ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Earth Sci.
Sec. Geohazards and Georisks
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/feart.2025.1603042
This article is part of the Research TopicHigh-Altitude and Long-Runout Landslide Dynamics: Theory, Methods, and ApplicationsView all 7 articles
Deformation characteristics and initiation mechanism of the Lijie landslide, Zhouqu, China
Provisionally accepted
- 1Chang’an University, Xi'an, China
- 2China Institute of Geological Environmental Monitoring, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
- 3Gansu Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring, Lanzhou, China
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The Lijie landslide in Zhouqu County, China, located within the tectonically active Bailong River Basin on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, exemplifies a high-altitude shear-out landslide by fault-controlled with cascading hazard potential. This study employs an interdisciplinary methodology integrating field surveys, drilling, geophysical prospecting, and deep displacement monitoring to unravel its deformation characteristics and initiation mechanisms. Results demonstrate spatially heterogeneous deformation, concentrated along the eastern margin and leading edge of the landslide source area. Key surface manifestations include interconnected tension cracks, road displacement, and localized collapses at the rear scarp and frontal zone. The F3 fault zone traversing the mid-upper slope induces intense rock mass fragmentation, while hydrogeological interactions between karstified Devonian limestone aquifers and impermeable Silurian slate aquitards drive groundwater accumulation within the fault zone, significantly reducing geomechanical strength. These factors critically govern the landslide's progressive deformation and ultimate failure. Under the coupled effects of endogenic and exogenic dynamics, such fault-controlled landslides in active orogens are prone to triggering large-scale compound hazard chains, including landslide-debris flow -river blockage events, with amplified destructive potential.
Keywords: Landslide hazards, Tectonic control, Deformation characteristics, Initiation mechanism, Bailong river basin
Received: 31 Mar 2025; Accepted: 21 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Gao, Zhang, Cui, Wang, Wang and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Nan Zhang, China Institute of Geological Environmental Monitoring, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
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