Field Study and Numerical Simulation of a Major Rock Slide
View of the large-scale rockslide on the eastern face of the 800-m high Mt. Cabac, Leyte Island, Philippines.
Focus Area:
Geotechnical Engineering
Overview:
The February 17, 2006, Leyte Island, Philippine Rockslide, which killed at least 1,328 persons and involved debris of about 25 million m3, is believed to be one of the largest slides recorded in recent history.
Project Staff:
Marte Gutierrez, Principal Investigator
Description:
On February 17, 2006, a massive rockslide occurred in Leyte, Philippines following several days of heavy rainfall. The cause of the rockslide is not fully well understood in terms of geological, geomechanical, seismic and hydrological processes, and no conclusive triggering mechanisms have so far been proposed. To investigate the underlying mechanism of the February 17, 2006 Leyte rockslide, distinct element simulations using the 3DEC (Three-Dimensional Distinct Element Code) are performed. The distinct element models were established based on the results of a field survey of the landslide site and on in situ and laboratory testing of materials from the slide. The potential causes of the slide were investigated and the results of the numerical modelling were compared with accounts made by slide survivors and observations made during a post-slide reconnaissance survey of the rockslide site.