Abstract:
Many cities or urban residential areas in central and western China reside in alluvial plains formed from piedmont alluvial fans. Hence, revealing the stratigraphic architectures and stability of alluvial fans holds critical significance for urban construction planning and rational land use. The alluvial fan in the eastern piedmont of the Liupan Mountains hosts the urban residential areas and villages of Guyuan City, with a dense population. Moreover, the alluvial fan develops several event deposits recording the activity of the alluvial fan under tectonic movements and climatic changes. Through field geological survey, optically stimulated luminescence dating, controlled source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT), and conventional radon measurement, this study revealed the stratigraphic architecture of the alluvial fan and its two-phase event deposits (~43.33 ka B.P. and 22.92~20.72 ka B.P) since the Late Pleistocene. As indicated by the CSAMT and conventional radon measurement results, the alluvial fan still exhibits high activity under the influence of the Haiyuan and Qingshuihe faults. The results of this study provide fundamental data for crustal stability assessment, prevention and control of geologic hazards, and engineering construction in the Liupanshan area.