The morphology and sedimentology of the Walai rock avalanche in southern China, with implications for confined rock avalanches

Chen, Ruichen; Chen, Jian; Xu, Hui; Cui, Zhijiu; He, Qing; Gao, Chunyu

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2022.108346

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Under the control of strong basal friction and initial structures, the sliding body completed the initial disintegration, but there was no significant longitudinal velocity differentiation. Although relevant geomorphic evidence of the deformation stage was not found in the Ganheba rock-ice avalanche, we observed digitate emplacement in the transition zone of the Walai rock avalanche (Chen et al, 2022), which proves the continued moving of the rear materials and the existence of the deformation stage. It is worth noting that during the entire emplacement process, ice and snow did not play an important role in enhancing mobility because most of it had accumulated in the proximal fan and no relevant evidence was found in the middle and distal deposits.…”

Section: Emplacement Processcontrasting

confidence: 56%

“…During the spreading stage, the large fragments on the surface of the avalanche mass, which make up the carapace facies, were preserved. This process also illustrates the fact that the movement of the carapace facies is a passive process (Dufresne et al, 2016;Dufresne et al, 2019;Zhang et al, 2019;Chen et al, 2022).…”

Section: Simulation Resultsmentioning

confidence: 71%

“…In the Ganheba rock-ice avalanche, the spacing of the structural surface is variable, so its complex carapace facies could be interpreted. When we noticed the intact ice mass on the surface of the proximal deposits, we realized that the violent collision with the terrain could not have left the failure mass completely fragmented and that the initial structural surface had played a crucial role (Dufresne et al, 2016;Chen et al, 2022). Meanwhile, the well-preserved ice on the proximal surface also suggests that ice may not have played a role in enhancing mobility, except for the application of overlying loads.…”

Section: Emplacement Processmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Compared with rock avalanches in non-glacial environments (Hewitt, 1998;Dufresne et al, 2016Dufresne et al, , 2019Dufresne, 2017;Wang et al, 2018;Wang et al, 2019;Zeng et al, 2019;Wang S. et al, 2020;Zeng et al, 2021;Chen et al, 2022), the sedimentary characteristics of rock-ice avalanches show some differences. For instance, researchers have observed a 0.5-4.5-m deep pit formed by melting ice at the front of the Yigong rock-ice avalanche (Yang et al, 2015), chaotic topography with irregular hills and depressions formed by differential ablation in the Miage Glacier rock-ice avalanche (Deline, 2009), and larger clasts concentrated distally in the Sherman Glacier rock-ice avalanche (Sosio et al, 2008(Sosio et al, , 2012.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Geomorphological characteristics and the kinematic process of the Ganheba rock–ice avalanche in Yulong Mountain, China

Chen

Chen²,

Shi³

et al. 2023

Front. Earth Sci.

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Rock–ice avalanches have increased in recent years due to global warming. On 12 March 2004, a massive failure of rock mass (9.1×106 m3) originated on the south slope of Yulong Mountain in Yunnan Province and eventually formed the Ganheba rock–ice avalanche, with an H/L ratio of 0.4. In this study, the geomorphological characteristics, sedimentary characteristics, and emplacement process of the Ganheba rock–ice avalanche were analyzed based on remote sensing interpretation, field investigation, and 2D discrete element modeling. This study suggests that long-term effects, including historical seismic effects and freeze–thaw action, were the key factors in the occurrence of this landslide. Interesting landforms and sedimentary structures found in this case, such as lateral ridges, superelevation, and boat rocks, were used to explain the characteristics of the velocity and the thinning spreading process of the avalanche mass. The numerical simulation further revealed that the entire movement of this rock–ice avalanche lasted about 105 s, with a maximum front velocity of 82 m/s. The underlying substrate rather than the ice is considered to have contributed to the hypermobility of the Ganheba rock–ice avalanche. The developed fissures, complex topography, and basal friction were determined to control the progressive fragmentation in this case. Meanwhile, the kinematic process of the Ganheba rock–ice avalanche was divided into four stages: failure and acceleration, collision deceleration, deceleration spreading, and deformation. The findings of this study contribute to an understanding of the evolution of glacier-related hazards in the high-mountain region.

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Section: Emplacement Processcontrasting

confidence: 56%

Section: Simulation Resultsmentioning

confidence: 71%

Section: Emplacement Processmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Geomorphological characteristics and the kinematic process of the Ganheba rock–ice avalanche in Yulong Mountain, China

Chen

Chen²,

Shi³

et al. 2023

Front. Earth Sci.

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“…Deposit morphology of rock avalanches are widely used to derive flow patterns (Barth 2013;Zeng et al 2019;Chen et al 2022). These include lateral, transverse, and longitudinal ridges, hummocks, closed basins, and extensional scarps.…”

Section: Geomorphology and Age Of The Tamins Rock Avalanchementioning

confidence: 99%

The Tamins rock avalanche (eastern Switzerland): timing and emplacement processes

et al. 2022

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The Tamins rock avalanche lies adjacent to the Flims rock avalanche, the largest in the Alps. Its deposit forms a ridge across the Rhine Valley just downstream of the confluence of the Vorderrhein and Hinterrhein rivers. The deposit is dominated by a 1.6-km-long longitudinal ridge, Ils Aults, and two roughly 600-m-long transverse ridges. Several extensional scarps bear witness to spreading of the deposit. A breach through the deposit, where the Rhine River presently flows, reveals a carapace and intense fragmentation. Exposure dating using cosmogenic 36Cl yields an age of 9420 ± 880 years. This suggests that the Tamins event occurred in a time frame similar to the Flims event but was slightly earlier than the Flims rock avalanche, as also required by stratigraphic relationships. 3D volume modeling reveals bulking of only 14%. The motion of the rock avalanche seems to have occurred first as a flexible block, which underwent fragmentation and simple shearing where the top moved faster than the bottom. The ensuing spreading led to the formation of extensional scarps. There is no identified weak layer along the sliding surface; nevertheless, modeling suggests a friction angle of 10°.

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Vestige of a subaerial rock avalanche deposit in an upper Cretaceous synorogenic wedge-top succession (Gosau Group, Eastern Alps)

Sanders

Gruber²

2023

Sedimentary Geology

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The morphology and sedimentology of the Walai rock avalanche in southern China, with implications for confined rock avalanches

Cited by 8 publications

References 64 publications

Geomorphological characteristics and the kinematic process of the Ganheba rock–ice avalanche in Yulong Mountain, China

Geomorphological characteristics and the kinematic process of the Ganheba rock–ice avalanche in Yulong Mountain, China

The Tamins rock avalanche (eastern Switzerland): timing and emplacement processes

Vestige of a subaerial rock avalanche deposit in an upper Cretaceous synorogenic wedge-top succession (Gosau Group, Eastern Alps)

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