FVM-based method to prediction of velocity of landslide

Landslide motion is a dynamic process with rather complex mode. The calculation of sliding velocity is the basis of surge prediction. This study presented the results of three-dimensional dynamic simulation to the selected landslide using a finite volume method (FVM). The three-dimensional geological mode was set up based on the digital elevation model (DEM) and the information of slip surface from drills and field outcrops. The modeling properties were obtained from the results of experiments. The sliding process of sliding body is simulated and the sliding velocity of micro units of landslide is calculated by using FVM. The results showed that the sliding velocity firstly increase along the direction of movement of the landslide, then gradually decrease, which consist with the law of motion of landslide. The sliding velocity from FVM almost coincides with that of other two methods, i.e. Pan method and energy method. Therefore, FVM method can be used to calculate the velocity of landslide and it is not dependent on the calculated profile and the terrain of slip surface. It reproduces the whole process of failure, development and sliding dynamically.