Abstract
Lithology variation is known to have a major control on landslide kinematics, but this effect may remain unnoticed due to low spatial coverage during investigation. The large clayey Avignonet landslide (French Alps) has been widely studied for more than 35 years. Displacement measurements at 38 geodetic stations over the landslide showed that the slide surface velocity dramatically increases below an elevation of about 700 m and that the more active zones are located at the bottom and the south of the landslide. Most of the geotechnical investigation was carried out in the southern part of the landslide where housing development occurred on lacustrine clay layers. In this study, new electrical prospecting all across the unstable area revealed the unexpected presence of a thick resistive layer covering the more elevated area and overlying the laminated clays, which is interpreted as the lower part of moraine deposits. The downslope lithological boundary of this layer was found at around 700 m asl. This boundary coincides with the observed changes in slide velocity and in surface roughness values computed from a LiDAR DTM acquired in 2006. This thick permeable upper layer constitutes a water reservoir, which is likely to influence the hydromechanical mechanism of the landslide. The study suggests a major control of vertical lithological variations on the landslide kinematics, which is highlighted by the relation between slide velocity and electrical resistivity.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abu-Hassanein Z, Benson C, Blotz L (1996a) Electrical resistivity of compacted clays. J Geotech Eng 122:397–406. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1996)122:5(397)
Abu-Hassanein Z, Benson C, Wang X, Blotz L (1996b) Determining bentonite content in soil-bentonite mixtures using electrical conductivity. Geotech Test J 19:51–57
Aleotti P (2004) A warning system for rainfall-induced shallow failures. Eng Geol 73:247–265
Archie G (1942) The electrical resistivity log as an aid in determining some reservoir characteristics. Trans AIME 146:54–62
Baldi P, Cenni N, Fabris M, Zanutta A (2008) Kinematics of a landslide derived from archival photogrammetry and GPS data. Geomorphology 102:435–444. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.04.027
Bièvre G, Kniess U, Jongmans D, Pathier E, Schwartz S, van Westen C, Villemin T, Zumbo V (2011) Paleotopographic control of landslides in lacustrine deposits (Trièves plateau, French western Alps). Geomorphology 125:214–224. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2010.09.018
Bièvre G, Jongmans D, Winiarski T, Zumbo V (2012) Application of geophysical measurements for assessing the role of fissures in water infiltration within a clay landslide (Trièves area, French Alps). Hydrol Process 26:2128–2142. doi:10.1002/hyp.7986
Bovis M, Jones P (1992) Holocene history of earthflow mass movements in south-central British Columbia – the influence of hydroclimatic changes. Can J Earth Sci 29:1746–1755
Braud I, De Condappa D, Soria J, Haverkamp R, Angulo-Jaramillo R, Galle S, Vauclin M (2005) Use of scaled forms of the infiltration equation for the estimation of unsaturated soil hydraulic properties (the Beerkan method). Eur J Soil Sci 56:361–374. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2389.2004.00660.x
Brocard G, Van Der Beek P, Bourlès D, Siame L, Mugnier J (2003) Long-term fluvial incision rates and postglacial river relaxation time in the French Western Alps from 10Be dating of alluvial terraces with assessment of inheritance, soil development and wind ablation effects. Earth Planet Sci Lett 209:197–214
Chambers J et al (2011) Three-dimensional geophysical anatomy of an active landslide in Lias Group mudrocks, Cleveland basin, UK. Geomorphology 125:472–484. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2010.09.017
Coe J, McKenna J, Godt J, Baum R (2009) Basal-topographic control of stationary ponds on a continuously moving landslide. Earth Surf Process Landf 34:264–279. doi:10.1002/esp.1721
Corsini A, Pasuto A, Soldati M, Zannoni A (2005) Field monitoring of the Corvara landslide (Dolomites, Italy) and its relevance for hazard assessment. Geomorphology 66:149–165
Corsini A, Borgatti L, Coren F, Vellico M (2007) Use of multitemporal airborne LiDAR surveys to analyse postfailure behaviour of earthslides. Can J Remote Sens 33:116–120
Cruden D, Varnes D (1996) Landslide types and processes. In: Turner A, Schuster R (eds) Landslides investigation and mitigation. National Academic Press, Washington, pp 36–75
Daehne A, Corsini A (2013) Kinematics of active earthflows revealed by digital image correlation and DEM subtraction techniques applied to multi-temporal LiDAR data. Earth Surf Process Landf 38:640–654. doi:10.1002/esp.3351
Debelmas J (1967) La Chapelle-en-Vercors. In: Carte géologique de la France à 1/50000. BRGM Éditions, Orléans, France
Delacourt C, Allemand P, Bertier E, Raucoules D, Casson B, Grandjean P, Pambrun C, Varel E (2007) Remote-sensing techniques for analysing landslide kinematics: a review. Bull Soc Geol Fr 178:89–100. doi:10.2113/gssgfbull.178.2.89
Di Maio R, Piegari E (2011) Water storage mapping of pyroclastic covers through electrical resistivity measurements. Journal of Applied Geophysics 75:196–202. doi:10.1016/j.jappgeo.2011.07.009
Eilertsen R, Hansen L, Bargel T, Solberg I (2008) Clay slides in the Målselv valley, northern Norway: characteristics, occurrence, and triggering mechanisms. Geomorphology 93:548–562
Flageollet J, Maquaire O, Martin B, Weber D (1999) Landslides and climatic control conditions in the Barcelonnette and Vars basins (Southern French Alps, France. Geomorphology 30:65–78. doi:10.1016/S0169-555X(99)00045-8
François B, Tacher L, Bonnard C, Laloui L, Triguero V (2007) Numerical modelling of the hydrogeological and geomechanical behaviour of a large slope movement: the Triesenberg landslide (Liechtenstein). Can Geotech J 44:840–857. doi:10.1139/t07-028
Friedel S, Thielen A, Springman S (2006) Investigation of a slope endangered by rainfall-induced landslides using 3D resistivity tomography and geotechnical testing. Journal of Applied Geophysics 60:100–114. doi:10.1016/j.jappgeo.2006.01.001
Gerber R, Howard K (2000) Recharge through a regional till aquitard: three-dimensional flow model water balance approach. Ground Water 38:410–422. doi:10.1111/j.1745-6584.2000.tb00227.x
Giraud A, Antoine P, Van Asch T, Nieuwenhuis J (1991) Eng Geol 31:185–195. doi:10.1016/0013-7952(91)90005-6
Golden Software (2012) Surfer user manual. Golden Software, Golden
Guerriero L, Coe J, Revellino P, Grelle G, Pinto F, Guadagno F (2014) Influence of slip-surface geometry on earth-flow deformation, Montaguto earth flow, southern Italy. Geomorphology 219:285–305. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.04.039
Handwerger A, Roering J, Schmidt D (2013) Controls on the seasonal deformation of slow-moving landslides. Earth Planet Sci Lett 377–378:239–247. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2013.06.047
Hungr O, Leroueil S, Picarelli L (2014) The Varnes classification of landslide types, an update. Landslides 11:167–194. doi:10.1007/s10346-013-0436-y
Iverson R (2000) Landslide triggering by rain infiltration. Water Resour Res 36:1897–1910
Iverson R (2004) Regulation of landslide motion by dilatancy and pore pressure feedback. J Geophys Res Earth Surf 110, F02015. doi:10.1029/2004JF000268
Iverson R, Major J (1987) Rainfall, groundwater-flow, and seasonal movement at Minor Creek landslide, northwestern California - Physical interpretation of empirical relations. Geol Soc Am Bull 99:579–594. doi:10.1130/0016-606(1987)99<579:RGFASM>2.0.CO;2
Jaboyedoff M, Oppikofer T, Abellán A, Derron M, Loye A, Metzger R, Pedrazzini A (2012) Use of LIDAR in landslide investigations: a review. Nat Hazards 61:5–28. doi:10.1007/s11069-010-9634-2
Jongmans D, Garambois S (2007) Geophysical investigation of landslides: a review. Bull Soc Geol Fr 178:101–112
Jongmans D, Bièvre G, Schwartz S, Renalier F, Beaurez N (2009) Geophysical investigation of the large Avignonet landslide in glaciolacustrine clays in the Trièves area (French Alps). Eng Geol 109:45–56. doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2008.10.005
Keefer D (1984) Landslides caused by earthquakes. Geol Soc Am Bull 95:406–421
Keefer D (2002) Investigating landslides caused by earthquakes - a historical review. Surv Geophys 23:473–510
Kelsey H (1978) Earthflows in Franciscan melange, Van Duzen River basin, California. Geology 6:361–364. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(1978)6<361:EIFMVD>2.0.CO;2
Kniess U (2011) Quantification de l'évolution de glissements argileux par des techniques de télédétection. Application à la région du Trièves (Alpes Françaises occidentales). PhD thesis in English, Université de Grenoble, France.
Kniess U, Travelletti J, Daehne A, Krzeminska D, Bièvre G, Jongmans D, Corsini A, Bogaard T, Malet J (2014) Innovative techniques for the characterization of the morphology, geometry and hydrological features of slow-moving landslides. In: Van Asch T J W, Corominas J, Greiving S, Malet J-P, Sterlacchini S (eds.) Mountain risks: from prediction to management and governance. Springer Netherlands. pp. 57–82. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-6769-0_3
Lapenna V, Lorenzo P, Perrone A, Piscitelli S, Rizzo E, Sdao F (2005) 2D electrical resistivity imaging of some complex landslides in Lucanian Apennine chain, southern Italy. Geophysics 70:B11–B18
Lassabatère L, Angulo-Jaramillo R, Soria Ugalde J, Cuenca R, Braud I, Haverkamp R (2006) Beerkan estimation of soil transfer parameters through infiltration experiments - BEST. Soil Sci Soc Am J 70:521–532. doi:10.2136/sssaj2005.0026
Lebourg T, Hernandez M, Zerathe S, Bedoui S, Jomard H, Fresia B (2010) Landslides triggered factors analysed by time lapse electrical survey and multidimensional statistical approach. Eng Geol 114:238–250. doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2010.05.001
Lee C, Zeng L, Hsieh C, Yu C, Hsieh S (2012) Determination of mechanisms and hydrogeological environments of Gangxianlane landslides using geoelectrical and geological data in central Taiwan. Environmental Earth Sciences 66:1641–1651. doi:10.1007/s12665-012-1522-5
Loke M, Barker R (1996) Rapid least-squares inversion of apparent resistivity pseudosections by a quasi-Newton method. Geophys Prospect 44:131–152
Loke M, Chambers J, Rucker D, Kuras O, Wilkinson P (2013) Recent developments in the direct-current geoelectrical imaging method. Journal of Applied Geophysics 95:135–156. doi:10.1016/j.jappgeo.2013.02.017
Lorier L, Desvarreux P (2004) Glissement du Mas d'Avignonet, commune d'Avignonet. In: Proceedings of the workshop Ryskhydrogeo, Program Interreg III, La Mure (France)
Mackey B, Roering J, McKean J (2009) Long-term kinematics and sediment flux of an active earthflow, Eel River, California. Geology 37:803–806. doi:10.1130/G30136A.1
Malet J, Maquaire O, Calais E (2002) The use of global positioning system techniques for the continuous monitoring of landslides: application to the Super-Sauze earthflow (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France). Geomorphology 43:33–54. doi:10.1016/S0169-555X(01)00098-8
Mavko G, Mukerji T, Dvorkin J (2009) The rock physics handbook, tools for seismic analysis of porous media, 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Monjuvent G (1973) La transfluence Durance-Isère. Essai de synthèse du Quaternaire du bassin du Drac (Alpes françaises). Géol Alpine 49:57–118
Moulin C, Robert Y (2004) Le glissement de l'Harmalière sur la commune de Sinard. In: Proceedings of the workshop Ryskhydrogeo, Program Interreg III, La Mure (France), 11 pp
Oppikofer T, Jaboyedoff M, Keusen H (2008) Collapse at the eastern Eiger flank in the Swiss Alps. Nat Geosci 1:531–535. doi:10.1038/ngeo258
Perrone A, Lapenna V, Piscitelli S (2014) Electrical resistivity tomography technique for landslide investigation: a review. Earth Sci Rev 135:65–82. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2014.04.002
Petley D, Mantovani F, Bulmer M, Zannoni A (2005) The use of surface monitoring data for the interpretation of landslide movement patterns. Geomorphology 66:133–147. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.09.011
Picarelli L (2000) Mechanisms and Rates of Slope Movements in Fine Grained Soils. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, GEOENG2000, Melbourne, Australia. pp. 1618–1670
Picarelli L, Urciuoli G, Russo C (2004) The role of groundwater regime on behaviour of clayey slopes. Can Geotech J 41:467–484
Renalier F, Bièvre G, Jongmans D, Campillo M, Bard P (2010a) Characterization and monitoring of unstable clay slopes using active and passive shear wave velocity measurements. In: Miller R, Bradford J, Holliger K (eds) Advances in near-surface seismology and ground-penetrating radar. Society of Exploration Geophysics, Tulsa, pp 397–414. doi:10.1190/1.9781560802259.ch24
Renalier F, Jongmans D, Campillo M, Bard P (2010b) Shear wave velocity imaging of the Avignonet landslide (France) using ambient noise cross-correlation. J Geophys Res 115, F03032. doi:10.1029/2009JF001538
Reynolds J (1997) An introduction to applied and environmental geophysics. Wiley and Sons, Chichester
Rodriguez C, Bommer J, Chandler R (1999) Earthquake-induced landslides: 1980–1997. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 18:325–346. doi:10.1016/S0267-7261(99)00012-3
Roering J, Stimely L, Mackey B, Schmidt D (2009) Using DInSAR, airborne LiDAR, and archival air photos to quantify landsliding and sediment transport. Geophys Res Lett 36, L19402. doi:10.1029/2009GL040374
Rott H, Scheuchl B, Siegel A, Grasemann B (1999) Monitoring very slow slope motion by means of SAR interferometry: a case study from a mass waste above a reservoir in the Otztal Alps, Austria. Geophys Res Lett 26:1629–1632. doi:10.1029/1999GL900262
Schwab M, Rieke-Zapp D, Schneider H, Liniger M, Schlunegger F (2008) Landsliding and sediment flux in the Central Swiss Alps: a photogrammetric study of the Schimbrig landslide, Entlebuch. Geomorphology 97:392–406. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.08.019
Shepard M, Campbell B, Bulmer M, Farr T, Gaddis L, Plaut J (2001) The roughness of natural terrain: a planetary and remote sensing perspective. J Geophys Res 106:32777–32795. doi:10.1029/2000JE001429
Slater L, Lesmes D (2002) Electrical-hydraulic relationships observed for unconsolidated sediments. Water Resour Res 38:31-1-31-13. doi: 10.1029/2001WR001075
Squarzoni C, Delacourt C, Allemand P (2003) Nine years of spatial and temporal evolution of the La Valette landslide observed by SAR interferometry. Eng Geol 68:53–66
Stiros S, Vichas C, Skourtis C (2004) Landslide monitoring based on geodetically derived distance changes. J Surv Eng 130:156–162
Strozzi T, Farina P, Corsini A, Ambrosi C, Thüring M, Zilger J, Wiesmann A, Wegmüller U, Werner C (2005) Survey and monitoring of landslide displacements by means of L-band satellite SAR interferometry. Landslides 2:193–201
Tabbagh A, Cosenza P (2007) Effect of microstructure on the electrical conductivity of clay-rich systems. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C 32:154–160. doi:10.1016/j.pce.2006.02.045
Teza G, Pesci A, Genevois R, Galgaro A (2008) Characterization of landslide ground surface kinematics from terrestrial laser scanning and strain field computation. Geomorphology 97:424–437. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.09.003
Travelletti J, Sailhac P, Malet J, Grandjean G, Ponton J (2011) Hydrological response of weathered clay-shale slopes: water infiltration monitoring with time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography. Hydrol Process 26:2106–2119. doi:10.1002/hyp.7983
Travelletti J, Delacourt C, Allemand P, Malet J, Schmittbuhl J, Toussaint R, Bastard M (2012) Correlation of multi-temporal ground-based optical images for landslide monitoring: application, potential and limitations. ISPRS J Photogramm Remote Sens 70:39–55. doi:10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2012.03.007
Travelletti J, Malet J, Samyn K, Grandjean G, Jaboyedoff M (2013) Control of landslide retrogression by discontinuities: evidences by the integration of airbone- and ground-based geophysical information. Landslides 10:37–54. doi:10.1007/s10346-011-0310-8
Van Asch T, Hendriks M, Hessel R, Rappange F (1996) Hydrological triggering conditions of landslides in varved clays in the French Alps. Eng Geol 42:239–251
Van Asch T, Buma J, Van Beek L (1999) A view on some hydrological triggering systems in landslides. Geomorphology 30:25–32
Van Asch T, Malet J, Van Beek L (2006) Influence of landslide geometry and kinematic deformation to describe the liquefaction of landslides: some theoretical considerations. Eng Geol 88:59–69. doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2006.08.002
Van Asch T, Van Beek L, Bogaard T (2007) Problems in predicting the mobility of slow-moving landslides. Eng Geol 91:46–55. doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2006.12.012
Van Asch T, Malet J, Bogaard T (2009) The effect of groundwater fluctuations on the velocity pattern of slow-moving landslides. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 9:739–749
Van der Spek J, Bogaard T, Bakker M (2013) Characterization of groundwater dynamics in landslides in varved clays. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 10:295–324. doi:10.5194/hessd-10-295-2013
Van Genuchten P, Van Asch T (1988) Factors controlling the movement of a landslide in varved clays near La Mure (French Alps). Bull Soc Geol Fr 8:461–469
Varnes D (1978) Slope movement types and processes. In: Schuster R, Krizek R (eds) Landslides: analysis and control. National Academic Press, Washington, pp 11–33
Vuillermet E, Cordary D, Giraud A (1994) Caractéristiques hydrauliques des argiles litées du Trièves (Isère). Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 49:85–90
Wang G (2011) GPS landslide monitoring: single base vs network solutions - a case study based on the Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands permanent GPS network. J Geod Sci 1:191–203. doi:10.2478/v10156-010-0022-3
Wentworth C (1922) A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments. J Geol 30:377–392
Yilmaz D, Lassabatère L, Angulo-Jaramillo R, Deneele D, Legret M (2010) Hydrodynamic characterization of basic oxygen furnace slag through an adapted BEST method. Vadose Zone J 9:107–116. doi:10.2136/vzj2009.0039
Zhang X, Phillips C, Pearce A (1991) Surface movement in an earthflow complex, Raukumara Peninsula, New Zealand. Geomorphology 4:261–272. doi:10.1016/0169-555X(91)90009-Y
Acknowledgments
This study was partly funded by IFSTTAR (French Institute of Science and Technology for Transport, Development and Networks) through programmes ‘Sécheresse’ (draught) and ‘Mouvements de terrain’ (Landslides). GPS data for stations AVP and AVN were provided by OMIV (Multidisciplinary Observatory of Versant Instabilities; http://omiv.osug.fr). This work has been supported by a grant from LabEx Osug@2020 (Investissements d’avenir—ANR10LABX56. The authors also wish to thank students from the University of Grenoble (PhiTEM and Polytech) for their help in the field. Finally, the authors wish to thank two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bièvre, G., Jongmans, D., Goutaland, D. et al. Geophysical characterization of the lithological control on the kinematic pattern in a large clayey landslide (Avignonet, French Alps). Landslides 13, 423–436 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-015-0579-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-015-0579-0