In response to the challenges of long crossing distances and difficult site selection for linear engineering projects in mountainous areas, this article proposes a multi-scale engineering geological zoning (EGZ) method. This method is based on the linear engineering construction stage and transitions from regional EGZ to EGZ of key sections (areas with poor or worst engineering geological conditions). This method not only ensures the effect of EGZ but also reduces the workload. When carrying out the EGZ of key sections, the assessment ideas of geological disaster hazards were taken into consideration. An improved method for calculating the time probability and magnitude probability of disaster occurrence is proposed. Taking the National Highway 318 Chengdu-Shigatse section as an example, EGZ was carried out. Its results revealed that the Nyingchi section was the key section with poor and worst engineering geological conditions. EGZ of the key section showed that the areas with poor and worst engineering geological conditions were mainly distributed in the curved sections on the northern side of the linear project. The proposed method in this article provides guidance for EGZ for linear engineering projects in mountainous areas.

The evolution of the landslide erosion of bank slopes in reservoir regions is crucial for disaster prevention and mitigation in hydropower projects, and it is also an important topic to investigate the impact of anthropogenic activities on the environment. A dispute exists on the landslide erosion of bank slopes under reservoir impoundment. In this paper, we chose the Xiluodu reservoir as a typical case for analysis. The reservoir is located on the eastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and ranks as the fourth largest hydropower station in the world. Firstly, we identified landslides using the multi-temporal image interpretation method before and after impoundment in the reservoir area, and established a landslide dataset. On this basis, we analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution of these landslides, and derived the landslide erosion rate based on the quantitative relation between landslide volume and area. The results showed that the landslide erosion rate increased sharply during the initial impoundment period and decreased exponentially. We then analyzed reservoir-induced landslides worldwide and found that most reservoir bank slopes tend to stabilize after about five years of impoundment, eventually even becoming more stable than pre-impoundment, regardless of the location, scale, water fluctuations, and geoenvironment. Thus, in the long term, reservoir construction tends to reduce erosion and contribute to bank stability. This study provides a preliminary answer to the controversial issue of the impact of reservoir construction on the natural environment.

Analytical solutions serve as primary benchmarks for verifying model test design, provide rapid predictive tools for preliminary design, and offer fundamental physical understanding of complex structure interaction problems of the geological body. It is essential for ensuring the reliability of experimental results. For the study on slope stability under earthquakes, the seismic behavior of key inclined cracks in the slope is a hot topic, which is a crucial issue in rock mechanics and engineering geomechanics. This paper studies the dynamic propagation of the inclined crack under seismic conditions, proposes the analytical solution of fracture mechanics, and conducts a centrifuge shaking table test accordingly for monitoring and validation. The analytical solution results have been validated experimentally by a centrifuge shaking table test on the seismic behavior of an inclined crack. Results indicate that the amplitude of seismic waves significantly affects crack propagation: the greater the amplitude, the faster the propagation rate. Analysis of crack propagation and maximum surface displacement reveals hysteresis and sudden jumps of surface deformation caused by rock mass structure and locked segments, both in indoor tests and in strong earthquake regions. This paper combines a theoretical and experimental monitoring study, providing a good example of integrating analytical solutions and modeling validation for research on earthquake-induced landslide disasters.

An earthquake-induced landslide inventory with acceptable completeness is critical for the effectiveness and accuracy of research, yet its creation is technically challenging and time-consuming. This study proposes a method to determine the minimum interpretation scale for inventories with acceptable completeness without a complete census. Four earthquakes of varying magnitudes and settings were selected. By comparing landslide distributions across inventories with different completeness, we identified the minimum interpretable scale for these earthquakes. Then, we derived an empirical relationship between the maximum and minimum landslide scales. Assuming a similar geological environment for landslides in the same earthquake, the minimum interpretation scale can be calculated from the maximum scale. Results show that when the maximum landslide area is 10^x m², the distribution of the inventory in which interpreted landslides ≥ 10^x−3 m² is similar to that of the complete inventory. A consistency check using 24 global public inventories supports the empirical robustness of this methodology. Therefore, the minimum acceptable interpretation scale can be set solely by the order of magnitude of the maximum landslide area. Methodology aids in assessing the feasibility of historical earthquake-landslide studies, guiding the selection of remote sensing image resolution for interpretation, reducing the interpretation workload, and shortening post-earthquake response time.