Abstract
The 12 March 2001 landslide at a slate quarry in Okayama, Japan killed three workers. Composite studies based on field surveys of the landslide slope, interviews with local residents and quarry workers, and inspections of hydrological and seismological data have been used to clarify the causes of this slide and its movements. The results indicate that the landslide was enabled firstly by the steepness of the slope, which had been undercut by river; secondly, the structure was that of a dip-slope that was prone to deep-seated slides along bedding planes; thirdly, numerous joints and faults were present. Surprisingly, rainfall, earthquakes, and explosions do not appear to have played any role in the triggering of this slide. The interviews demonstrated that the frequency of precursory failures increased over a period of several hours before the 12 March 2001 landslide. Inspection of the seismograph records and the eyewitness evidence both indicate that the main part of the landslide consisted of two phases of slope failure within 23 s. After the slide, the frequency of the failures gradually decreased with time over a period of several days. Three new terms are proposed for landslides: foreslide, mainslide, and afterslide, following the terms foreshock, main shock, and aftershock used in seismology.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 321-331 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Natural Hazards |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 2008 |
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Keywords
- Dip-slope
- Landslide
- Precursor
- Progressive failure
- Quarry
- Undercut slope
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Atmospheric Science
- Water Science and Technology
Cite this
Sequential processes in a landslide hazard at a slate quarry in Okayama, Japan. / Suwa, Hiroshi; Mizuno, T.; Suzuki, Shigeyuki; Yamamoto, Y.; Ito, K.
In: Natural Hazards, Vol. 45, No. 2, 05.2008, p. 321-331.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Sequential processes in a landslide hazard at a slate quarry in Okayama, Japan
AU - Suwa, Hiroshi
AU - Mizuno, T.
AU - Suzuki, Shigeyuki
AU - Yamamoto, Y.
AU - Ito, K.
PY - 2008/5
Y1 - 2008/5
N2 - The 12 March 2001 landslide at a slate quarry in Okayama, Japan killed three workers. Composite studies based on field surveys of the landslide slope, interviews with local residents and quarry workers, and inspections of hydrological and seismological data have been used to clarify the causes of this slide and its movements. The results indicate that the landslide was enabled firstly by the steepness of the slope, which had been undercut by river; secondly, the structure was that of a dip-slope that was prone to deep-seated slides along bedding planes; thirdly, numerous joints and faults were present. Surprisingly, rainfall, earthquakes, and explosions do not appear to have played any role in the triggering of this slide. The interviews demonstrated that the frequency of precursory failures increased over a period of several hours before the 12 March 2001 landslide. Inspection of the seismograph records and the eyewitness evidence both indicate that the main part of the landslide consisted of two phases of slope failure within 23 s. After the slide, the frequency of the failures gradually decreased with time over a period of several days. Three new terms are proposed for landslides: foreslide, mainslide, and afterslide, following the terms foreshock, main shock, and aftershock used in seismology.
AB - The 12 March 2001 landslide at a slate quarry in Okayama, Japan killed three workers. Composite studies based on field surveys of the landslide slope, interviews with local residents and quarry workers, and inspections of hydrological and seismological data have been used to clarify the causes of this slide and its movements. The results indicate that the landslide was enabled firstly by the steepness of the slope, which had been undercut by river; secondly, the structure was that of a dip-slope that was prone to deep-seated slides along bedding planes; thirdly, numerous joints and faults were present. Surprisingly, rainfall, earthquakes, and explosions do not appear to have played any role in the triggering of this slide. The interviews demonstrated that the frequency of precursory failures increased over a period of several hours before the 12 March 2001 landslide. Inspection of the seismograph records and the eyewitness evidence both indicate that the main part of the landslide consisted of two phases of slope failure within 23 s. After the slide, the frequency of the failures gradually decreased with time over a period of several days. Three new terms are proposed for landslides: foreslide, mainslide, and afterslide, following the terms foreshock, main shock, and aftershock used in seismology.
KW - Dip-slope
KW - Landslide
KW - Precursor
KW - Progressive failure
KW - Quarry
KW - Undercut slope
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=41849090808&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=41849090808&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11069-007-9163-9
DO - 10.1007/s11069-007-9163-9
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:41849090808
VL - 45
SP - 321
EP - 331
JO - Natural Hazards
JF - Natural Hazards
SN - 0921-030X
IS - 2
ER -