Dynamics of the Bingham Canyon Mine landslides from seismic signal analysis

Joint interpretation of long-and short-period seismic signals generated by landslides sheds light on the dynamics of slope failure, providing constraints on landslide initiation and termination and on the main phases of acceleration and deceleration. We carry out a combined analysis of the seismic signals generated by two massive landslides that struck the Bingham Canyon Mine pit on 10 April 2013. Inversion of the long-period waveforms yields time series for the bulk landslide forces and momenta, from which we deduce runout trajectories consistent with the deposit morphology. Comparing these time series with the short-period seismic data, we are able to infer when and where major changes take place in landslide momentum along the runout path. This combined analysis points to a progressive fracturing of the masses during acceleration indicates that deceleration starts the moment they reach the pit floor and suggests that the bulk movement is stopped by a topographic barrier.