Relationship between landslides and active normal faulting in the epicentral area of the AD 1556 M~8.5 Huaxian Earthquake, SE Weihe Graben (Central China)

Abstract

In this paper, we focus on the characteristics of the landslides developed in the epicentral area of AD 1556 M~8.5 Huaxian Earthquake, and discuss their relations to the active normal faults in the SE Weihe Graben, Central China. The results from analyzing high-resolution remote-sensing imagery and digital elevation models (DEMs), in combination with field survey, demonstrate that: (i) the landslides observed in the study area range from small-scale debris/rock falls to large-scale rock avalanches; (ii) the landslides are mostly developed upon steep slopes of ≥30°; and (iii) the step-like normalfault scarps along the range-fronts of the Huashan Mountains as well as the thick loess sediments in the Weinan area may facilitate the occurrence of large landslides. The results presented in this study would be helpful to assess the potential landslide hazards in densely-populated areas affected by active normal faulting.

Keywords

landslides / active normal faults / Huaxian Earthquake / Weihe Graben / Ordos Block

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