Geomorphological and geotechnical causes of anthropogenically induced rock‐mass falls in the wachau‐danube valley (bohemian massif, lower austria)

Anthropogenic activities, particularly quarrying for building materials, have significantly destabilized rock slopes in the Wachau-Danube Valley, leading to catastrophic rock-mass falls. The study identifies that the combination of existing geological discontinuities and artificially modified morphology is fatal for slope stability. At two quarries near Spitz and Dürnstein, heavy rainfall triggered four major rockslides, with a total volume of 170-000m³ at Spitz and approximately 15-000m³ at Dürnstein. Rock mechanical analysis revealed that undercutting by mining faces and the presence of steeply dipping joint sets contributed to these events. The research underscores the need for extensive reshaping of mining faces to achieve stable conditions, essential for maintaining transport infrastructure in this culturally significant UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Laimer, H. J., & Müllegger, M. (2012). Geomorphological and geotechnical causes of anthropogenically induced rock‐mass falls in the wachau‐danube valley (bohemian massif, lower austria). Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, 94(1), 157–174. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2012.00451.x