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Characteristics of grain size distribution and the shear strength analysis of Chenjiaba long runout coseismic landslide

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Abstract

Study on the grain size distribution characteristics and the frictional strength behavior of the slide deposits are helpful to disclose the landslide runout process and understand the mechanism of a long runout landslide. We performed grain size distribution analysis on samples collected from Chenjiaba landslide induced by Wenchuan earthquake. The grain size distribution of samples from the landslide sections quantitatively depicts a gradual coarsening upward grading from shear zone to the top section. Then a multistage - multiphase ring shearing approach was used to determine a comparative shear strength behavior of samples from each landslide section. In this method, a sample was sheared continuously for large displacement and fast rate on different normal stress conditions. The multiphase shear mode with a maximum of 105 mm/min rate has allowed observing the qualitative change and patterns of the frictional resistance behaviors of soils under different normal stresses. The results of coefficient of friction values under multiphase shear mode have shown substantial post peak shear weakening behaviors after large shear displacement that can be narrated with long runout processes. The shear strength test results indicate that the shear zone samples have developed higher friction angle values compared to overlying section samples, on the last phase of shear process, which may be very important to understand the braking mechanism of a long runout landslide.

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Acknowledgments

This research is supported by funds from the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences under Grant No.XDA23090402 and the National Science Foundation of China under the Grants Nos. 41672307, 41790442 and 41702345. The first author acknowledge CAS-TWAS presidential fellowship program for funding his Doctoral study (Ph.D). Special thanks presented to Prof. SHI Zhenming and FENG Shijin, for the provision and allowance of the Servo-controlled ring shear test experiment at Geotechnical department, Tongji University. The author also thanks Prof. WANG Fawu and Melesse ALEMAYEHU (PhD) for their valuable comments and suggestions to improve the paper.

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Correspondence to Sheng-wen Qi.

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Getahun, E., Qi, Sw., Guo, Sf. et al. Characteristics of grain size distribution and the shear strength analysis of Chenjiaba long runout coseismic landslide. J. Mt. Sci. 16, 2110–2125 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-019-5535-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-019-5535-3

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