Research on deformation characteristics and mechanisms of an open pit coal mine landslide event in extremely cold region

Abstract

Abstract For the sake of heavy rainfall, a landslide occurred at the Baorixile open-pit coal mine, at 13:40 (Beijing time, UTC + 8) on April 30, 2020, in China. The landslide event was about 130 × 10 5 m 3 and produced considerable damage in addition to economic loss. Determining the trigger factors and ascertaining unstable slopes and initial displacements – which can be attained by utilizing remote sensing data are pivotal for disaster prevention and risk reduction in open-pit mining areas. An exhaustive integrated methodology was applied. This methodology combined post-hazard investigation, UAV aerial digital photogrammetry interpretation, and geological mapping. It was used to analyze the deformation characteristics and clarify the process and causes.deformation characteristics. The research adopts this approach through back analysis of the Baorixile open-pit coal mine landslide event. Initially, the landslide area was split into four subzones: the rear tension crack zone, the detachment zone at the top, the middle sliding subsidence zone, and the anterior sliding colluvium zone. The analysis suggests that engineering activities, freeze-thawing, and persistent rainfall were the dominant external factors triggering the landslide. Weak intercalated layers in the local topography were the principal inherent factors for the event. The digital image correlation technique reveals each stage in the four-stage hazard chain identified by AL-DIC during the whole failure processing. Finally, the objective of this research is to supply an acquaintance with toppling stage connected to the interplay between the climate and open-pit mining related instabilities.