Deformation behavior and triggering mechanism of the Tuandigou landslide around the reservoir area of Baihetan hydropower station

The reservoir impoundment can lead to accelerated deformation or reactivation of landslides, posing great threats to human lives and dam stability. The primary objective of this paper is to report the movement process of the Tuandigou (TDG) ancient landslide in the Baihetan dam area during reservoir impounding. Field investigation, borehole work, and site monitoring data are used to analyze the deformation behavior and triggering mechanism of the TDG landslide. It is found that the landslide deformation is closely related to the reservoir water level. After the reservoir water level reached the elevation of 810 m on October 12, 2022, the ground cracks continued to expand and gradually linked up, resulting in an accelerated deformation of the TDG landslide. Furthermore, the lithology in the study area also positively contributes to the slide movement. Based on these results, it is anticipated that the present research will provide guidelines for the early warning and control of the TDG landslide during and after the reservoir impounding.

Automated summary

The main purpose of this paper is to report the movement process of the Tuandigou ancient landslide during reservoir impounding in the Baihetan dam area, and analyze the deformation behavior and triggering mechanism of the landslide. It is found that the landslide deformation is closely related to the reservoir water level. After the water level reached 810 meters, the ground cracks continued to expand and gradually linked up, resulting in an accelerated deformation of the landslide. The lithology in the study area also positively contributes to the slide movement. The results of this study are expected to provide guidelines for the early warning and control of the landslide during and after reservoir impounding.