Application of opposing-coils transient electromagnetics in the detection of landslide deposits

The detection of landslide deposits is frequently required in the infrastructure construction of the Western China Development. However, it is difficult to distinguish the landslide deposits using conventional electromagnetic methods because of the small differences in the resistivity between the sliding surface of the sliding bed and the Quaternary overburden. Therefore, this study proposed a scheme that detected the landslide deposits using opposing-coils transient electromagnetics (OCTEM) and then traced the mountain dislocation surface reversely. Accordingly, this study established a geoelectric structure model of the landslide deposits, investigated the transient electromagnetic response patterns of landslide deposits through forward calculation, and theoretically analyzed the transient electromagnetic response patterns of landslide deposits with different thicknesses and those of landslide deposits under different thicknesses of the Quaternary overburden. As verified by the detection results of known landslides, the method proposed in this study is correct and that OCTEM is valid in detecting landslide deposits in mountainous areas.