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Landslides triggered by the earthquake

Journal Article · · United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA)
OSTI ID:5598129
;

The May 2 earthquake triggered landslides numbering in the thousands. Most numerous were rockfalls and rockslides that occurred mainly on slopes steeper than 60{degree} within sandstone, siltstone, and shale units of Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary strata. Soil falls from cutbank slopes along streams were also numerous. Seven slumps in natural slopes were triggered, and minor liquefaction-induced lateral-spread failures occurred along Los Gatos Creek. Rockfalls and rockslides occurred as far as 34 km northwest, 15 km south, and 26 km southwest of the epicenter. There were few slope failures to the east of the epicenter, owing to the absence of steep slopes in that direction. Throughout the area affected, rockfalls and rockslides were concentrated on southwest-facing slopes; the failures on slopes facing in the southwest quadrant accounted for as much as 93% of all failures in some areas. Rockfalls and rockslides from ridge crests were predominantly from sandstone units. Along steeply incised canyons, however, failures in shale and siltstone units were also common. Small rockslides and soil slides occurred from cut slopes above oil-well pump pads in the oil fields; slumps were common in the outer parts of steep fill slopes of the pump pads. The distribution of seismically induced landslides throughout the entire earthquake-affected area was mapped from true-color airphotos taken on May 3, 1985.

OSTI ID:
5598129
Journal Information:
United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA), Journal Name: United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA) Vol. 1487; ISSN XGPPA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020600 -- Petroleum-- Health & Safety
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
CALIFORNIA
CENOZOIC ERA
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
DAMAGE
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISTRIBUTION
EARTHQUAKES
EPICENTERS
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRATA
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
INCLINED STRATA
LANDSLIDES
LIQUEFACTION
MAPPING
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
OIL FIELDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEISMIC EFFECTS
SEISMIC EVENTS
SHALES
SILTSTONES
SOILS
TERTIARY PERIOD
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA