Paraglacial rock-slope deformations: sudden or delayed response? Insights from an integrated numerical modelling approac
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Margherita Cecilia Spreafico I Pietro Sternai I Federico Agliardi
Paraglacial rock-slope deformations: sudden or delayed response? Insights from an integrated numerical modelling approach
Abstract Glacial and paraglacial processes have a major influence on rock slope stability in alpine environments. Slope deglaciation causes debuttressing, stress and hydro-mechanical perturbations that promote progressive slope failure and the development of slow rock slope deformation possibly evolving until catastrophic failure. Paraglacial rock slope failures can develop soon after or thousands of years after deglaciation, and can creep slowly accelerating until catastrophic failure or nucleate sudden rockslides. The roles of topography, rock properties and deglaciation processes in promoting the different styles of paraglacial rock slope failure are still elusive. Nevertheless, their comprehensive understanding is crucial to manage future geohazards in modern paraglacial settings affected by ongoing climate change. We simulate the different modes and timing of paraglacial slope failures in an integrated numerical modelling approach that couples realistic deglaciation histories derived by modelling of ice dynamics to 2D time-dependent simulations of progressive failure processes. We performed a parametric study to assess the effects of initial ice thickness, deglaciation rate, rock-slope strength and valley shape on the mechanisms and timing of slope response to deglaciation. Our results allow constraining the range of conditions in which rapid failures or delayed slow deformations occur, which we compare to natural Alpine case studies. The melting of thicker glaciers is linked to shallower rockslides daylighting at higher elevation, with a shorter response time. More pronounced glacial morphologies influences slope lifecycle and favour the development of shallower, suspended rockslides. Weaker slopes and faster deglaciations produce to faster slope responses. In a risk-reduction perspective, we expect rockslide differentiation in valleys showing a strong glacial imprint, buried below thick ice sheets during glaciation. Keywords Rock slope instability . Deglaciation . Paraglacial . Numerical modelling . Damage . Slope creep Introduction Different types of rock slope instabilities, including both slow rock slope deformations and catastrophic failures, are commonly observed in formerly glaciated, alpine environments. Field evidence, monitoring and modelling studies suggest that the stability of large rock slopes in alpine environments is strongly controlled by their glacial history, including the extent and timing of glaciation, deglaciation and paraglacial landscape adjustment (Church and Ryder 1972; Ballantyne 2002; Ambrosi and Crosta 2006; Ballantyne et al. 2014). Moreover, several authors suggested that the catastrophic collapse of large slopes is often the outcome of long-term progressive failure processes, promoted and modulated by glacial erosion, deglaciation and associated stress
perturbations, rock mass damage and hyd
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