Abstract
The failure of slope caused by variations in water levels on both banks of reservoirs is common. Reservoir landslides greatly threaten the safety of reservoir area. Taking large-scale composite deposits located on the Lancang River in Southwest China as a study case, the origin of the deposits was analyzed based on the field investigation and a multi-material model was established in the physical model test. Combined with numerical simulation, the failure mechanism of the composite deposits during reservoir water level variations was studied. The results indicate that the deformation of the large-scale composite deposits is a staged sliding mode during the impoundment process. The first slip deformation is greatly affected by the buoyancy weight-reducing effect, and the permeability of soil and variation in the water level are the factors controlling slope deformation initiation. The high water sensitivity and low permeability of fine grained soil play an important role in the re-deformation of deposits slope. During the impoundment process, the deformation trend of the deposit slope is decreasing, and vertical consolidation of soil and increasing hydrostatic pressure on the slope surface are the main reasons for deformation attenuation. It is considered that the probability of large-scale sliding of the deposits during the impoundment period is low. But the damage caused by local bank collapse of the deposit slope still needs attention. The results of this paper will further improve our understanding of the failure mechanism of composite deposits caused by water level increases and provide guidance for the construction of hydropower stations.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anonymous (1985) A typical case history of landslide revival induced by pore pressure—mechanism and stability analysis of the Jipazi landslide, Yunyang, Sichuan province. Acta Geol Sinica 59(2): 172–182. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1314.1985.tb00331.x
Cai RQ (2014) Study on the Mechanism of Slope Seepage and Slope Instability Induced by Rainfall. Dissertation, Southwest Jiaotong University. (In Chinese)
Chen S, Lin T, Chen C (2015) Modeling of natural dam failure modes and downstream riverbed morphological changes with different dam materials in a flume test. Eng Geol 188: 148–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2015.01.016
Li CD, Fu ZY, Wang Y, et al. (2019) Susceptibility of reservoir-induced landslides and strategies for increasing the slope stability in the three gorges reservoir area: Zigui basin as an example. Eng Geol 261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2019.105279
Dai Z, Zhang Y, Zhang C, et al. (2022) Interpreting the influence of reservoir water level fluctuation on the seepage and stability of an ancient landslide in the three gorges reservoir area: a case study of the Outang landslide. Geotech Geol Eng 40: 4551–4561. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-022-02170-1
Dumperth C, Rohn J, Fleer A, et al. (2016) Local-scale assessment of the displacement pattern of a densely populated landslide, utiliz-ing finite element software and terrestrial radar interferometry: a case study on Huangtupo landslide (PR China). Environ Earth Sci 75(10):880. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5475-y
Dykes AP, Bromhead EN (2022) Hazards from lakes and reservoirs: new interpretation of the Vaiont disaster. J Mt Sci 19: 1717–1737. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-021-7098-3
Fan L, Zhang G, Li B, et al. (2017) Deformation and failure of the Xiaochatou Landslide under rapid drawdown of the reservoir water level based on centrifuge tests. Bull Eng Geol Environ 76: 891–900. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-016-0895-1
Fujita H (1977) Influence of water level fluctuations in a reservoir on slope stability. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 16(1): 170–173. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02591474
Ge Q, Zhang J, Chen Z, et al. (2021) Application of flow velocity and direction measurement system in slope stability analysis. Water 13(5): 700. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13050700
Gu D, Huang D, Yang W, et al. (2017) Understanding the triggering mechanism and possible kinematic evolution of a reactivated landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir. Landslides 14: 2073–2087. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-017-0845-4
Guo J, Xu M, Zhang Q, et al. (2020) Reservoir regulation for control of an ancient landslide reactivated by water level fluctuations in Heishui River, China. J Earth Sci 31: 1058–1067. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-020-1341-7
He C, Hu XL, Xu C, et al. (2020) Model test of the influence of cyclic water level fluctuations on a landslide. J Mt Sci 17(1): 12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-019-5713-9
Huang D, Gu D, Song Y, et al. (2018) Towards a complete understanding of the triggering mechanism of a large reactivated landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir. Eng Geol 238: 36–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENGGEO.2018.03.008
Huang D, Meng Q, Song Y, et al. (2021) Dynamic process analysis of the Niumiangou landslide triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake using the finite difference method and a modified discontinuous deformation analysis. J Mt Sci 18:1034–1048. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-020-6188-y
Huang QX, Xu XT, Kulatilake PHSW, et al. (2020) Formation mechanism of a rainfall triggered complex landslide in southwest China. J Mt Sci 17: 1128–1148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-019-5736-9
Huang X, Guo F, Deng M, et al. (2020) Understanding the deformation mechanism and threshold reservoir level of the floating weight-reducing landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China. Landslides 17:2879–2894. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-020-01435-1
Hu D, Xiao W, Wang X, et al. (2020) Prediction of instability model during impoundment period of a giant deposit in Lantsang River. J Water Resour Archit Eng 18(5): 6. (In Chinese)
Hu X, He C, Zhou C, et al. (2019) Model test and numerical analysis on the deformation and stability of a landslide subjected to reservoir filling. Geofluids 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5924580
Iai S (1989) Similitude for shaking table tests on soil-structure-fluid model in 1g gravitational field. Soils Found 29(1): 105–118. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf1972.29.105
Iverson RM (2015) Scaling and design of landslide and debris-flow experiments. Geomorphology 244: 9–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.02.033
Jiang Z, Wang H, Xie W (2021) Deformation mechanism of deposits landslide induced by fluctuations of reservoir water level based on physical model tests. Environ Earth Sci 80:410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09673-9
Kaczmarek H, Tyszkowski S, Banach M (2015) Landslide development at the shores of a dam reservoir (Wloclawek, Poland), based on 40 years of research. Environ Earth Sci 74: 4247–4259. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4479-3
Lee K, Suk J, Kim H, et al. (2020) Modeling of rainfall-induced landslides using a full-scale flume test. Landslides 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-020-01563-8
Li C, Wu J, Tang H, et al. (2016) Model testing of the response of stabilizing piles in landslides with upper hard and lower weak bedrock. Eng Geol 204: 65–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2016.02.002
Luo XQ, Sun H, Tham LG, et al. (2010) Landslide model test system and its application on the study of Shiliushubao landslide in Three Gorges Reservoir area. Soils Found 50(2): 309–317. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf.50.309
Mandal AK, Li X, Shrestha R (2019) Influence of Water Level Rise on the Bank of Reservoir on Slope Stability: A Case Study of Dagangshan Hydropower Project. Geotech Geol Eng 37: 5187–5198. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-019-00972-4
Miao F, Wu Y, Li L, et al. (2018) Centrifuge model test on the retrogressive landslide subjected to reservoir water level fluctuation. Eng Geol 245: 169–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2018.08.016
Peranic J, Moscariello M, Cuomo S, et al. (2020) Hydro-mechanical properties of unsaturated residual soil from a flysch rock mass. Eng Geol 269: 105546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105546
Paronuzzi P, Rigo E, Bolla A (2013) Influence of filling-drawdown cycles of the Vajont reservoir on Mt. Toc slope stability. Geomorphology 191: 75–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.03.004
Paswan AP, Shrivastava AK (2022) Modelling of rainfall-induced landslide: a threshold-based approach. Arab J Geosci 15(8).
Piegari E, Cataudella V, Maio RD, et al. (2006) Finite driving rate and anisotropy effects in landslide modeling. Phys Rev E 73. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.73.026123
Schneider MB, Medicus G, Fellin W (2017) Strength reduction method in barodesy. Comput Geotech 95(mar.): 57–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2017.09.010
Song D, Wang Z (2016) Study on formation mechanism of reservoir bank landslide under impoundment condition. Water Resour Hydropower Eng 09: 101–105. (In Chinese)
Tang M, Xu Q, Yang H, et al. (2019) Activity law and hydraulics mechanism of landslides with different sliding surface and permeability in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China. Eng Geol 260:105212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2019.105212
Tschuchnigg F, Schweiger H, Sloan S (2015) Slope stability analysis by means of finite element limit analysis and finite element strength reduction techniques. Part I: Numerical studies considering non-associated plasticity. Comput Geotech 70:169–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/jxompgeo.2015.06.018
Tu G, Huang D, Huang R (2019) Effect of locally accumulated crushed stone soil on the infiltration of intense rainfall: a case study on the reactivation of an old deep landslide deposit. Bull Eng Geol Environ 78: 4833–4849. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-019-01460-y
Wang H, Jiang Z, Xu W, et al. (2022) Physical model test on deformation and failure mechanism of deposit landslide under gradient rainfall. Bull Eng Geol Environ 81(1): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-021-02566-y
Wang K, Lin M (2011) Initiation and displacement of landslide induced by earthquake — a study of shaking table model slope test. Eng Geol 122(1–2): 106–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2011.04.008
Wang S, Pan Y, Wang L, et al. (2021) Deformation characteristics, mechanisms, and influencing factors of hydrodynamic pressure landslides in the three gorges reservoir: a case study and model test study. Bull Eng Geol Environ 80: 3513–3533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-021-02120-w
Wang Y, Yu L, Yin T, et al. (2018) Stability analysis of partially submerged landslide with the consideration of the relationship between pore-water pressure and seepage force. Geofluids 2018:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9145830
Xiong X, Shi Z, Xiong Y, et al. (2019) Unsaturated slope stability around the Three Gorges Reservoir under various combinations of rainfall and water level fluctuation. Eng Geol 261: 105231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2019.105231
Yang H, Jian W, Wang F, et al. (2013) Numerical simulation of failure process of the qianjiangping landslide triggered by water level rise and rainfall in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29107-4_29
Yang W, Le Y, Yin T, et al. (2018) Stability analysis of partially submerged landslide with the consideration of the relationship between porewater pressure and seepage force. Geofluids 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9145830
Yao W, Li C, Zuo Q, et al. (2019) Spatiotemporal deformation characteristics and triggering factors of baijiabao landslide in three gorges reservoir region, china. Geomorphology 343: 34–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.06.024
Yi X, Feng W, Wu M, et al. (2022) The initial impoundment of the Baihetan reservoir region (China) exacerbated the deformation of the Wangjiashan landslide: characteristics and mechanism. Landslides 19: 1897–1912. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-022-01898-4
Zhan Z, Cheng R, Sun W, et al. (2022) Disaster analysis and countermeasures of large accumulation in reservoir area. Chin J Geotech Eng 044-001. (In Chinese)
Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Xue S, et al. (2020) Stability analysis of a typical landslide mass in the three gorges reservoir under varying reservoir water levels. Environ Earth Sci 79(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8779-x
Zhou C, Ying C, Hu X, et al. (2020) Thermal infrared imagery integrated with multi-field information for characterization of pile-reinforced landslide deformation. Sensors 20(4): 1170. https://doi.org/10.3390/s20041170
Zou Z, Tang H, Criss RE, et al. (2021) A model for interpreting the deformation mechanism of reservoir landslides in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, China. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 21:517–532. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-21-517-2021
Acknowledgements
The research was financed by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41472274, 41672300) and Independent Subject Foundation of SKLGP (SKLGP2017Z010). The authors thank the academic and technical staff of the State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geo-Environment Protection (SKLGP) at the Chengdu University of Technology, China.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, X., Tu, Gx., Luo, Qf. et al. Failure mechanism of a large-scale composite deposits caused by the water level increases. J. Mt. Sci. 20, 1369–1384 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-022-7690-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-022-7690-1