in a geohazard-oriented study of slow rock slope deformations.

碩士
逢甲大學
土木工程學系
103
It has been stated in the summary report of investigation of landslide at 3.1km of National Highway No. 3 that this incident is caused by softened rock strength and corroded anchor resulted from highly developed joints, geological structures, groundwater infiltration, and seasonal water level variation. As a result, all slope anchors along National Highway have been replaced with anchors with double corrosion protection. However, it has been revealed by Engineering Ethics that the variations of joints, geological structures, groundwater and rock strength are based on engineering judgment by professional technicians during design, such that they are not professional causes of disaster. Therefore, the focus of this research paper is to determine whether or not the anchor corrosion is a professional cause of disaster. The first thing in this paper is to identify that the slope was in a state of very slow slip soon after the completion of National Highway construction based on onsite situation prior to the disaster. And then the comparison between the onsite anchor pull experimental results and the inspection results of the degree of anchor corrosion has proven that the tensile strength of the corrosion-damaged anchor remains rather high or properly high. Therefore, another key point of this paper is to figure out whether or not the total replacement of corroded anchors can guarantee the stability of slope. Based on aforementioned arguments, the results of overall slope stability analyses have revealed the professional cause of this disaster being that the tensile strength, friction angle and adhesion at the sliding interface have been reduced along with the increased amount of shear banding when the anchors were damaged with the slope being in a state of very slow slip; the tensile strengths and the adhesions of sliding interface of the damaged anchors were close to zeros before the substantial slide of the sliding block. This is an indication that, even after the corroded anchors are replaced with the anchors with double corrosion protection, their tensile strengths will still be reduced along with the increase in the amount of shear banding when the anchors with double corrosion protection are damaged with the slope being in a state of very slow slip. Thus, it cannot guarantee the stability of slope. Therefore, it is suggested that shear bandings of all anchored slopes should be continuously monitored by inclinometers, and slope remediation should be applied whenever the accumulated displacement reaches the alert value in order to timely inhibit the shear bandings and stabilize the tensile strengths of damaged anchors. As a result, the overall safety factor of the slope can be greatly enhanced by increase of adhesion of sliding interface in order to effectively prevent the sliding damage of slope.

Many mountainous villages have been struck by landslides in Western Greece due to growing urbanization and uncontrolled land use in landslide prone areas, without considering the engineering geological environment. The presence of the tectonically highly sheared and weathered geological formations of the alpine basement (such as flysch) and the intense geomorphological relief, strongly contribute to the periodically induced instability phenomena mainly triggered by heavy rainfalls and extreme meteorological events. The current research combines long-term monitoring of the parameters connected to the landslide activity with the real-time kinematics observation in a dense-populated mountainous village located in the Region of Epirus in Greece. The landslide movements evolve very low velocity values at different depths; thus, the landslide cases can be characterized as complex and "extremely slow". The long-term monitoring is carried out by several in-place and portable inclinometer probes that permit the detailed observation of subsurface displacements for an extended period. In addition, GNSS measurements, very high-resolution multitemporal interferometry (accompanied with the installation of corner reflectors) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetric surveys are used for the monitoring of surface deformation. All instrumentation is installed in the wider area of the landslide zone and one of the main goals of this approach is to combine long-term monitoring of the parameters connected to the landslide activity with the observation of the landslide kinematics in real-time.

The river valleys in the plains of Western Canada and the Northwestern United States are relatively young in a geological time scale and often have extensive landslide activity on the valley slopes. Depending on the geology, these landslides can have very low movement rates and show little or no visible signs of slope movement, but still be relevant for the integrity of pipelines. Pipelines installed in gradually moving landslide terrain are subject to some risk of damage, depending on the details of the installation and the level of activity of the slide. Directionally drilled pipeline installations can be particularly vulnerable to this type of slope movement relative to long term integrity. A number of case histories are reviewed that involved pipeline installations on slopes that were moving at slow but persistent rates. Measures were successfully implemented at several of the slopes to lower the risk to the pipelines. Many of these cases involved relatively low cost drainage measures that significantly reduced the risk of pipeline damage.

The OCENSA pipeline system is exposed to different geotechnical problems, including faults, landslides and/or creeping slopes. These problems are typical of the Andes Mountains, especially in tropical countries like Colombia. Due to the fact that the system was constructed buried, the pipe interaction with the surrounding soil is a very important factor that must be taken into account in these unstable places in order to guarantee the pipe integrity. In this paper, a methodology to evaluate the pipe response under soil displacements in slow landslides is proposed. This methodology consists of three different cases of analysis, according to the characteristics of the place in study. It starts using a simplified analytical model and ends with 3D finite element numerical simulations using the real geometry of soil and pipe. The 3D continuum finite element models are made using the general purpose nonlinear software ABAQUS/Standard. These models are calibrated and validated with soil displacement data acquired from geotechnical instrumentation and pipeline geometry information obtained from in-line inspection tools. The models are used to predict the pipe behavior, estimating the moment at which the pipe overpasses the allowable strains. Based on the calculated strains, relief procedures are programmed and executed. These activities allow the pipeline to relieve the strain caused by soil movements, avoiding the occurrence of failures. For this reason, the proposed methodology is a very important tool in the OCENSA pipeline integrity program, which has been used successfully to assess the pipe condition in unstable areas and to take the appropriate remediation and mitigation techniques.