Earthquake-triggered landslides affecting a UNESCO Natural Site：the 2017 Jiuzhaigou Earthquake in the World National Park,China

On August 8^(th), 2017, an Ms 7.0 magnitude earthquake occurred in Jiuzhaigou County, northern Sichuan Province, China. The Jiuzhaigou Valley World National Park was the most affected area due to the epicentre being located in the scenic area of the park. Understanding the distribution characteristics of landslides triggered by earthquakes to help protect the natural heritage sites in Jiuzhaigou Valley remains a scientific challenge. In this study, a relatively complete inventory of the coseismic landslides triggered by the earthquake was compiled through the interpretation of high-resolution images combined with a field investigation. The results indicate thatcoseismic landslides not only are concentrated in Rize Gulley, Danzu Gully and Zezhawa Gully in the study area but also occur in the front part of Shuzheng Gully along the road network(from the entrance of Jiuzhaigou Valley to Heye Village). The landslides predominantly occur on the east-and southeastfacing slopes in the study area, which is a result of the integrated action of the valley direction and fault movement direction. The back-slope effect and the slope structure caused the difference in coseismic landslide distribution within the three gullies(Danzu Gully, Rize Gully, and Zezhawa Gully) near the inferred fault. In addition, the topographic position index was used to analyse the impact of microlandforms on earthquake-triggered landslides by considering the effect of the slope angle. The study results reveal a higher concentration of landslides in the slope position class of the middle slope(30°-50°) in Jiuzhaigou Valley. These findings can provide scientific guidance for the protection of natural heritage sites and post-disaster reconstruction in Jiuzhaigou Valley.

Characteristics of Earthquake-Triggered Landslides and Post-Earthquake Debris Flows in Beichuan County

Field investigations and aerial photography after the earthquake of May 12,2008 show a large number of geo-hazards in the zone of extreme earthquake effects.In particular,landslides and debris flows,the geo-hazards that most threaten post-disaster reconstruction,are widely distributed.We describe the characteristics of these geo-hazards in Beichuan County using high-resolution remote sensing of landslide distribution,and the relationships between the area and volume of landslides and the peak-discharges of debris flows both pre-and post-earthquake.The results show:1) The concentration(defined as the number of landslide sources per unit area:Lc) of earthquaketriggered landslides is inversely correlated with distance from the earthquake(DF) fault.The relationship is described by the following equation:Lc = 3.2264exp(-0.0831DF)(R2 = 0.9246);2) 87 % of the earthquake-triggered landslides were less than 15×104 m2 in area,and these accounted only for 50% of the total area;84% of the landslide volumes were less than 60×104 m3,and these accounted only for 50% of the total volume.The probability densities of the area and volume distributions are correlated:landslide abundance increases with landslide area and volume up to maximum values of 5 × 104 m2 and 30 × 104 m3,respectively,and then decreases exponentially.3) The area(AL) and volume(VL) of earthquake-triggered landslides are correlated as described with the following equation:VL=6.5138AL1.0227(R2 = 0.9131);4) Characteristics of the debris flows changed after the earthquake because of the large amount of landslide material deposited in the gullies.Consequently,debris flow peak-discharge increased following the earthquake as described with the following equation:Vpost = 0.8421Vpre1.0972(R2 = 0.9821)(Vpre is the peak discharge of pre-earthquake flows and the Vpost is the peak discharge of post-earthquake flows).We obtained the distribution of the landslides based on the above analyses,as well as the magnitude of both the landslides and the post-earthquake debris flows.The results can be useful for guiding post-disaster reconstruction and recovery efforts,and for the future mitigation of these geo-hazards.However,the equations presented are not recommended for use in site-specific designs.Rather,we recommend their use for mapping regional seismic landslide hazards or for the preliminary,rapid screening of sites.

Investigating the reactivation of historical landslides during the 2022 Luding M_(S)6.8 earthquake

On September 5,2022,a strong earthquake with a magnitude of MS6.8 struck Luding County in Sichuan Province,China,triggering thousands of landslides along the Dadu River in the northwest-southeast(NW-SE)direction.We investigated the reactivation characteristics of historical landslides within the epicentral area of the Luding earthquake to identify the initiation mechanism of earthquake-induced landslides.Records of the two newly triggered and historical landslides were analyzed using manual and threshold methods;the spatial distribution of landslides was assessed in relation to topographical and geological factors using remote sensing images.This study sheds light on the spatial distribution patterns of landslides,especially those that occur above historical landslide areas.Our results revealed a similarity in the spatial distribution trends between historical landslides and new ones induced by earthquakes.These landslides tend to be concentrated within a range of 0.2 km from the river and 2 km from the fault.Notably,both rivers and faults predominantly influenced the reactivation of historical landslides.Remarkably,the reactivated landslides are characterized by their small to medium size and are predominantly situated in historical landslide zones.The number of reactivated landslides surpassed that of previously documented historical landslides within the study area.We provide insights into the critical factors responsible for historical landslides during the 2022 Luding earthquake,thereby enhancing our understanding of the potential implications for future co-seismic hazard assessments and mitigation strategies.

GIS-based prediction method of shallow landslides induced by heavy rainfall in large mountainous areas

Rainwater runoff that does not infiltrate the soil during heavy rainfall may increase slope instability. The effect of runoff is usually neglected in conventional rainfall-induced slope failure analysis to simplify the model. To analyze the effect of runoff on slope stability, this study simultaneously simulated the effects of surface runoff and rainfall infiltration on bank slopes in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. A shallow slope failure method that can be used to analyze runoff was proposed based on the modified Green-Ampt model, the simplified Saint-Venant model, and the infinite slope model. In this model, the modified Green–Ampt model was used to estimate the rainfall infiltration capacity and the wetting front depth. The eight-flow(D8) method and the simplified Saint-Venant model were selected to estimate the distribution of runoff. By considering the wetting front depth as the slip surface depth, the factor of safety of the slope could be determined using the infinite slope stability model. A comparison of the different models reveals that runoff can escalate the instability of certain slopes, causing stable slopes to become unstable. Comparison of the unstable areas obtained from the simulation with the actual landslide sites shows that the model proposed in this study can successfully predict landslides at these sites. The slope instability assessment model proposed in this study offers an alternative approach for estimating high-risk areas in large mountainous regions.

Identification and distribution of 13003 landslides in the northwest margin of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau based on human-computer interaction remote sensing interpretation

The periphery of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is renowned for its susceptibility to landslides.However,the northwestern margin of this region,characterised by limited human activities and challenging transportation,remains insufficiently explored concerning landslide occurrence and dispersion.With the planning and construction of the Xinjiang-Tibet Railway,a comprehensive investigation into disastrous landslides in this area is essential for effective disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies.By using the human-computer interaction interpretation approach,the authors established a landslide database encompassing 13003 landslides,collectively spanning an area of 3351.24 km^(2)(36°N-40°N,73°E-78°E).The database incorporates diverse topographical and environmental parameters,including regional elevation,slope angle,slope aspect,distance to faults,distance to roads,distance to rivers,annual precipitation,and stratum.The statistical characteristics of number and area of landslides,landslide number density(LND),and landslide area percentage(LAP)are analyzed.The authors found that a predominant concentration of landslide origins within high slope angle regions,with the highest incidence observed in intervals characterised by average slopes of 20°to 30°,maximum slope angle above 80°,along with orientations towards the north(N),northeast(NE),and southwest(SW).Additionally,elevations above 4.5 km,distance to rivers below 1 km,rainfall between 20-30 mm and 30-40 mm emerge as particularly susceptible to landslide development.The study area’s geological composition primarily comprises Mesozoic and Upper Paleozoic outcrops.Both fault and human engineering activities have different degrees of influence on landslide development.Furthermore,the significance of the landslide database,the relationship between landslide distribution and environmental factors,and the geometric and morphological characteristics of landslides are discussed.The landslide H/L ratios in the study area are mainly concentrated between 0.4 and 0.64.It means the landslides mobility in the region is relatively low,and the authors speculate that landslides in this region more possibly triggered by earthquakes or located in meizoseismal area.

Runout prediction of potential landslides based on the multi-source data collaboration analysis on historical cases

Long runout landslides involve a massive amount of energy and can be extremely hazardous owing to their long movement distance,high mobility and strong destructive power.Numerical methods have been widely used to predict the landslide runout but a fundamental problem remained is how to determine the reliable numerical parameters.This study proposes a framework to predict the runout of potential landslides through multi-source data collaboration and numerical analysis of historical landslide events.Specifically,for the historical landslide cases,the landslide-induced seismic signal,geophysical surveys,and possible in-situ drone/phone videos(multi-source data collaboration)can validate the numerical results in terms of landslide dynamics and deposit features and help calibrate the numerical(rheological)parameters.Subsequently,the calibrated numerical parameters can be used to numerically predict the runout of potential landslides in the region with a similar geological setting to the recorded events.Application of the runout prediction approach to the 2020 Jiashanying landslide in Guizhou,China gives reasonable results in comparison to the field observations.The numerical parameters are determined from the multi-source data collaboration analysis of a historical case in the region(2019 Shuicheng landslide).The proposed framework for landslide runout prediction can be of great utility for landslide risk assessment and disaster reduction in mountainous regions worldwide.

ARHCS (Automatic Rainfall Half-Life Cluster System): A Landslides Early Warning System (LEWS) Using Cluster Analysis and Automatic Threshold Definition

A significant portion of Landslide Early Warning Systems (LEWS) relies on the definition of operational thresholds and the monitoring of cumulative rainfall for alert issuance. These thresholds can be obtained in various ways, but most often they are based on previous landslide data. This approach introduces several limitations. For instance, there is a requirement for the location to have been previously monitored in some way to have this type of information recorded. Another significant limitation is the need for information regarding the location and timing of incidents. Despite the current ease of obtaining location information (GPS, drone images, etc.), the timing of the event remains challenging to ascertain for a considerable portion of landslide data. Concerning rainfall monitoring, there are multiple ways to consider it, for instance, examining accumulations over various intervals (1 h, 6 h, 24 h, 72 h), as well as in the calculation of effective rainfall, which represents the precipitation that actually infiltrates the soil. However, in the vast majority of cases, both the thresholds and the rain monitoring approach are defined manually and subjectively, relying on the operators’ experience. This makes the process labor-intensive and time-consuming, hindering the establishment of a truly standardized and rapidly scalable methodology on a large scale. In this work, we propose a Landslides Early Warning System (LEWS) based on the concept of rainfall half-life and the determination of thresholds using Cluster Analysis and data inversion. The system is designed to be applied in extensive monitoring networks, such as the one utilized by Cemaden, Brazil’s National Center for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters.

Centrifuge modeling of unreinforced and multi-row stabilizing piles reinforced landslides subjected to reservoir water level fluctuation

With the construction of the Three Gorges Reservoir dam,frequent reservoir landslide events have been recorded.In recent years,multi-row stabilizing piles(MRSPs)have been used to stabilize massive reservoir landslides in China.In this study,two centrifuge model tests were carried out to study the unreinforced and MRSP-reinforced slopes subjected to reservoir water level(RWL)operation,using the Taping landslide as a prototype.The results indicate that the RWL rising can provide lateral support within the submerged zone and then produce the inward seepage force,eventually strengthening the slope stability.However,a rapid RWL drawdown may induce outward seepage forces and a sudden debuttressing effect,consequently reducing the effective soil normal stress and triggering partial pre-failure within the RWL fluctuation zone.Furthermore,partial deformation and subsequent soil structure damage generate excess pore water pressures,ultimately leading to the overall failure of the reservoir landslide.This study also reveals that a rapid increase in the downslope driving force due to RWL drawdown significantly intensifies the lateral earth pressures exerted on the MRSPs.Conversely,the MRSPs possess a considerable reinforcement effect on the reservoir landslide,transforming the overall failure into a partial deformation and failure situated above and in front of the MRSPs.The mechanical transfer behavior observed in the MRSPs demonstrates a progressive alteration in relation to RWL fluctuations.As the RWL rises,the mechanical states among MRSPs exhibit a growing imbalance.The shear force transfer factor(i.e.the ratio of shear forces on pile of the n th row to that of the first row)increases significantly with the RWL drawdown.This indicates that the mechanical states among MRSPs tend toward an enhanced equilibrium.The insights gained from this study contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the failure mechanisms of reservoir landslides and the mechanical behavior of MRSPs in reservoir banks.

Exploring mechanism of hidden,steep obliquely inclined bedding landslides using a 3DEC model:A case study of the Shanyang landslide in Shaanxi Province,China

Catastrophic geological disasters frequently occur on slopes with obliquely inclined bedding structures(also referred to as obliquely inclined bedding slopes),where the apparent dip sliding is not readily visible.This phenomenon has become a focal point in landslide research.Yet,there is a lack of studies on the failure modes and mechanisms of hidden,steep obliquely inclined bedding slopes.This study investigated the Shanyang landslide in Shaanxi Province,China.Using field investigations,laboratory tests of geotechnical parameters,and the 3DEC software,this study developed a numerical model of the landslide to analyze the failure process of such slopes.The findings indicate that the Shanyang landslide primarily crept along a weak interlayer under the action of gravity.The landslide,initially following a dip angle with the support of a stable inclined rock mass,shifted direction under the influence of argillization in the weak interlayer,moving towards the apparent dip angle.The slide resistance effect of the karstic dissolution zone was increasingly significant during this process,with lateral friction being the primary resistance force.A reduction in the lateral friction due to karstic dissolution made the apparent dip sliding characteristics of the Shanyang landslide more pronounced.Notably,deformations such as bending and uplift at the slope’s foot suggest that the main slide resistance shifts from lateral friction within the karstic dissolution zone to the slope foot’s resistance force,leading to the eventual buckling failure of the landslide.This study unveils a novel failure mode of apparent dip creep-buckling in the Shanyang landslide,highlighting the critical role of lateral friction from the karstic dissolution zone in its failure mechanism.These insights offer a valuable reference for mitigating risks and preventing disasters related to obliquely inclined bedding landslides.

Spatial distribution of shallow landslides caused by Typhoon Lekima in 2019 in Zhejiang Province, China

In recent years, the coastal region of Southeast China has witnessed a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events associated with landfalling typhoons. The hilly and mountainous terrain of this area, combined with rapid rainfall accumulation, has led to a surge in flash floods and severe geological hazards. On August 10, 2019, Typhoon Lekima made landfall in Zhejiang Province, China, and its torrential rainfall triggered extensive landslides, resulting in substantial damage and economic losses. Utilizing high-resolution satellite images, we compiled a landslide inventory of the affected area, which comprises a total of 2,774 rainfallinduced landslides over an area of 2965 km2. The majority of these landslides were small to mediumsized and exhibited elongated, clustered patterns. Some landslides displayed characteristics of high-level initiation, obstructing or partially blocking rivers, leading to the formation of debris dams. We used the inventory to analyze the distribution pattern of the landslides and their relationship with topographical, geological, and hydrological factors. The results showed that landslide abundance was closely related to elevation, slope angle, faults, and road density. The landslides were predominantly located in hilly and low mountainous areas, with elevations ranging from 150 to 300 m, slopes of 20 to 30 degrees, and a NE-SE aspect. Notably, we observed the highest Landslide Number Density(LND) and Landslide Area Percentage(LAP) in the rhyolite region. Landslides were concentrated within approximately 4 km on either side of fault zones, with their size and frequency negatively correlated with distances to faults, roads, and river systems. Furthermore, under the influence of typhoons, regions with denser vegetation cover exhibited higher landslide density, reaching maximum values in shrubland areas. In areas experiencing significantly increased concentrated rainfall, landslide density also showed a corresponding rise. In terms of spatial distribution, the rainfall-triggered landslides primarily occurred in the northeastern part of the study area, particularly in regions characterized by complex topography such as Shanzao Village in Yantan Town, Xixia Township, and Shangzhang Township. The research findings offer crucial data on the rainfallinduced landslides triggered by Typhoon Lekima, shedding light on their spatial distribution patterns. These findings provide valuable references for mitigating risks and planning reconstruction in typhoon-affected area.

Automatic recognition of landslides based on YOLOv7 and attention mechanism

Landslide disasters comprise the majority of geological incidents on slopes,posing severe threats to the safety of human lives and property while exerting a significant impact on the geological environment.The rapid identification of landslides is important for disaster prevention and control;however,currently,landslide identification relies mainly on the manual interpretation of remote sensing images.Manual interpretation and feature recognition methods are time-consuming,labor-intensive,and challenging when confronted with complex scenarios.Consequently,automatic landslide recognition has emerged as a pivotal avenue for future development.In this study,a dataset comprising 2000 landslide images was constructed using open-source remote sensing images and datasets.The YOLOv7 model was enhanced using data augmentation algorithms and attention mechanisms.Three optimization models were formulated to realize automatic landslide recognition.The findings demonstrate the commendable performance of the optimized model in automatic landslide recognition,achieving a peak accuracy of 95.92%.Subsequently,the optimized model was applied to regional landslide identification,co-seismic landslide identification,and landslide recognition at various scales,all of which showed robust recognition capabilities.Nevertheless,the model exhibits limitations in detecting small targets,indicating areas for refining the deep-learning algorithms.The results of this research offer valuable technical support for the swift identification,prevention,and mitigation of landslide disasters.

Antecedent Precipitation Index to Estimate Soil Moisture and Correlate as a Triggering Process in the Occurrence of Landslides

Landslides are highly dangerous phenomena that occur in different parts of the world and pose significant threats to human populations. Intense rainfall events are the main triggering process for landslides in urbanized slope regions, especially those considered high-risk areas. Various other factors contribute to the process;thus, it is essential to analyze the causes of such incidents in all possible ways. Soil moisture plays a critical role in the Earth’s surface-atmosphere interaction systems;hence, measurements and their estimations are crucial for understanding all processes involved in the water balance, especially those related to landslides. Soil moisture can be estimated from in-situ measurements using different sensors and techniques, satellite remote sensing, hydrological modeling, and indicators to index moisture conditions. Antecedent soil moisture can significantly impact runoff for the same rainfall event in a watershed. The Antecedent Precipitation Index (API) or “retained rainfall,” along with the antecedent moisture condition from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, is generally applied to estimate runoff in watersheds where data is limited or unavailable. This work aims to explore API in estimating soil moisture and establish thresholds based on landslide occurrences. The estimated soil moisture will be compared and calibrated using measurements obtained through multisensor capacitance probes installed in a high-risk area located in the mountainous region of Campos do Jordão municipality, São Paulo, Brazil. The API used in the calculation has been modified, where the recession coefficient depends on air temperature variability as well as the climatological mean temperature, which can be considered as losses in the water balance due to evapotranspiration. Once the API is calibrated, it will be used to extrapolate to the entire watershed and consequently estimate soil moisture. By utilizing recorded mass movements and comparing them with API and soil moisture, it will be possible to determine thresholds, thus enabling anticipation of landslide occurrences.

A process-oriented approach for identifying potential landslides considering time-dependent behaviors beyond geomorphological features

Geomorphological features are commonly used to identify potential landslides.Nevertheless,overemphasis on these features could lead to misjudgment.This research proposes a process-oriented approach for potential landslide identification that considers time-dependent behaviors.The method integrates comprehensive remote sensing and geological analysis to qualitatively assess slope stability,and employs numerical analysis to quantitatively calculate aging stability.Specifically,a time-dependent stability calculation method for anticlinal slopes is developed and implemented in discrete element software,incorporating time-dependent mechanical and strength reduction calculations.By considering the time-dependent evolution of slopes,this method highlights the importance of both geomorphological features and time-dependent behaviors in landslide identification.This method has been applied to the Jiarishan slope(JRS)on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a case study.The results show that the JRS,despite having landslide geomorphology,is a stable slope,highlighting the risk of misjudgment when relying solely on geomorphological features.This work provides insights into the geomorphological characterization and evolution history of the JRS and offers valuable guidance for studying slopes with similar landslide geomorphology.Furthermore,the process-oriented method incorporating timedependent evolution provides a means to evaluate potential landslides,reducing misjudgment due to excessive reliance on geomorphological features.

Characterization and spatial analysis of coseismic landslides triggered by the Luding Ms 6.8 earthquake in the Xianshuihe fault zone, Southwest China

On September 5, 2022, a magnitude Ms 6.8 earthquake occurred along the Moxi fault in the southern part of the Xianshuihe fault zone located in the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau,resulting in severe damage and substantial economic loss. In this study, we established a coseismic landslide database triggered by Luding Ms 6.8 earthquake, which includes 4794 landslides with a total area of 46.79 km^(2). The coseismic landslides primarily consisted of medium and small-sized landslides, characterized by shallow surface sliding. Some exhibited characteristics of high-position initiation resulted in the obstruction or partial obstruction of rivers, leading to the formation of dammed lakes. Our research found that the coseismic landslides were predominantly observed on slopes ranging from 30° to 50°, occurring at between 1000 m and 2500 m, with slope aspects varying from 90° to 180°. Landslides were also highly developed in granitic bodies that had experienced structural fracturing and strong-tomoderate weathering. Coseismic landslides concentrated within a 6 km range on both sides of the Xianshuihe and Daduhe fault zones. The area and number of coseismic landslides exhibited a negative correlation with the distance to fault lines, road networks, and river systems, as they were influenced by fault activity, road excavation, and river erosion. The coseismic landslides were mainly distributed in the southeastern region of the epicenter, exhibiting relatively concentrated patterns within the IX-degree zones such as Moxi Town, Wandong River basin, Detuo Town to Wanggangping Township. Our research findings provide important data on the coseismic landslides triggered by the Luding Ms 6.8 earthquake and reveal the spatial distribution patterns of these landslides. These findings can serve as important references for risk mitigation, reconstruction planning, and regional earthquake disaster research in the earthquake-affected area.

Airblast evolution initiated by Wangjiayan landslides in the M_(s)8.0 Wenchuan earthquake and its destructive capacity analysis

Airblasts,as one common phenomenon accompanied by rapid movements of landslides or rock/snow avalanches,commonly result in catastrophic damages and are attracting more and more scientific attention.To quantitatively analyze the intensity of airblast initiated by landslides,the Wangjiayan landslide,occurred in the Wenchuan earthquake,is selected here with the landslide propagation and airblast evolution being studied using FLUENT by introducing the Voellmy rheological law.The results reveal that:(1)For the Wangjiayan landslide,its whole travelling duration is only 12 s with its maximum velocity reaching 36 m/s at t=10 s;(2)corresponding to the landslide propagation,the maximum velocity,28 m/s,of the airblast initiated by the landslide also appears at t=10 s with its maximum pressure reaching594.8 Pa,which is equivalent to violent storm;(3)under the attack of airblast,the load suffered by buildings in the airblast zone increases to 1300 Pa at t=9.4 s and sharply decreased to-7000 Pa as the rapid decrease of the velocity of the sliding mass at t=10 s,which is seriously unfavorable for buildings and might be the key reason for the destructive collapse of buildings in the airblast zone of the Wangjiayan landslide.

Dynamic simulation insights into friction weakening effect on rapid long-runout landslides:A case study of the Yigong landslide in the Tibetan Plateau,China

This study proposed a novel friction law dependent on velocity,displacement and normal stress for kinematic analysis of runout process of rapid landslides.The well-known Yigong landslide occurring in the Tibetan Plateau of China was employed as the case,and the derived dynamic friction formula was included into the numerical simulation based on Particle Flow Code.Results showed that the friction decreased quickly from 0.64(the peak)to 0.1(the stead value)during the 5s-period after the sliding initiation,which explained the behavior of rapid movement of the landslide.The monitored balls set at different sections of the mass showed similar variation characteritics regarding the velocity,namely evident increase at the initial phase of the movement,followed by a fluctuation phase and then a stopping one.The peak velocity was more than 100 m/s and most particles had low velocities at 300s after the landslide initiation.The spreading distance of the landslide was calculated at the two-dimension(profile)and three-dimension scale,respectively.Compared with the simulation result without considering friction weakening effect,our results indicated a max distance of about 10 km from the initial unstable position,which fit better with the actual situation.

Earthquake-triggered landslide interpretation model of high resolution remote sensing imageries based on bag of visual word

Traditional visual interpretation is often inefficient due to its excessively workload professional knowledge and strong subjectivity.Therefore,building an automatic interpretation model on high spatial resolution remote sensing images is the key to the quick and efficient interpretation of earthquake-triggered landslides.Aiming at addressing this problem,a landslide interpretation model of high-resolution images based on bag of visual word(BoVW)feature was proposed.The high-resolution images were pre-processed,and then BoVW feature and support vector machine(SVM)was adopted to establish an automatic landslide interpretation model.This model was further compared with the currently widely used Histogram of Oriented Gradient(HoG)feature extraction model.In order to test the effectiveness of the method,typical landslide images were selected to construct a landslide sample library,which was subsequently utilized as the foundation for conducting an experimental study.The results show that the accuracy of landslide extraction using this method reaches as high as 89%,indicating that the method can be used for the automatic interpretation of landslides in disaster-prone areas,and has high practical value for regional disaster prevention and damage reduction.

Unraveling the hydraulic properties of loess for landslide prediction:A study on variations in loess landslides in Lanzhou,Dingxi,and Tianshui,China

Loess has distinctive characteristics,leading to frequent landslide disasters and posing serious threats to the lives and properties of local re sidents.The involvement of water repre sents a critical factor in inducing loess landslides.This study focuses on three neighboring cities sequentially situated on the Loess Plateau along the direction of aeolian deposition of loess,namely Lanzhou,Dingxi,and Tianshui,which are densely populated and prone to landslide disasters.The variations in hydraulic properties,including water retention capacity and permeability,are investigated through Soil Water Characteristic Curve(SWCC)test and hydraulic conductivity test.The experimental findings revealed that Tianshui loess exhibited the highest water retention capacity,followed by Dingxi loess,while Lanzhou loess demonstrated the lowest water retention capacity.Contrastingly,the results for the saturated permeability coefficient were found to be the opposite:Tianshui loess showed the lowest permeability,whereas Lanzhou loess displayed the highest permeability.These results are supported and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM)observation.In addition,the water retention capacity is mathematically expressed using the van Genuchten model and extended to predict unsaturated hydraulic properties of loess.The experimental results exhibit a strong accordance with one another and align with the regional distribution patterns of disasters.

Dynamic mechanisms of earthquake-triggered landslides

Earthquake-triggered landslides usually cause great disasters,and yet their dynamic mechanisms remain poorly understood.This paper will derive a general conceptual landslide model from the geometric and kinematic features of the most landslide masses triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.Kinematic characteristics and dynamic processes are simulated here by means of finite element method(FEM)based on the dynamic process of the discontinuous deformable body.The calculated results presented the whole course of landslide motion,and displayed some typical kinematic characteristics such as initiation,sliding,ejection,collision,flying in the air,and climbing of landslides.The simulation result also shows that,under combined seismic inertial forces and gravity,landslides will start to slip once it overcomes the friction between the sliding mass and slip-bed,then it will move from slow to fast along the slippery bed until it ejects from the slip-bed.Moreover,the high frequencies and serious damages by landslides in the Wenchuan earthquake are caused by the strong ground motion on the mountain slopes in and around the epicenter that was dramatically amplified owing to both resonances produced by the seismic event and topographical amplification by seismic motion.In addition,the modeling results suggest that the direction,amplitude,frequency,and duration of strong ground motion have a great influence on the stability of landslide mass.Therefore,the study helps us better understand dynamic mechanism of landslides,seismic hazard assessment,and dynamic earthquake triggering.

Preparation of earthquake-triggered landslide inventory maps using remote sensing and GIS technologies:Principles and case studies

Inventory maps of earthquake-triggered landslides can be constructed using several methods,which are often subject to obvious differences due to lack of commonly accepted criteria or principles,To solve this problem,the author describes the principles for preparing inventory maps of earthquake-triggered landslides,focusing on varied methods and their criteria,The principles include the following key points：all landslides should be mapped as long as they can be recognized from images;both the boundary and source area position of landslides should be mapped;spatial distribution pattern of earthquake-triggered landslides should be continuous;complex landslides should be divided into distinct groups;three types of errors such as precision of the location and boundary of landslides,false positive errors,and false negative errors of earthquake-triggered landslide inventories should be controlled and reduced;and inventories of co-seismic landslides should be constructed by the visual interpretation method rather than automatic extraction of satellite images or/and aerial photographs,In addition,selection of remote sensing images and creation of landslides attribute database are also discussed in this paper,Then the author applies these principles to produce inventory maps of four events：the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan,China M_w 7.9,14 April 2010 Yushu,China M_w 6,9,12 January 2010 Haiti M_w7.0,and 2007 Aysen Fjord,Chile M_w 6.2,The results show obvious differences in comparison with previous studies by other researchers,which again attest to the necessity of establishment of unified principles for preparation of inventory maps of earthquake-triggered landslides.