The Geotechnical Hazard Induced by 8.1 Earthquake in West Pass of Kunlun Mountatin in China in 2001

Abstract

On November 14, 2001, a great earthquake with a magnitude of Ms=8.1 occurred in the Qinhai-Tibet Plateau, China, which is called as the west pass of Kunlun mountain Ms8.1 earthquake. This earthquake is the largest and the first one with a magnitude greater than 8.0 in mainland China in the recent 50 years. It caused a large-scale deformation zone with a length of 426 km in frozen soil deposit in the plateau with a height of 4000-5500 meters above sea level. Some geotechnical hazards induced in the meizoseismal area, such as compression and tension failure of soil deposit, shaking landslides (collapse of slope and cliff), seismic settlement, sliding of glacier and snow. Unexpectedly, liquefaction occurred within the melting sand layer in frozen soil deposit on the banks of lakes and rivers. All the hazards were investigated in the field by the authors. This paper presents the results of the field investigation and tests made

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