Landslide:Causes, Impact, Mittigation

Dr.Mukta Girdhar

Global landslide statistics

Comparison of Casualties for Different Natural Catastrophes (1980-2000, after CRED)
Summary of Landslides (1903-2004) - Number Killed 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania
Number of Peop le Killed

Cyclones 7%

Ext. Temperatures 1%

Landslides 17%

Earthquakes 36%

Floods 39%
Damag e (million US $)

Summary of Landslides (1903-2004) - Cost of Damage 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania

Casualties for different natural hazards Source: CRED

Landslide affected regions of India

1
2
1. Western Himalayas (Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir) Eastern and N.E Himalayas (West Bengal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh) , Naga-Arakkan Mountain belt (Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura) Ambutia landslide Western Ghats including Nilgiris (Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala & Tamil Nadu)

2.

1.

Landslide Vulnerability and Risk in India

Housing and Infrastructure Farms and fields Border roads Railway lines Water sypply installations Transmission line Mines Building Tourist spot

These vulnerability to landslide can be reduce by creating a culture of safety through carefull land use planning

Government policies & Initiatives

GSI-Landslide hazard zonation Geotechnical investigation Land use zonation DST and ministry of environment and forest were identified as nodal agencies for two other task force

Landslide: Definition
The downward sliding or falling of a relatively dry mass of earth, rock, or mixture of the two. [Sharpe, 1939,p.64]

A rapid displacement of a mass of rock, residual soil, or sediments adjoining a slope, in which the center of gravity of the moving mass advances in a downward and out-ward direction. [Terzaghi, 1950, p.84]

Landslide: Definition

Cont.

Landslide denotes downward and outward movement of slope-forming materials composed of natural rock, soils, artificial fills, or combinations of these materials. [Varnes, 1958, p. 20]

Cause of Landslides
Gravity:Land surface are held together by multiple forces. Some soil particles, like clay, cling to each other tightly, while others, like sand are loosely joined. All landscapes are held together by friction between the sediment cover and underlying rock. If something is introduced to disrupt the friction on an incline, a landslide will take place.

Geological causes include:

Weak or sensitive materials, Weathered materials, Sheared, jointed, or fissured materials,

Heavy & Prolonged Rainfall

Water reduces the friction between the bedrock and overlying rock. Gravitaional forces send these debris on the slope towards down hill.

Earthquake

The Earths surface is made up of about 20 Plates, which are either oceanic, continental or combination of the two.

The collision zone of the two continents, called as the Indus Tsangpo Suture Zone (ITZS) is characterized by a group of rocks from Ocean floor, heavy subcrust and deep trench mixed with seafloor sediments.

DISTRIBUTION OF EPICENTRES IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

Morphological causes include:

Tectonic or volcanic uplift, Glacial erosion, Deposition loading slope vibrations from heavy traffic or blasting; and excavation or displacement of rocks. Vegetation removal (by fire, drought)

Human causes include:

Excavation of slope , Loading of slope , Drawdown (of reservoirs), Deforestation, Irrigation, Mining, Artificial vibration, Water leakage from utilitie etc

Landslide Classification Criteria

The Well known is Sharpe's classification (1938), made on type of movement and transporting agent. According to Hansen (1984): Rate of movement: This ranges from very slow creep (millimetres/year) to extremely rapid (metres/second). Type of material: Landslides are composed of bedrock, unconsolidated sediment and/or organic debris. It can be mudslides, debris flows, rock falls, debris avalanches, debris slides, and earth flows. Nature of movement: The moving debris can slide, slump, flow or fall.

Classification

Type of Landslide Material

Rock Falls Rockslides Slump Debris

Types of landslide movement

Slides: Slides are characterized by the downward movement of material along one or more failure surfaces. They occur parallel to planes of weakness and occasionally parallel to slope.

Rotational slide

Translational block slide

Flows:
It has a five categories Debris Flow Debris Avalanche Earth flow Mud flow Creep

*Debris avalanche is an extremely rapid movements of rocks and sediment characterized by a semicircular head with an elongated tongue of debris running down the slope, and as cut down the slope terminating in piles of debris at the toe of the slope.

Mud flow

Falls: Falls are movements in which masses of rock or other material fall freely from cliff or steep slope through the air, and may bounce and roll. Earthquakes commonly trigger this final type of movement.

Topple: Topple is the end-over-end motion of rock down a slope. In this, mass rotates forward about some pivot point. If a toppling mass pivots far enough, a fall may result.

*Debris torrent is a rapidly moving slurry of soil, alluvium and large organic debris that occur in response to intense storms and are commonly triggered by debris avalanches entering a channel from adjacent hill slopes. As the debris avalanche moves down the channel, it becomes a debris torrent as it scours the stream bank and bed.

Creep: This is the gradual movement of slope materials down the slope.

Slump: Slump is a complex movement of materials on a slope. The surface of rupture is concave upward, and the mass rotates along the concave shear surface.

Rates of mass movements

Sluggish
Slow to moderate (m/century to m/hour) Creep, Rotational slides, translational slides

Intermediate
Rapid to very rapid (m/hour to m/sec) fast slides, flows

Catastrophic
Extremely rapid (5-50 m/sec) Debris movement

Rate of movement scale (Varnes, 1978)

How do landslide affect us

Short term effect:-Property Damage, Human loss, it
affects all resources, such as power supply, water supply, hospital, school , and many other things

Long term effect

Loss of property value disruption of transportation route Loss of forest Water availability, and quality also affected

Year Place
Source: DoE, 1994

Deaths 5,000

Type

1919 Java 1920 Kansu, China 1963 Vaiont, Italy

Major 20th century hazardous mass movements

1970 Peru

Debris flow c.200,000 Loess flow 2,600 Rockslide into reservoir 25,000 Avalanche Lahars Debris flows

1985 Ruiz, 22,000 Colombia 1999 Venez- c.30,000 uela

Recent Landslides
Year 1998, 12-18th August Place Malpa, Pithoragarh district Death 210

1998, 12th August

2002, 10 -11th August 2003, Sept-Oct 2004, 1-6th July 2009-9th august

Okhimath, Rudraprayag district

Ghansyali Tehsil, TehriGarhwal Uttarakashi Chamoli District Uttarkhand, Munsiyari

107
29

25 43

Toe erosion on a stream near Govindsagar (South of Bilaspur)

Landslide on Siwaliks near Gamrola bridge (South of Bilaspur)

Close up view of the above landslide on left bank of the river

Close up view of the above landslide on right bank of the river

Eng. Work to stabilise landslide due to toe erosion near Sundernagar

Badland topography due to erosion of fan deposits in Sundernagar valley

Large landslide near Mandi (very close to MBT)

Close up view of the Mandi landslide material

Highly jointed, folded Schist (Jutogh group)

Highly jointed and fractured rocks belonging to Jutogh Group

Highly vulnerable road section

Wedge failure and block slide in the highly jointed rocks (Pandoh to Aut sector)

Possible landslide Indicator

Saturated ground or seeps in areas that are not typically wet. New cracks and scarps or unusual bulges in the ground, roads or pavements. Sticking doors and windows, and visible open spaces indicating jams and frames out of plumb. Tilting or cracking of concrete floors and foundations. Broken water lines and other underground utilities. Leaning telephone poles, trees, retaining walls or fences. Offset fence lines. Sunken or displaced road surfaces. Rapid increase in water levels,

Landslide hazard Zonation

Direct mapping of landslides and associated mass wasting features such as gully and sheet erosion identification Mapping of old and potential landslide areas such as potential bank erosion and head-ward erosion identification Derivation of information on causative factors of landslides Landslide displacement/ movement measurement

Earth Observation Tools/Techniques

Aerial photography Satellite and RADAR images Global positioning system (GPS) Geographical Information system

Monitoring Landslide Movement

The second stage in a landslide study is typically monitoring the movement of a landslide. This involves the comparison of landslide conditions over time, including the aerial extent of the landslide, the speed of movement, and the change in the surface topography. There are several remote sensing techniques that are commonly used in this stage of a landslide investigation. Remote sensing techniques: Global Positioning System (GPS) Satellite imagery Geographic Information System

Field & Satellite image Of Earthquake Induced Rock Fall Around Gopeshwar, Uttaranchal

Field & satellite view Of Rotational slide At Kandey, Uttaranchal (Credit: RC Lakhera)

(Credit: RC Lakhera)

Synoptic & Close View of Rockslide Around Ghingran, Uttaranchal

Pareechu Lake landslide

Pareechu Lake due to landslide in Tibet

Flood risk in Himachal

Questions ???
When did it form ? Was it due to highway construction activity by Chinese authority ? How much water its really holding ? Has it happen before ? Was the place a paleo lake before ? What are the other potential areas in the Tibet region ? Can it lead to Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)

Uttarkashi Landslide
Already predicted in 2002
Landslides in the Alkananda valley

Sliding started in Sept 2003 Continues till date Property loss over 300 crores

IRS-LISS-III images taken before and after Varunavat landslide in 2003

No lives lost Questions ??? Is it related to Earthquake in 1991, 1999 and in recent times

Varunavat Landslide, Uttarkashi

IRS-PAN image

Landslides in Uttaranchal

Subsidence in Joshimath

Landslide & its effect Monitoring a b

Preparation of Georeferenced merged IRS-1D LISS-III & PAN data on 1:25,000 Corridor demarcation and analysis of satellite data, SOI topographical maps, existing geological maps for preparation of themes on: Lithology Geomorphology Lineament + Structure Landuse Slope amount Slope aspect Slope morphology Drainage Rock Weathering Soil Slope-Dip relation

Methodology

Field investigation, verification of interpreted maps and collection of relevant data

GIS database creation

Data Integration in GIS environment

Landslide Hazard Zonation & Mitigation Plan

Kulu

Figure 1. IRS 1D-LISS-III FCC of the study area.

Mandi Pandoh

Aut

Sundarnagar

Dehar

Bilaspur

Namhol to Bilaspur 40 km Bilaspur towards Swarghat 15 km. Bilaspur to Sundernagar- 40 km. Sundernagar to Mandi 25 km. Mandi to Pandoh 20 km. Pandoh to Aut and Larji 40 km. Aut to Panarsa and Bhuntar 25 km.
Namhol

Sl. NO. 1. 2.

DATA LAYERS Geology Geomorphology

3. 4.

Lineament Buffer Slope Angle

5.

Slope Aspect

6.

Landuse

7. 8.

Road Buffer Drainage Buffer

CLASSES Granite Phyllite /Schist Denudo Structural Hills Low Dissection M oderate Dissection High Dissection Terraces Flood Plains 0-50mtr 50-100mtr 0-15 15-25 25-30 30-35 35-40 40-45 45-60 >60 North North East East South East South South West West North West Dense Vegetation M oderate Vegetation Degraded Vegetation Agriculture Land Barren Land Scrub/Grassland Dry River Bed Water Body Built Up Area 0-50 mtr 50-100mtr 0-50mtr 50-100mtr

RATING 2 6 2 4 7 6 1 6 4 1 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 3 5 7 8 6 4 3 2 3 6 5 8 7 1 0 3 6 4 6 4

WEIGHTAGE 8

7 4

W S

772'30''

775'

77 7'30''

3142'30''

3142'30''

3140'

3140'

77 2'30''

77 5'

777'30''

2 Kilometers

Landslide Hazard Zone Very high hazard High hazard Moderate hazard Low hazard Very low hazard

Landslide Hazard Zonation Map of The Study Area

Credit: Sanjeev Bhoi

Minimizing the effects of Landslides

By geological mapping, detecting slope hazards and determining the likelihood of landslide occurrence, geoscientists can assist engineers, developers, planners and building inspectors in avoiding high-risk areas.
Structures such as homes, schools, hospitals, power-lines, fire stations and roads can be safely located away from potential landslide risk areas.

 Mapping of landslide vulnerability that can help with the development of emergency response scenarios. Engineering and geotechnical investigation that define the landslide hazard and risk at site specific levels of investigation.

GHS

STABILITY OF LANDSLIDE
Covering the landslide with an impermeable membrane,

Directing surface water away from the landslide,

Draining ground water away from the landslide Minimizing surface irrigation. Slope stability is also increased when a retaining structure and/or the weight of a soil/rock are placed at the toe of the landslide or when mass is removed from the top of the slope.

GHS

LANDSLIDE SAFE AREAS

Areas that have not moved in the past; Relatively flat lying areas away from sudden changes in slope; and

At the top or along ridges, set back from the tops of slopes.

Five Approaches for mitigation

Restricting development in Landslide prone area Codes for excavation, construction Protecting existing developments Monitoring and warning system Landslide insurance and compensation for losses

MITIGATION MEASURES Prepare a landslide inventory map of the area which help to develop emergency scenario Implementation of regional hazard and risk assessment into land planning policies. Engineering and Geotechnical investigations that define the landslide hazard and risk at sites specific levels.

Proper Drainage & Drainage correction. The most important triggering mechanism for movement is water infiltrating into overburden during heavy rains and consequent increase in pore pressure within the overburden. When this happens in steep slopes the safety factor of the slope material gets considerably reduced causing it to move down. Hence the natural way of preventing this situation is by reducing infiltration and allowing excess water to move without hindrance. As such the first step in mitigation is drainage correction. In rural and urban areas, responsibility should be borne by local self Government, the community and the family.

Landslides - your role

Learn more about potential geologic hazards in your area. Consult an engineer or geoscientist for potentially hazardous locations. Avoid activities that result in the undercutting of steep banks, and avoid the construction of buildings near the top or base of steep slopes. Do not place fill on steep slopes. Do not undercut steep banks, develop near the top or base of steep slopes, or place fill on steep slope, without expert geotechnical advice. Do not stand or seek cover below or near coastal cliffs or overhangs and be aware of potential dangers they represent. Take notice of signs giving warning of loose rocks and debris. Do not dig into sand cliffs or dig deep hole in sand that may bury you if a cave-in happens.

What to do if a home is Suspected as being at risk for Landslide Danger

Get a ground assessment of your property. Minimize home hazards Plant ground cover on slope and build retaining walls. In mudflow areas, build channels or deflection walls to direct the flow around buildings. Learn to recognize the landslide warning signs Make evacuation plans Develop an emergency communication plan in case family member get separated.

ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED AFTER A LANDSLIDE Avoid the landslide area as much as possible. There may be a danger of additional slides Check for injured or trapped persons near the slide area. Survival is more likely to occur near the slide periphery. Provide first aid to injured persons and activate emergency medical services if necessary. Report the event to your local fire, police, or public works department. Inform and assist affected neighbors, especially those who may require special assistance such as infants, the elderly, or person with disabilities. Listen to a radio or television for the latest emergency information. Watch for flooding, which may occur after a landslide or debris flow. Support the local government

Thank You