Multiple Geophysical Techniques for Investigation and Monitoring of Sobradinho Landslide, Brazil

Yawar Hussain, Martin Cardenas-Soto, Salvatore Martino, Cesar Moreira, Welitom Borges, Omar Hamza, Renato Prado, Rogerio Uagoda, Juan Rodríguez-Rebolledo, Rafael Cerqueira Silva and Hernan Martinez-Carvajal
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Yawar Hussain: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Martin Cardenas-Soto: Engineering Faculty, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Salvatore Martino: Department of Earth Sciences and Research Center for Geological Risks (CERI), University of Rome “Sapienza”, 00185 Roma, Italy
Cesar Moreira: Institute of Geoscience and Exact Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Sao Paulo 13506-900, Brazil
Welitom Borges: Institute of Geosciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Omar Hamza: College of Engineering and Technology, University of Derby, Derby DE223AW, UK
Renato Prado: Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences, São Paulo University (USP), Sao Paulo 05508-090, Brazil
Rogerio Uagoda: Department of Geography, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Juan Rodríguez-Rebolledo: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Rafael Cerqueira Silva: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Hernan Martinez-Carvajal: Faculty of Mines, National University of Colombia at Medellin, Medellin, Colombia

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 23, 1-18

Abstract: Geophysical methods have a varying degree of potential for detailed characterization of landslides and their dynamics. In this study, the application of four well-established seismic-based geophysical techniques, namely Ambient Noise Interferometry (ANI), Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR), Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) and Nanoseismic Monitoring (NM), were considered to examine their suitability for landslide characterization and monitoring the effect of seasonal variation on slope mass. Furthermore, other methods such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and DC Resistivity through Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) were also used for comparison purpose. The advantages and limitations of these multiple techniques were exemplified by a case study conducted on Sobradinho landslide in Brazil. The study revealed that the geophysical characterization of the landslide using traditional techniques (i.e., GPR, ERT and MASW) were successful in (i) the differentiation between landslide debris and other Quaternary deposits, and (ii) the delineation of the landslide sliding surface. However, the innovative seismic based techniques, particularly ambient noise based (HVSR and ANI) and emitted seismic based (NM), were not very effective for the dynamic monitoring of landslide, which might be attributed to the short-time duration of the data acquisition campaigns. The HVSR was also unsuccessful in landslide site characterization i.e., identification of geometry and sliding surface. In particular, there was no clear evidence of the light seasonal variations, which could have been potentially detected from the physical parameters during the (short-time) ambient noise and microseismic acquisition campaigns. Nevertheless, the experienced integration of these geophysical techniques may provide a promising tool for future applications.

Keywords: landslide dynamic; geophysical investigation; slope mass (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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