Thermal-Deformation Response and Rainfall Interaction in Seasonal Frozen Soil Landslides in the Changbai Mountain Area Under Continuous Typhoon Influence

Abstract

Displacement, rainfall, and stress have traditionally received significant attention in landslide monitoring and warning systems, while temperature has often been marginalized. Nevertheless, probing the potential of thermal signal within landslide formations as a predictive metric for landslide initiation merits thorough investigation. This study examines a case landslide in the Changbai Mountain region, impacted by consecutive typhoons. Utilizing a multi-source monitoring approach integrating a digital elevation model (DEM) of difference (DoD), underground monitoring, and field surveys, we monitor temperature, deformation within the landslide mass, and surface displacement. The research findings suggest that the extraordinary precipitation events resulting from three consecutive typhoons, each occurring approximately once every sixty years, have almost reactivated landslide occurrences that were previously stabilized. The reactivated landslide may cause swift displacements, thereby posing substantial hazards to both infrastructure and local communities. Remarkably, during the stages of landslide initiation, temperature demonstrates discernible fluctuations, evincing two distinct patterns: a sequential sharp increase followed by slow decrease (SISD) and a rapid increase followed by rapid decrease (RIRD). These patterns showed a significant correlation with rainfall and deformation within the landslide. In light of this phenomenon, we posit two theoretical frameworks: the ambient heat-induced SISD and the spontaneous heat-induced RIRD. Grounded in the empirical findings of this inquiry, we advocate for an intensified focus on monitoring and research endeavors pertaining to landslide thermal dynamics, with the aim of comprehensively assessing the viability and efficacy of temperature fluctuations as a predictive harbinger for landslide occurrences.

Keywords: Changbai mountain, Landslide monitoring, Seasonal frozen soil rainfall-induced landslide, Temperature.