Seismic characterization of clays blocks ruptures in a clayey landslide, the Harmaliere landslide.

Many regions of the world are exposed to landslides in clayey deposits, which pose major problems for land management and human safety. Clayey landslide activity is complex, showing a succession of periods of inactivity and reactivation phases that can evolve into sudden acceleration and catastrophic landslides and/or flows. Understanding the processes that control this activity therefore requires the continuous monitoring of specific parameters. At the end of June 2016, the Harmalière clayey landslide (located 30 km south of the city of Grenoble in the French Alps) was dramatically reactivated at the headscarp after 35 years of continuous but limited activity. The total volume involved, which moved in the form of tilted blocks of different sizes, was estimated at about 3,106 m3. Several sensors, including seismometers and GNSS stations, were installed immediately behind the main escarpment in early August 2016. They recorded a rupture involving a block of a few hundred cubic meters in November 2016. Additional data (seismology, meteorology, piezometer, etc.) were provided by a permanent observatory located a few hundred meters away in the nearby Avignonet landslide (RESIF2006). Two three-component seismic sensors were placed on the collapsed block and 10 meters aft on the stable part respectively.

Thus, four seismic parameters were monitored for 4 months until the clay block rupture: the cumulative number of microseisms, the resonance frequency of the block, the relative variation in Rayleigh wave velocity (dV/V) and the correlation coefficient (CC) in the range 1-12 Hz. All these parameters showed a significant precursor signal before the rupture, but at very different times. During the monitoring period, they also showed different responses to environmental parameters and in particular to precipitation. The resonance frequency increased slightly but steadily from 8 to 9 Hz (+12%) during the pre-break period, then decreased from 9 Hz to 7 Hz (-22%) just one hour before the break. However, the other three parameters showed significant variations a few weeks before failure. The dV/V and CC parameters reacted 1.5 month before the failure, during a very heavy rain event. The CC showed a general decrease over time, first affecting the high frequencies, then gradually spreading to the low frequencies. Finally, seismic activity is almost constant during the first three months, with only slight temporary increases during precipitation. One month before the rupture, a significant increase in the number of events is observed.

This study shows the potential of monitoring different seismic parameters over time in order to predict the slip of blocks in a clay material.