A review of recent earthquake-induced landslides on the Tibetan Plateau

• Published in: Earth-science reviews Vol. 244; p. 104534
• Main Authors: Zhao, Bo, Su, Lijun, Xu, Qiang, Li, Weile, Xu, Chong, Wang, Yunsheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.2023
• Subjects: Dam; Inventory; Movement; Postseismic evolution; Seismic landslide; Spatial and size distribution; Susceptibility; Tibetan Plateau; Tibetan Plateau; Dam; Spatial and size distribution; Movement; Susceptibility; Postseismic evolution; Seismic landslide; Inventory
• ISSN: 0012-8252; 1872-6828
• DOI: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2023.104534

Earthquake-induced landslides, also called seismic landslides (SLs), are some of the most catastrophic natural hazards on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). They have frequently caused disastrous impacts on human society but are also important driving forces in regional evolution. The rapid development of multiple advanced techniques and more relevant studies have contributed to much progress in understanding SLs, but a synoptic survey that combines the insights of related studies to build a comprehensive understanding of SLs on the Tibetan Plateau is currently lacking. Here, we adopt recent SLs triggered by the 2005 Kashmir (Mw 7.6), 2008 Wenchuan (Mw 7.9), 2010 Yushu (Mw 6.9), 2013 Lushan (Mw 6.6), 2013 Minxian (Mw 5.5), 2015 Gorkha (Mw 7.8), 2017 Jiuzhaigou (Mw 6.5), 2017 Nyingchi (Mw 6.5), 2022 Lushan (Mw 5.8) and 2022 Luding (Mw 6.6) earthquakes on the TP to overview some advances in data preparation, spatial patterns and controls, landslide patterns and causes, movement and landslide damming, susceptibility, and long-term evolution. The study first summarizes worldwide seismic events that have triggered SLs since 2000 to confirm the TP is a SL-prone area and points out detailed SL-prone tectonic blocks on the TP. Based on landslide inventories of 10 adopted events, the study investigates the SL spatial distribution and finds tectonic and geomorphic controls of SL distribution. The landslide inventories also help us confirm the relationships of landslide sizes (SL number, SL area and SL volume) and magnitudes. Next, we summarize the landslide patterns and possible failure causes and highlight that seismic amplification could play an important role for SL occurrence on steep mountains. We use two important indicators, namely, landslide mobility (H/L) and landslide velocity, to reveal SL movement characteristics; we analyze the characteristics of SL damming, dam breaks and outburst floods; we analyze the SL susceptibility process and propose the most common landslide controlling factors (altitude, slope, PGA, seismogenic faults, rivers and stratigraphy) for SL susceptibility; we analyze postseismic evolution using two important indicators, namely, landslide activity and debris flow activity. Finally, we compare the results with other earthquakes worldwide and find that the TP is more sensitive to SLs; SL distribution laws of other worldwide seismic events are not fully consistent with those of the TP, including few seismic liquefaction landslides occur on the TP, while it is common for coastal earthquakes, and SLs on the TP require longer recovery periods.