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In 1981, an Alberta Government project upgraded the monitoring of South Peak, Turtle Mountain, on the south margin of the 1903 Frank Slide. The monitoring program aimed at understanding the rates of deformation over large, deep fractures encompassing South Peak and predicting a second large rock avalanche on the mountain. The monitoring program consisted of a complement of static ground points and remotely monitored targets measured periodically, and climatic, microseismic, and deformation data collected automatically on daily intervals and archived. In the late 1980s, developmental funding for the monitoring program ceased and some of the installations fell into disrepair. Between May 2004 and September 2006, readings from the remaining functional monitoring points were compiled and interpreted. In addition, readings compiled previously were re-interpreted based on a more recent understanding of short-term movement patterns and climatic influences. These observations were compared with recent observations from an airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) digital elevation model and field photographs to give more precise estimates of the overall rates, extent, and patterns of motion for the past 25 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slopes in weakly cemented glaciolacustrine sediments in the Morkill River valley in the Canadian Rocky Mountains stand at up to 70°. Based on field and laboratory observations it appears that a contributing factor to instability is the softening of the soils by frost action and the leaching of calcite cement. Field density profiles demonstrated increased density and carbonate content with an increase in depth. Laboratory tests of carbonate content indicated a positive correlation between calcium carbonate and density in the glaciolacustrine sediments. The relationship was strongest in sands, in which leaching and dissolution were important components of softening. In clays, frost action was the dominant component of softening. Freeze-thaw tests showed a 50% decrease in strength after one cycle of freeze and thaw in the silts and clays.Key words: landslide, cemented, glaciolacustrine sediments, British Columbia.Les pentes dans les sédiments glaciolacustres dans la vallée de la rivière Morkill dans les montagnes Rocheuses canadiennes tiennent jusqu'à des angles de 70°. D'après des observations sur le terrain et en laboratoire, il semble qu'un facteur qui contribue à l'instabilité est le ramollissement des sols par l'action du gel et le lessivage du ciment de calcite. Les profils de densité du terrain ont montré une densité et une teneur en carbonate croissantes avec la profondeur. Des essais de teneur en carbonate en laboratoire ont indiqué une corrélation positive entre le carbonate de calcium et la densité dans les sédiments glaciolacustres. La relation était plus marquée dans les sables dans lesquels le lessivage et la dissolution étaient des composantes importantes du ramollissement. Des essais de gel-dégel ont montré une diminution de 50 % de la résistance après un cycle de gel et dégel dans les silts et les argiles.Mots clés : glissements de terrain, cimenté, sédiments glaciolacustres, Colombie Britannique.[Traduit par la Rédaction] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper proposes a structural investigation of the Turtle Mountain anticline (Alberta, Canada) to better understand the role of the different tectonic features on the development of both local and large scale rock slope instabilities occurring in Turtle Mountain. The study area is investigated by combining remote methods with detailed field surveys. In particular, the benefit of Terrestrial Laser Scanning for ductile and brittle tectonic structure interpretations is illustrated. The proposed tectonic interpretation allows the characterization of the fracturing pattern, the fold geometry and the role of these tectonic features in rock slope instability development. Ten discontinuity sets are identified in the study area, their local variations permitting the differentiation of the study zone into 20 homogenous structural domains. The anticline is described as an eastern verging fold that displays considerable geometry differences along its axis and developed by both flexural slip and tangential longitudinal strain folding mechanisms. Moreover, the origins of the discontinuity sets are determined according to the tectonic phases affecting the region (pre-folding, folding, post-folding). The localization and interpretation of kinematics of the different instabilities revealed the importance of considering the discrete brittle planes of weakness, which largely control the kinematic release of the local instabilities, and also the rock mass damage induced by large tectonic structures (fold hinge, thrust). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]