Typological analysis of slidequakes emitted from landslides: experiments on an expander body pile and Sobradinho landslide (Brasilia, Brazil)

Researchers have identified distinct microseismic signals, or 'slidequakes,' emitted from landslides under natural and controlled conditions. The study compared slidequakes from the Sobradinho landslide in Brasília, Brazil, triggered by rainfall, with those generated during a pullout test of an expander body (EB) pile in tropical soil. Using mini-arrays of seismometers, the team analyzed signal characteristics, revealing short-duration microseismic events in the EB pile test and more varied signals at Sobradinho, possibly linked to river bedload energy during heavy rains. The findings offer new insights into the pre-collapse dynamics of unstable clayey slopes, though the ambiguity around source mechanisms highlights the need for longer data campaigns.

Hussain, Y., Hussain, S. M., Martino, S., Cardenas-Soto, M., Hamza, O., Rodriguez-Rebolledo, J. F., Uagoda, R., & Martinez-Carvajal, H. (2019). Typological analysis of slidequakes emitted from landslides: experiments on an expander body pile and Sobradinho landslide (Brasilia, Brazil). REM - International Engineering Journal, 72(3), 453–460. https://doi.org/10.1590/0370-44672018720110