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Instability analyses of Merhülietsa slide, Kohima, Nagaland

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Abstract

Part of Merhülietsa colony of Kohima town and the national highway passing through it was devastated by a landslide on May 13, 2007. This unstable zone affected by rotational failure lies in the Disang sediments comprising shale with intercalations between thin-bedded siltstone and fine-grained sandstone. The shales are sheared, crumpled, and weathered to a high degree. This is attributed to a strike-slip fault and two shear fractures. Geotechnical analysis was carried out in the area and a factor of safety of 0.60 obtained for the slide mass. Similar work is extended to the surrounding area which had developed tension fractures. A slip circle drawn from tension cracks helps define future failure planes. A factor of safety of 0.93 is obtained indicating the possibility of progression of the slide zone. Rock mass rating of the shales surrounding the slide zone indicates poor rock condition, pointing to danger of collapse with further progression of the slide zone.

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Acknowledgments

The authors from the Nagaland University are grateful to the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India for a major project No: NR/LS(NE-5)/07 dated 29/10/2007. Special thanks are due to Supongtemjen, Research Scholar, Department of Geology, Nagaland University for help during fieldwork and preparation of diagrams.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Nagaland University, Kohima, Nagaland, India

    Imtiwapang Aier & Glenn T. Thong

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal, Manipur, India

    M. Pradipchandra Singh & Soibam Ibotombi

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  1. Imtiwapang Aier
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  2. M. Pradipchandra Singh
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  3. Glenn T. Thong
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  4. Soibam Ibotombi
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Correspondence to Glenn T. Thong.

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Aier, I., Singh, M.P., Thong, G.T. et al. Instability analyses of Merhülietsa slide, Kohima, Nagaland. Nat Hazards 60, 1347–1363 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-011-9913-6

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