Internal structure of an active landslide based on ERT and DP data: New insights from the Hofermühle landslide observatory in Lower Austria

Abstract

Slopes with clay-rich, deeply weathered soils, such as those present in the Flysch Zone of Lower Austria, are prone to landslide processes. Even though generally being of low magnitude and velocity, they can cause substantial economic losses and threaten settlements as well as infrastructure. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of sub-surface information to further increase our understanding on landslide processes and triggers in different areas as well as to support any decision makers to determine any appropriate landslide mitigation measures. The combination of direct and indirect methods thereby has proven to be an adequate methodology, yet case studies are still needed to develop a universal strategy for the investigation of clay-rich landslides. In this study, we applied Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Dynamic Probing Medium (DPM) to further investigate the complex Hofermühle landslide in the Flysch Zone of Lower Austria in order to improve our knowledge on sub-surface conditions. The focus is on the initially activated main landslide area, which has already formed earth-flow-like processes in the past. The methodology facilitated a representative characterization of the sub-surface. We were able to approximate the geometry and depth of slip surfaces, as well as the transition to bedrock, allowing us to delimit those parts of the slope which are likely to fail and, respectively be re-activated in the future. The results show that a range of thicknesses can be found in the investigated part of the Hofermühle landslide. In particular, near the surface, which has been altered by creep displacement and also by anthropogenic alteration, the resistivity is more variable compared to deeper, presumably less disturbed, layers. Furthermore, it is assumed that clay particles are transported with the surface runoff and deposited in the surroundings of the drainage channels, resulting in lower resistivity values and higher saturation at this locations. The location of the slip surface is interpreted to be on the surface of the bedrock, where there is a highly disturbed, clay-rich mass with no interbedded layers. Layers with lower resistivity directly above the bedrock indicate weathered material and remolding of materials during creep.