Stress-Strain State Monitoring of a Man-Induced Landslide Based on the Lithospheric Component Parameters of the Earth’s Pulsed Electromagnetic Field

Abstract

The work summarizes the results of estimating dynamic changes in the state of a man-induced landslide using the Earth’s natural pulsed electromagnetic field (ENPEMF) recording methods and its geomorphological analysis. Research was carried out in the North Caucasus orogenic region with active geodynamics. When choosing a profile research object using the ENPEMF method, 20 dangerous landslide areas were revealed on the Russian section of the Dzaurikau-Tskhinvali gas pipeline (North Ossetia) in 2010. The landslides were ranked by the level of danger to the operation of industrial facilities. Currently, a periodic inspection of rock mass strain-stress state change dynamics using the EMPEMF method is carried out on the most active of those landslides. The probability of activation of dangerous geological processes in this area is especially high, due to the fact that a steep slope was cut at the intersection of two fractures during pipeline construction. Tectonic faults were detected through satellite image interpretation. Over the 9-year period, a significant change in the terrain and an increase in the landslide body has taken place. The abnormal stress-strain state persists. Places of new block detachments and ground subsidence are well predicted. Instrumental survey data is coherent with geomorphological analysis results. The paper provides recommendations on ENPEMF recorder settings, spatial anomaly detection and their interpretation for rock mass stress-strain state estimation.