The shape of a mountain determines the risk of landslides in earthquakes

In mountainous areas, earthquakes can sometimes be amplified by the shape of the landscape. Research by the University of Twente shows that far from the epicenter, the shape of the terrain increases the risk of landslides. Closer to the epicenter, it is essentially the strength of the earthquake itself.

Ashok Dahal, a young researcher from Nepal, in collaboration with an international team from the University of Twente, has developed a new method to better predict landslides after severe earthquakes. The results show how some mountainous areas amplify the force of an earthquake due to their shape, leading to greater damage in specific places.

In the event of an earthquake, the shock wave spreads across the landscape. In some places in the mountains, these waves are amplified by the shape of hills and mountains, a phenomenon called “topographic amplification.” This effect makes certain areas particularly vulnerable to landslides. Dahal and his colleagues have developed computer models that show exactly where the amplified shock waves end.

Personal motivation

The research focused on the devastating earthquake that struck Kathmandu Nepal in 2015, an event close to home for Dahal, who grew up in Nepal. With his family and friends in the affected areas, he had a personal motivation to conduct this research. Thanks to these findings, regions like Nepal may be able to better protect communities from future landslides by understanding how landscapes are shaped by the impact of earthquakes.

The team found that landslides are more common in places more than 40 kilometers from the epicenter. “Our findings show that near the epicenter, the effect of topography is minor, where the initial force of the earthquake dominates,” explains Dahal. “But farther from the epicenter, where ground motion weakens, topographic amplification becomes much more significant, significantly increasing the risk of avalanches.” The floor.” .

Ten years of research

This knowledge could help countries with mountainous terrain, such as Nepal, protect vulnerable areas more effectively. “We have been studying this phenomenon for more than a decade, with nearly a decade focused on this particular earthquake,” says researcher Mark van der Meede. “This extensive research, combined with our state-of-the-art simulations, has provided a wealth of knowledge to improve predictions of earthquake impacts.”

He learns more

Dr. Ashok Dahal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Geosciences, College of ICT. Professor Mark van der Meede is a professor in the same department. Researchers Dahal, Tanias, May, van der Meijd, van Westen, and Lombardo published their findings in an article titled, “Measuring the effect of topographic amplification on landslides triggered by the 2015 Gorkha earthquake,” in the scientific journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment.

doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01822-9

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