Loess landslides on the South Jingyang Platform in Shaanxi Province, China

Abstract

Continuous use of diversion irrigation has been associated with an increase in the frequency of loess landslides on the South Jingyang Platform in Xi’an, China. Continued irrigation results in water content which in turn leads to liquefaction. Causing flowslides characterized by high speed and long distance. After the first flowslide occurs in an area, the seepage field and stress field of the slopes surrounding the flowslide changes, resulting in a decrease in slope stability. This, in turn, leads to the occurrence of retrograde loess slides in the same position that early flowslides occurred. These failures lead to a evolution of the platform. Shear liquefaction occurs in the terrace sand layers, resulting in the liquefied sand layer flows in a non-uniform and irregular manner. This leads to the formation of a thrust nappe structure over a long distance at the distal part of the deposits.