Abstract
Abstract. The Greater Caucasus mountain belt is characterized by deep valleys, steep slopes and frequent seismic activity, the combination of which results in major landslide hazard. Along the eastern side of the Enguri water reservoir lies the active Khoko landslide, whose head scarp zone affects the important Jvari–Khaishi–Mestia road, one of the few connections with the interior of the Greater Caucasus. Here, we present a database of measurement time series taken over a period of 4 years (2016–2019) that enables us to compare slope deformation with meteorological factors and human-induced perturbations owing to variations in the water level of the reservoir. The monitoring system we used is composed of two digital extensometers, placed within two artificial trenches excavated across the landslide head scarp. The stations are also equipped with internal and near-ground surface thermometers. The dataset is integrated by daily measurements of rainfall and lake level. The monitoring system – the first installed in Georgia – was set up in the framework of a NATO-funded project, aimed at assessing different types of geohazards affecting the Enguri artificial reservoir and the related hydroelectrical plant. Our results indicate that the Khoko landslide displacements appear to be mainly controlled by variations in hydraulic load, in turn induced by lake level oscillations. Rainfall variations might also have contributed, though this is not always evident for all the studied period. The full databases are freely available online at the following DOI: https://doi.org/10.20366/unimib/unidata/SI384-2.0 (Tibaldi et al., 2020).
Highlights
Landslides are widespread natural hazard sources, affecting most of the world’s countries and capable of causing serious economic losses
Our results indicate that the Khoko landslide displacements appear to be mainly controlled by variations in hydraulic load, in turn induced by lake level oscillations
Extension peaked from 16 May 2017 to 8 August 2017, with a total extension of 52 mm, corresponding to an average rate of 0.61 mm/d. This documented acceleration in the movement coincided with the opening of new fractures on the road surface at about 700 m of altitude, i.e., 230 m above the average lake level of 470 m a.s.l
Summary
Landslides are widespread natural hazard sources, affecting most of the world’s countries and capable of causing serious economic losses. The monitoring of landslides is a necessary step to implement protective measures, as it allows us to recognize possible acceleration in slope deformation rate and alert residents or close road communication systems, where needed This type of monitoring is of paramount importance for assessing possible triggering factors (Casagli et al, 2009), determining the level of risk (Spiker and Gori, 2003), and planning land use and risk management (Fell et al, 2005; Bertolini et al, 2005). This activity can be of special relevance in cases of complex situations, such as those affecting an artificial water reservoir, where water variations can destabilize (or stabilize) the slopes overlooking the basin.
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