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Catastrophic landslides associated with the M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake

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Abstract

Numerous earthquake-induced landslides occurred in the Longmenshan tectonic belt associated with the 12th May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake where the vertical acceleration was greater than the horizontal ground motion. Many of these landslides originated in the steep mountain terrain which amplified the effect of the ground shaking. Three typical landslides are discussed: the Niujuangou sturzstrom, the Chengxi rock slide and the 1,100 million m3 Daguangbao rock slide. Having discussed the individual slides and some previously published models, a mechanism to explain both the very fast velocity of the slides and their long run-out distance is proposed, taking into account aerodynamic principles. The model postulates that air trapped in the steep-sided valley by the collapsing rock mass forms a “cushion-effect” on which the debris moves.

Résumé

De nombreux glissements ont été déclenchés par le séisme de Wenchuan le 12 mai 2008 dans les montagnes de Longmenshan où l’accélération verticale a été plus grande que l’accélération horizontale. Beaucoup de ces glissements se sont produits sur des pentes raides qui ont amplifié les effets du mouvement sismique. Trois glissements typiques sont présentés: le mouvement gravitaire rapide de Niujuangou, le glissement rocheux de Chengxi et le glissement rocheux de Daguangbao de 1100 millions de m3. Après l’analyse de chacun de ces glissements et de plusieurs modèles précédemment présentés à leur sujet, un mécanisme permettant d’expliquer à la fois la très rapide vitesse de déplacement des glissements et leur longue distance de déplacement est proposé, prenant en compte des principes d’aérodynamique. Le modèle suppose que l’air, emprisonné dans la vallée aux pentes raides par les masses rocheuses en glissement, a formé un coussin d’air sur lequel les roches broyées se sont déplacées.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to sincerely thank Mr. Min Wang, the Deputy Minister of MLR, Mr. Jianjun Jiang, the Director of Department of Environmental Geology of MLR, Mr. Guangqi Song, the Director of Department of Land and Resources of Sichuan Province, Mr. Chongrong Fan, the Deputy Director of Geological Prospecting Bureau of Sichuan Province, Prof. Runqiu Huang, the Vice President of Chengdu University of Technology and Mr. Jun Ding, the Director of Chengdu Center of China Geological Survey, for their support and help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. China Geological Survey, 100037, Beijing, China

    Yueping Yin & Xiaochun Li

  2. Chengdu Center, China Geological Survey, Chengdu, China

    Wanmo Zheng

  3. Key Laboratory of Neotectonic Movement & Geohazard, Ministry of Land and Resources, 100081, Beijing, China

    Ping Sun & Bin Li

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  1. Yueping Yin
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  2. Wanmo Zheng
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  3. Xiaochun Li
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  4. Ping Sun
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  5. Bin Li
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Correspondence to Yueping Yin.

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Yin, Y., Zheng, W., Li, X. et al. Catastrophic landslides associated with the M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake. Bull Eng Geol Environ 70, 15–32 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-010-0334-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-010-0334-7

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