Three-dimensional analyses of the sliding surface distribution in the Huangtupo No. 1 riverside sliding mass in the Three Gorges Reservoir area of China

Abstract

The Huangtupo landslide is one of the largest and most destructive landslides still deforming in the Three Gorges area of China. In recent years, most studies on this landslide have been based on the data obtained from an investigation conducted in 2001. To further elucidate the geological structure and evolution of the landslide, we began building a field test site in the area of the sliding mass with the fastest deformation velocity in 2009. A group of tunnels with a total length of 1.1 km has been excavated, and nine boreholes with depths between 76.8 and 127.1 m have been drilled into the sliding body. Additionally, relative monitoring devices, such as borehole inclinometers and crack meters, have been installed. Based on the findings of the previous investigation and the latest tunneling, drilling, and monitoring data, a spatial distribution model of the sliding surfaces of the Huangtupo No. 1 riverside sliding mass has been established using the discrete smooth interpolation (DSI) method. Significant differences are revealed between the previous proposed sliding surface and the latest monitoring data. We propose that the Huangtupo No. 1 sliding mass has two sliding surfaces. Thus, the sliding mass can be further divided into two secondary sliding bodies, which are named the No. 1-1 (east) and No. 1-2 (west) sliding masses. The No. 1-1 sliding mass slid first, and the material along the western boundary slid later, producing the No. 1-2 sliding body, which has a smaller volume and shallower depth. The areas, volumes, and thicknesses of each sliding body have been calculated using a digital 3D model.