Control of landslide retrogression by discontinuities: evidence by the integration of airborne- and ground-based geophysical information

The objective of this work is to present a multitechnique approach to define the geometry, the kinematics, and the failure mechanism of a retrogressive large landslide (upper part of the La Valette landslide, South French Alps) by the combination of airborne and terrestrial laser scanning data and ground-based seismic tomography data. The advantage of combining different methods is to constrain the geometrical and failure mechanism models by integrating different sources of information. Because of an important point density at the ground surface (4. 1 points m−2), a small laser footprint (0.09 m) and an accurate three-dimensional positioning (0.07 m), airborne laser scanning data are adapted as a source of information to analyze morphological structures at the surface. Seismic tomography surveys (P-wave and S-wave velocities) may highlight the presence of low-seismic-velocity zones that characterize the presence of dense fracture networks at the subsurface. The surface displacements measured from the terrestrial laser scanning data over a period of 2 years (May 2008–May 2010) allow one to quantify the landslide activity at the direct vicinity of the identified discontinuities. An important subsidence of the crown area with an average subsidence rate of 3.07 m year–1 is determined. The displacement directions indicate that the retrogression is controlled structurally by the preexisting discontinuities. A conceptual structural model is proposed to explain the failure mechanism and the retrogressive evolution of the main scarp. Uphill, the crown area is affected by planar sliding included in a deeper wedge failure system constrained by two preexisting fractures. Downhill, the landslide body acts as a buttress for the upper part. Consequently, the progression of the landslide body downhill allows the development of dip-slope failures, and coherent blocks start sliding along planar discontinuities. The volume of the failed mass in the crown area is estimated at 500,000 m3 with the sloping local base level method.

[1]  Antonio Galgaro,et al.  Terrestrial laser scanner to detect landslide displacement fields: a new approach , 2007 .

[2]  Rae-Hong Park,et al.  Error sensitivity of rotation angles in the ICP algorithm , 1999, Electronic Imaging.

[3]  Christophe Delacourt,et al.  Contribution of multi-temporal remote sensing images to characterize landslide slip surface -- Application to the La Clapière landslide (France) , 2005 .

[4]  Denis Jongmans,et al.  Geophysical investigation of a large landslide in glaciolacustrine clays in the Trièves area (French Alps) , 2009 .

[5]  Albert Tarantola,et al.  Inverse problem theory - and methods for model parameter estimation , 2004 .

[6]  Scott F. Burns.  Landslides in Practice: Investigation, Analysis and Remedial/Preventative Options in Soils : (Derek H. Cornforth) , 2006 .

[7]  M. Jaboyedoff,et al.  Characterization and monitoring of the Åknes rockslide using terrestrial laser scanning , 2009 .

[8]  Christophe Delacourt,et al.  Differential single-frequency GPS monitoring of the La Valette landslide (French Alps) , 2005 .

[9]  Robert Charlier,et al.  Engineering Geology for Infrastructure Planning in Europe , 2004 .

[10]  M. Jaboyedoff,et al.  Kinematics of the 1991 Randa rockslides (Valais, Switzerland) , 2003 .

[11]  G. Caumon,et al.  Surface-Based 3D Modeling of Geological Structures , 2009 .

[12]  Jean-Philippe Malet,et al.  Caractérisation de la structure interne et de l'état hydrique de glissements argilo-marneux par tomographie géophysique : l'exemple du glissement-coulée de Super-Sauze (Alpes du Sud, France) , 2006 .

[13]  M. Mucciarelli,et al.  The earthquake on 12 April 1998 in the Krn mountains (Slovenia): ground-motion amplification study using microtremors and modelling based on geophysical data , 2001 .

[14]  J. Locat,et al.  GLISSEMENT ET COULEE DE LA VALETTE DANS LES ALPES DE HAUTE-PROVENCE. PRESENTATION GENERALE ET MODELISATION DE LA COULEE , 1993 .

[15]  E. Rosenthal,et al.  A morphotectonic map of the northern Arava in Israel, derived from isobase lines , 1993 .

[16]  E. T. Brown.  Rock characterization, testing & monitoring: ISRM suggested methods , 1981 .

[17]  E. T. Brown,et al.  Rock characterization testing and monitoring , 1981 .

[18]  H. H. Mills.  Inferring erosional resistance of bedrock units in the east Tennessee mountains from digital elevation data , 2003 .

[19]  J. Malet,et al.  Continuous Monitoring and Near-Real Time Processing of GPS Observations for Landslide Analysis: A Methodological Framework , 2013 .

[20]  J. Malet,et al.  Integration of geomorphological , geophysical and geotechnical data to define the 3 D morpho-structure of the La Valette mudslide , Ubaye Valley , French Alps , 2022 .

[21]  Q. Feng,et al.  In-situ mapping and documentation of rock faces using a full-coverage 3D laser scanning technique , 2004 .

[22]  Fred Bell,et al.  Foundation engineering in difficult ground , 1978 .

[23]  Jan Skaloud,et al.  Development and Experiences with A Fully-Digital Handheld Mapping System Operated from A Helicopter , 2004 .

[24]  D. Wyllie,et al.  Rock Slope Engineering: Fourth Edition , 2004 .

[25]  M. Crosetto,et al.  Deformation measurement using terrestrial laser scanning data and least squares 3D surface matching , 2008 .

[26]  D. H. Cornforth,et al.  Landslides in Practice: Investigation, Analysis, and Remedial/Preventative Options in Soils , 2005 .

[27]  M. Jaboyedoff,et al.  New insight of geomorphology and landslide prone area detection using DEM , 2003 .

[28]  E. Hoek,et al.  Rock slope engineering , 1974 .

[29]  Gerard T. Schuster,et al.  Wavepath eikonal traveltime inversion: Theory , 1993 .

[30]  J. Avouac,et al.  Monitoring Earth Surface Dynamics With Optical Imagery , 2007 .

[31]  G. McMechan,et al.  Analysis of dispersive waves by wave field transformation , 1981 .

[32]  W. Lacerda,et al.  Landslides : evaluation and stabilization , 2004 .

[33]  T. Asch,et al.  Geophysical, geotechnical and hydrological investigations of a small landslide in the French Alps , 1991 .

[34]  Giovanni B. Crosta,et al.  Structural constraints on deep-seated slope deformation kinematics , 2001 .

[35]  Michel Jaboyedoff,et al.  Collapse at the eastern Eiger flank in the Swiss Alps , 2008 .

[36]  D. Jongmans,et al.  Geophysical investigation of landslides : a review , 2007 .

[37]  Michel Jaboyedoff,et al.  Design of a Geodetic Database and Associated Tools for Monitoring Rock-slope Movements: the Example of the Top of Randa Rockfall Scar Part of Special Issue " Geo-databases for Natural Hazards and Risk Assessment " , 2022 .

[38]  J. Malet,et al.  Geophysical data fusion by fuzzy logic for imaging the mechanical behaviour of mudslides , 2007 .

[39]  Michel Jaboyedoff,et al.  Structural analysis of Turtle Mountain (Alberta) using digital elevation model: Toward a progressive failure , 2009 .

[40]  P. Allemand,et al.  Nine years of spatial and temporal evolution of the La Valette landslide observed by SAR interferometry , 2003 .

[41]  Christophe Delacourt,et al.  Correlation of multi-temporal ground-based optical images for landslide monitoring: Application, potential and limitations , 2012 .

[42]  S. Leroueil,et al.  39th Rankine Lecture: Natural slopes and cuts: movement and failure mechanisms , 2001 .

[43]  T. Irfan.  Structurally controlled landslides in saprolitic soils in Hong Kong , 1998 .

[44]  S. Slob,et al.  3D Terrestrial Laser Scanning as a New Field Measurement and Monitoring Technique , 2004 .

[45]  Kurosch Thuro,et al.  Slope instability mechanisms in dipping interbedded conglomerates and weathered marls¿the 1999 Rufi landslide, Switzerland , 2005 .

[46]  C. Squarzonia,et al.  Nine years of spatial and temporal evolution of the La Valette landslide observed by SAR interferometry , 2003 .

[47]  Alexander Prokop,et al.  Assessing the capability of terrestrial laser scanning for monitoring slow moving landslides , 2009 .

[48]  Giovanni B. Crosta,et al.  Failure forecast for large rock slides by surface displacement measurements , 2003 .

[49]  D. Cruden,et al.  Structural control of the morphometry of open rock basins, Kananaskis region, Canadian Rocky Mountains , 1998 .

[50]  J. Malet,et al.  Seismic noise-based methods for soft-rock landslide characterization , 2007 .

[51]  D. Petley,et al.  The surface expression of strain accumulation in failing rock masses , 2007 .

[52]  J. Malet,et al.  Characterization of the 3D geometry of flow-like landslides: A methodology based on the integration of heterogeneous multi-source data , 2012 .

[53]  M. Jaboyedoff,et al.  Mass movement characterization using a reflexion and refraction seismic survey with the sloping local base level concept , 2010 .

[54]  G. Bitelli,et al.  TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING AND DIGITAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY TECHNIQUES TO MONITOR LANDSLIDE BODIES , 2004 .

[55]  D. Cruden.  Major rock slides in the Rockies , 1976 .