Abstract
Seismic signals are usually generated during landslides or movement of soil mass due to collisions and friction among the soil particles and masses. The seismic signals will be different when different sliding (movement) types occur. This study discusses the landslide process and seismic signals produced by soil ruptures to understand the nature of the signals, which could help in predicting landslides as well as understanding different landslide processes. Physical model tests were performed to record the seismic signals generated during the sliding processes. The self-potential (SP), pore water pressure (PP), and volumetric water content (VWC) were also measured to assist the interpretation of the failure processes. Based on the characteristics of the seismic signals recorded, three slide types were identified: intermittent slide, successive slide, and single slide. Precursor signals prior to the single slide event were found in both the seismic and SP signals and therefore the monitoring of these two kinds of precursors has the potential for real-world application in landslide prewarning. In addition, the landslide areas of the tests were correlated with Arias intensities (IA) in a linear relationship. The relationship has the potential to be implemented in estimating a landslide’s scale for a fast landslide response decision.
References
AnCad Inc (2013) Visual Signal Reference Guide. Version1.5 (in Chinese). http://www.ancad.com.tw/VisualSignal/doc/1.5/RefGuide.html. Accessed 20 March 2020
Arias A (1970) A measure of earthquake intensity. In: Hansen RJ (ed) Seismic design for nuclear power plants. MIT Press, Cambridge, pp 438–483
Feng ZY, Hsu CM, Chen SH (2020a) Discussion on the characteristics of seismic signals due to riverbank landslides from laboratory tests. Water 12:83. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12010083
Feng ZY, Huang HY, Chen SC (2020b) Analysis of the characteristics of seismic and acoustic signals produced by a dam failure and slope erosion test. Landslides. 17:1605–1618. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-020-01390-x
Hattori K, Kohno H, Tojo Y, Terajima T, Ochiai H (2009) Early warning of landslides based on landslide indoor experiments. In: Sassa K, Canuti P (eds) Ch. 20.8 of Landslides—disaster risk reduction monitoring. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 363–366 ISBN 978-3-540-69970-5
Helmstetter A, Garambois S (2010) Seismic monitoring of Sechilienne rockslide (French Alps): Analysis of seismic signals and their correlation with rainfalls. J Geophys Res Earth 115:F03016. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009jf001532
Hibert C, Mangeney A, Grandjean G, Shapiro NM (2011) Slope instabilities in Dolomieu crater, Reunion Island: from seismic signals to rockfall characteristics. J Geophys Res Earth 116:F04032. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011jf002038
Hu W, Scaringi G, Xu Q, Huang RQ (2018) Acoustic emissions and microseismicity in granular slopes prior to failure and flow-like motion: the potential for early warning. Geophys Res Lett 45:10406–10415. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018gl079724
Huang NE, Shen Z, Long SR, Wu MLC, Shih HH, Zheng QN, Yen NC, Tung CC, Liu HH (1998) The empirical mode decomposition and the Hilbert spectrum for nonlinear and non-stationary time series analysis. Proc R Soc A Math Phys 454:903–995. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1998.0193
Krokidis SG, Marmarokopos K, Avlonitis M (2018) Investigation of possible landslide precursor activity in a small-scale laboratory experiment. Int J Appl Geospatial Res 9:74–86. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijagr.2018100105
Lourenco SDN, Sassa K, Fukuoka H (2006) Failure process and hydrologic response of a two layer physical model: implications for rainfall-induced landslides. Geomorphology 73:115–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2005.06.004
Orense RP, Shimoma S, Maeda K, Towhata I (2004) Instrumented model slope failure due to water seepage. J Nat Disaster Sci 26(1):15–26
Panthulu TV, Krishnaiah C, Shirke JM (2001) Detection of seepage paths in earth dams using self-potential and electrical resistivity methods. Eng Geol 59:281–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-7952(00)00082-X
Schopa A, Chao WA, Lipovsky BP, Hovius N, White RS, Green RG, Turowski JM (2018) Dynamics of the Askja caldera July 2014 landslide, Iceland, from seismic signal analysis: precursor, motion and aftermath. Earth Surf Dyn 6:467–485. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-467-2018
Senfaute G, Duperret A, Lawrence JA (2009) Micro-seismic precursor cracks prior to rock-fall on coastal chalk cliffs: a case study at Mesnil-val, Normandie, NW France. Nat Hazard Earth Syst 9:1625–1641. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-9-1625-2009
Shinbrot T, Kim NH, Thyagu NN (2012) Electrostatic precursors to granular slip events. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109:10806–10810. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1121596109
Terajima T, Miyahira E, Miyajima H, Ochiai H, Hattori K (2014) How hydrological factors initiate instability in a model sandy slope. Hydrol Process 28:5711–5724. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10048
Yamada M, Mori J, Matsushi Y (2016) Possible stick-slip behavior before the Rausu landslide inferred from repeating seismic events. Geophys Res Lett 43:9038–9044. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016gl069288
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Mr. Hallam Atherton for reviewing the manuscript style.
Funding
This study is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, R.O.C, through research fund (Grant Number: 108-2625-M-005-006) and Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Highlights
1. Physical model tests were carried out to discuss the landslide types and seismic signals.
2. Three slide types were identified: intermittent slide, successive slide, and single slide.
3. Precursors of seismic signal and self-potential were both found prior to the single slide event, which could help in predicting landslides.
4. Sliding areas were correlated with Arias intensity (IA) in a linear relationship.
Supplementary information
ESM 5
Schematic plots of the three types of sliding (DOCX 114 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Feng, ZY., Chen, SH. Discussions on landslide types and seismic signals produced by the soil rupture due to seepage and retrogressive erosion. Landslides 18, 2265–2279 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-021-01625-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-021-01625-5