Slope deformation caused by water-level variation in the three gorges reservoir, China

Abstract

Landslides may be triggered by water-level variation during the operation of a reservoir. The most severe landslide disaster occurred in Vajont water reservoir in Italy in 1963, and caused more than 2,000 fatalities. Since then, landslide problems in reservoir areas have received much attention. In the Three Gorges area of China, the largest dam in the world was constructed from 1994 to 2006. For the purpose of mitigating landslide disasters around the Three Gorges water reservoir, an IPL member project IPL108, "Disaster evaluation and mitigation of landslides in the Three-Gorge water reservoir area, China" was proposed by the Earthquake Administration of Chongqing Municipality in 2002. Later, China Geological Survey, China Three Gorges University, Kyoto University and Shimane University joined the research and investigation. This report summarizes research results on Qianjiangping landslide, which was triggered by an initial impoundment in 2003 and moved a long distance at high speed, and Shuping landslide, which was reactivated by the initial impoundment and moved slowly.