ABSTRACT
The nature of the Guinsaugon rockslide is not fully understood in terms of geological, geomechanical and hydrological processes, and no conclusive triggering mechanisms have so far been proposed. To investigate the underlying mechanism of the rockslide, numerical distinct element simulations using 3DEC (ThreeDimensional Distinct Element Code) developed by HItasca (2006) are performed. LIDAR imaging was used to establish the geometry of the scarp created by the slide and to obtain geological data on fracturing at the site of the slide. Other model parameters required in the DEM modeling were established from in situ and laboratory testing of materials taken from the site (Gutierez 2007). Different triggering mechanisms were tested in the simulations, and the results of the numerical modeling were compared with accounts made by slide survivors and observations made during a post-slide field reconnaissance of the rockslide site.
2 LIDAR IMAGING OF THE ROCKSLIDE SITE
