Abstract
The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan of China was the result of quake-triggering along an active several hundred-kilometer-long fault. The subsequent landslides and debris flow geohazards are dominating factors in planning post-disaster recovery and rebuilding. This paper presents recommendations for coping with large-scale geohazards and disasters. It is essential to establish a national emergency management system for huge scale catastrophe and earthquake precursor identification. Town construction must be kept away from active faults, especially to improve town safety in areas with high risk of seismic and geological hazards, and it is important to improve geohazard investigation and remediation for mountain areas that have become loosened by earthquake activity. Geological factors must be better understood to reduce direct and secondary risks and effects of earthquakes. Site selections for public relocation require clear and informed analysis of geological and social risk reduction, so that relocation, infrastructure reconstruction, and commemorative relic-sites can be protected.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cui P, Wei FQ, He SM, et al. (2008) Mountain disasters induced by the earthquake of May 12 in Wenchuan and the disasters mitigation. Journal of Mountain Science 26(3): 280–282
Cui Peng (2011). Prediction of debris-flow danger area by combining hydrological and inundation simulation methods. Journal of Mountain Science 8: 1–9
Li YF, Wang ZY, Shi WJ, et al. (2010) Slope debris flows in the Wenchuan Earthquake area. Journal of Mountain Science 7(3): 226–233
Shieh, CL, Chen YS, Tsai YJ, Wu JH (2009) Variability in rainfall threshold for debris flow after the Chi-Chi earthquake in central Taiwan, China. International Journal of Sediment Research 24(2): 177–188
Wang J, Yao LK, Hussain A (2010) Analysis of earthquaketriggered failure mechanisms of slopes and sliding surfaces. Journal of Mountain Science 7(3): 282–290
Zhuang JQ, Cui P, Hu KH, et al. (2010) Characteristics of earthquake-triggered landslides and post-earthquake debris flows in Beichuan County. Journal of Mountain Science 7(3): 246–254
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Huang, R. Geo-engineering lessons learned from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan and their significance to reconstruction. J. Mt. Sci. 8, 176–189 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-011-2103-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-011-2103-x