The 921 earthquake and its implication for natural hillside landslide in Taiwan

Abstract

A study of of the Chi-chi Earthquake and the induced landslides has been carried out because the event brought devastation with occurrences of landslides where the science behind is interested. The objective of the study was to study earthquake-induced landslides in natural hillside Taiwan in disciplines of geology and civil engineering. Data has been obtained from Central Weather Bureau Seismographic Network Taiwan (CWBSN) and Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Centre (PEER). Part of data regarding landslide distribution was obtained from previous literature. The data is presented in the form of photographs, graphs, tables and response spectrums. The data has been interpreted in relation to the geological setting and a series of seismic parameter including the review on the peak ground acceleration at the observation stations. It is concluded that the earthquake-induced landslides from Chi-chi Earthquake was contributed by not only its prerequisite including tectonic framework, overall geology, tectonic structure and geology, but also earthquake ground motion and frequency content. Being triggered by the ground shaking of the earthquake, the landslides were induced by earthquake and the factors which have influences on the amplitude of ground response were looked into. Observations on several factors are made and discussed in this study through reviewing on the data.