Creep deformation monitoring of landslides in a reservoir area

Effective utilization of reservoirs facilitates the distribution of water resources in both time and space, providing strong support for the sustainable growth of the economy and society. However, the periodic water level fluctuations of a reservoir during its operation may lead to geological hazards such as landslides. Here, we conducted a comparative analysis of the deformation processes of reservoir and non-reservoir landslides in the Jilintai area between 2017 and 2022 using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology and wavelet analysis. Results show that more unstable locations were found on shaded slopes with a soil moisture of 6–10% than on sunny ones with a soil moisture of 15–19%. Both reservoir and non-reservoir landslides showed continuous and prolonged creep displacement over time. The deformation curve of the reservoir landslides displayed a step-like trend, whereas it was a linear trend without the discernible acceleration period for the non-reservoir landslides. Furthermore, the wavelet analysis revealed that the deformation of reservoir landslides follows a one-year period, almost synchrony with reservoir level changes. The results from this work deepen our understanding of kinematic processes of reservoir and non-reservoir landslides, which is crucial for reasonable and effective landslide monitoring and prevention.