Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Understanding the deformation mechanism and threshold reservoir level of the floating weight-reducing landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China

  • Recent Landslides
  • Published:
Landslides Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

More than 5000 landslides or potential landslides have been identified in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) region since its impoundment in 2003. These hazards seriously threaten the continuation of reservoir operations and the safety of dams, waterways, and local residents. Understanding the deformation characteristics and kinematic evolution of these landslides can be helpful for assessing their stability and providing long-term landslide predictions. In this study, the deformation characteristics, influencing factors, sliding mechanism, and threshold reservoir level of the Muyubao landslide are revealed. Data from a professional monitoring network implemented in 2006 reveal that the deformation of this landslide is in a stage of creep characterized by overall movement, and the rate of creep is gradually slowing. The deformation mechanism is investigated by combining meteorological, hydrological, and reservoir level data with displacement measurements from surface cracks, manual and automatic GPS monitoring records, and field investigations and drilling surveys. The reservoir level is the main driving factor of deformation, whereas the filling-drawdown rate is not directly related to the deformation of the landslide. Furthermore, rainfall can promote deformation during periods with high reservoir levels. The deformation of the landslide follows a very distinctive pattern featuring large displacements after the reservoir level rises to a high level (from late October to early March of the following year) and a rapid transition to constant deformation as the reservoir level drops. The results indicate that the reservoir level of 172 m is the general threshold reservoir level of the Muyubao landslide. At present, the deformation rate of the Muyubao landslide is gradually decreasing, and the probability of large-scale sliding is low; however, the monitoring system must be strengthened and additional research must be performed on the deformation mechanism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Crosta GB, Imposimato S, Roddeman D (2016) Landslide spreading, impulse water waves and modelling of the Vajont rockslide. Rock Mech Rock Eng 49(6):2413–2436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deng ML, Yi QL, Han B et al (2019) Analysis of surface deformation law of Muyubao landslide in Three Gorges reservoir area. Rock Soil Mech 40(8):3145–3166 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dykes AP, Bromhead EN (2018) The Vaiont landslide: re-assessment of the evidence leads to rejection of the consensus. Landslides 15(9):1815–1832

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fan JH, Qiu KT, Li M et al (2017) InSAR monitoring and synthetic analysis of the surface deformation of Fanjiaping landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Chin Geol B 36(9):1665–1673 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gu DM, Huang D, Yang WD, Zhu JL, Fu GY (2017) Understanding the triggering mechanism and possible kinematic evolution of a reactivated landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir. Landslides 14(6):2073–2087

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo F, Luo ZJ, Li HZ et al (2016) Self-organized criticality of significant fording landslides in Three Gorges Reservoir area, China. Environ Earth Sci 75:1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang QX, Wang JL, Xue X (2016) Interpreting the influence of rainfall and reservoir infilling on a landslide. Landslides 15(10):1139–1114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang XH, Lei DX, Xia JB et al (2019) Forecast analysis and application of stepwise deformation of landslide induced by rainfall. Rock Soil Mech 40(8):3585–3592 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawagoe S, Kazama S, Sarukkalige PR (2009) Assessment of snowmelt triggered landslide hazard and risk in Japan. Cold Reg Sci Technol 58(3):120–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kilburn CRJ, Petley DN (2003) Forecasting giant, catastrophic slope collapse: lessons from Vajont, Northern Italy. Geomorphology 54(1):21–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li CD, Fu ZY, Wang Y et al (2019a) 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 261:1–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li DY, Sun YQ, Yin KL, Miao FS, Glade T, Leo C (2019b) Displacement characteristics and prediction of Baishuihe landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir. J Mt Sci-Engl 16(9):2203–2214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miao FS, Wu YP, Li LW, Liao K, Zhang L (2019) Risk assessment of snowmelt-induced landslides based on GIS and an effective snowmelt model. Nat Hazards 97:1151–1173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paronuzzi P, Rigo E, Bolla A (2013) Influence of filling–drawdown cycles of the Vajont reservoir on Mt. Toc slope stability. Geomorphology 181(1):75–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qi S, Yan F, Wang S, Xu R (2006) Characteristics, mechanism and development tendency of deformation of Maoping landslide after commission of Geheyan reservoir on the Qingjiang River, Hubei Province, China. Eng Geol 86(1):37–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Semenza E, Ghirotti M (2000) History of the 1963 Vaiont slide: the importance of geological factors. B Eng Geol Environ 59(2):87–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song K, Wang FW, Yi QL et al (2018) Landslide deformation behavior influenced by water level fluctuations of the Three Gorges Reservoir (China). Eng Geol 247:58–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang MG, Xu Q, Huang RQ (2015) Site monitoring of suction and temporary pore water pressure in an ancient landslide in the Three Gorges reservoir area, China. Environ Earth Sci 73(9):5601–5609

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang MG, 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 260:1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vallet A, Charlier JB, Fabbri O et al (2016) Functioning and precipitation-displacement modelling of rainfall-induced deep-seated landslides subject to creep deformation. Landslides 13(4):1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang F, Li T (2015) Landslide disaster mitigation in Three Gorges Reservoir, China. Mt Res Dev 30(2):184–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu S, Shi L, Wang R, Tan C, Hu D, Mei Y, Xu R (2001) Zonation of the landslide hazards in the forereservoir region of the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze River. Eng Geol 59(1-2):51–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu YP, Cheng C, He GF et al (2014) Landslide stability analysis based on random-fuzzy reliability: taking Liangshuijing landslide as a case. Stoch Env Res Risk A 28(7):1723–1732

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yi QL, Yi W, Guo F, et al (2019) Professional monitoring annual report of geological disaster monitoring & warning engineering for Zigui County, Three Gorges Reservoir Area. Unpublished dissertation. China Three Gorges University, pp. 10-12. (in Chinese)

  • Yin YP (2003) Seepage pressure effect on landslide stability at the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Chin J Geol Hazard Control 14(3):1–8 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zangerl C, Eberhardt E, Perzlmaier S (2010) Kinematic behaviour and velocity characteristics of a complex deep-seated crystalline rockslide system in relation to its interaction with a dam reservoir. Eng Geol 112(1-4):53–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank the editor and the reviewers for their valuable comments that improved this manuscript. We greatly thank Professor Yi Qinglin, China Three Gorges University, for supplying the authors with the practical monitoring data of the Muyubao landslide.

Funding

This work is supported by the Open Fund of Hubei Key Laboratory of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, China Three ]Gorges University (No. 2018KJZ04 and 2018KJZ05), the National Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province (No. 2018CFB400), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41807294), and the China Geological Survey Project (No. DD20190716, 202018000000180602, and 0001212018CC60020).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Field Observation and Research Station of Landslides in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area of Yangtze River, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China

    Xiaohu Huang, Fei Guo, Maolin Deng, Wu Yi & Haifeng Huang

  2. Key Laboratory of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation of Hubei Province, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China

    Xiaohu Huang, Fei Guo, Maolin Deng, Wu Yi & Haifeng Huang

Authors
  1. Xiaohu Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fei Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maolin Deng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Wu Yi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Haifeng Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Fei Guo or Maolin Deng.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Huang, X., Guo, F., Deng, M. et al. 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 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-020-01435-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-020-01435-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation