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Integrated geophysical and morphostratigraphic approach to investigate a coseismic (?) translational slide responsible for the destruction of the Montclús village (Spanish Pyrenees)

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Abstract

A 12 million of m3 translational rockslide developed on a dip slope underlain by limestone with interlayered marls, and responsible for the destruction of the Montclús village in the fourteenth century, has been investigated by means of geomorphological and geophysical surveys. The combination of historical-geoarcheological, geomorphological, seismic refraction and electrical resistivity imaging datasets allowed the (1) reconstruction of the late Quaternary episodic evolution of the landslide, (2) characterization of the geometry and internal structure of the slid mass and (3) identification of preferential groundwater flow paths that favoured slope instability. The development of the landslide involved at least two different displacement episodes controlled by sliding surfaces at successively deeper stratigraphic positions. The first landsliding event, recorded by highly weathered landslide deposits situated above a perched failure plane, occurred approximately during the global Last Glacial Maximum (23–19 ka BP). The most recent event, which destroyed the Montclús village built on already slid rocks, is placed in the fourteenth century. Most probably, this reactivation event was triggered by the 1373 Ribagorza earthquake, with an estimated moment magnitude of M w 6.2. This work illustrates the benefits of combining geomorphological data with complementary geophysical technics in landslide investigation.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Davide Tiranti, anonymous reviewer and editor for their very constructive comments and insightful suggestions on the earlier version of this manuscript. This paper is a part of the PhD thesis by Mario Zarroca submitted to the Autonomous University of Barcelona. The research was financed by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (projects CGL2005-02404 and CGL2010-16775).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Geología, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, E-08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain

    M. Zarroca & R. Linares

  2. Àrea de Geodinàmica Externa i Geomorfologia, Universitat de Girona, E-17071, Girona, Spain

    C. Roqué

  3. Calle de la Penya 3, Àger, E-25691, Lleida, Spain

    J. Rosell

  4. Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Zaragoza, E-50009, Zaragoza, Spain

    F. Gutiérrez

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Zarroca, M., Linares, R., Roqué, C. et al. Integrated geophysical and morphostratigraphic approach to investigate a coseismic (?) translational slide responsible for the destruction of the Montclús village (Spanish Pyrenees). Landslides 11, 655–671 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-013-0427-z

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