Identification and Motion Trajectory Analysis of High-Position Dangerous Rock Mass in the Lanhuazhai Collapse Triggered by the 2022 Luding Ms 6.8 Earthquake

Abstract

The epicenter of the 2022 Luding Ms 6.8 earthquake was located in Hailuogou scenic area, and a large number of co-seismic geo-hazards occurred along the scenic road. To assess the geo-hazards in Hailuogou scenic area, an extensive field survey was conducted. Firstly, based on the satellite images after earthquake, a large-scale inspection was conducted along the road by manual visual interpretation. A total of 503 co-seismic geo-hazards with a total area of 3.75 × 10⁶ m² were identified, and almost half of their scale ranged from 1 000 to 5 000 m². Subsequently, the Lanhuazhai collapse located on K14 section was chosen as a representative site for in-depth study. 3D point clouds and high-resolution photos were obtained by UAV, and the distribution characteristics of dangerous rock mass, joint set, and accumulated rock were preliminarily investigated. A comparative study was carried out when subsequent collapse occurred on October 28, and the causes were discussed. Based on the 3D point clouds, the source and impact area of geo-hazards were automatically identified, which contained six landslides and three debris flows apart from the collapse. Two high-position regions with exposed bedrock were selected for accurate identification of dangerous rock mass and joint, and the results were consistent with those observed in site. Finally, the 3D DDA model was established and used to simulate the runaway process of a typical dangerous rock mass. The motion trajectory was analyzed according to the variation of kinetic energy and the disposal scheme was provided, which can be served as guidance for rescue and reconstruction.

Keywords

UAV remote sense / point clouds / geo-hazard source areas / dangerous rock mass / joint / 3D DDA / earthquake effects / disaster preventation

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