Landslide Report

Libra4i Cofel
LANDSLIDES OF THE CINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA
Overview of Landslide Problems,

Research, and Mitigation,
Cincinnati, Ohio, Area
4:9441-1*
4 ,
311107111111110E.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2059—A

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Overview of Landslide Problems, Research, and
Mitigation, Cincinnati, Ohio, Area
By REX L. BAUM and ARVID M. JOHNSON
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2059-A
Description of landslide types in relation to local

geology, history of research, and summary of efforts by
citizens and local government to mitigate landslide hazards
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1996

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Gordon P. Eaton, Director
For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services

Box 25286, Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225
Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and
does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Baum, Rex L.
Overview of landslide problems, research, and mitigation, Cincinnati, Ohio, area / by
Rex L. Baum and Arvid M. Johnson.
p. cm. — (Landslides of the Cincinnati, Ohio, area ; A)
(U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 2059)
Includes bibliographical references.
Supt. of Docs. no.: I 19.3:2059—A
1. Landslides—Ohio—Cincinnati Region. I. Johnson, Arvid M. II. Title.
III. Series. IV. Series: U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 2059.
QE75.B9 no. 2059—A
[QE599.U5]
557.3 s—dc20
[551.3'07] 95-20103
CIP
CONTENTS
Abstract A1
Introduction 1
Topography, Geology, and Landslides of the Cincinnati Area 3
Topography 3
Geology 3
Landslides 5
History of Landslide Investigations in Cincinnati and Hamilton County 10
Steps Toward Mitigation 18
Committee Recommendations 18
Implementation 19
Overview of Chapters in This Series 21
References Cited 23
FIGURES
1-3. Maps showing:
1. Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio A2
2. Bedrock geology of Hamilton County, Ohio 4
3. Surficial geology of Hamilton County, Ohio 6
4. Photograph of rapid earth flow ("mudslide") along Columbia Parkway 10
5-8. Plane-table maps of thin landslides:
5. A landslide above Columbia Parkway 11
6. The Sunset View landslide 14
7. A landslide between Bonnieview Lane and Vine Street 15
8. The Bridle Road landslide complex (thin landslides in till) 16
9-12. Plane-table maps of thick landslides:
9. The Oregon Street and Baum Street landslide in Mount Adams 20
10. The Eden Park landslide 22
11. A landslide between Wood Avenue and McAlpin Avenue 24
12. The Taylor Creek landslide next to 1-74 26
13-14. Plane-table maps of block glides and block-extrusion glides:
13. The Partridge Hills landslide (block glide in till and lake clay) 28
14. A block-extrusion glide in till and lake clay at 980,984, and 988 Huffman Court 29
15-16. Maps for landslide hazard assessment:
15. Example of engineering-geologic map and relative-stability map 30
16. Landslide damage and number of calls for repair of water mains by address along Maryland Avenue 32
TABLES
1. Characteristics of landslides in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area A9

2. Characteristics of maps proposed for mitigation of landslide damage in developed areas of Cincinnati, Ohio 32
III
OVERVIEW OF LANDSLIDE PROBLEMS,
RESEARCH, AND MITIGATION,
CINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA
By Rex L. Baum and Arvid M. Johnson l
ABSTRACT ordinance to help reduce the damage due to landslides in

areas of new construction.
Landslides cause much damage to property throughout
the metropolitan area of Cincinnati, Ohio. Most landslides
occur in unconsolidated deposits, including colluvium, till, INTRODUCTION
glacial lake clays, and man-made fill derived from colluvium
and glacial deposits. Landslides in thin colluvium are wide- Landslides have been known in the Cincinnati area,
spread on steeper slopes that wall the valleys of the Ohio southwestern Ohio (fig. 1), since before the 1850's, but the
River and its tributaries. Abundant landslides also form in damage caused by landslides has become increasingly
thick colluvium on flatter slopes, especially where the collu- expensive as urban development has encroached more and
vium has been disturbed by earthwork. Unusual block glides more on the area's hillsides (Earth Movement Task Force,
and block-extrusion glides form where till rests on lake clay. 1982). The City of Cincinnati spent an average of about
Through the years, knowledge of the distribution and causes $500,000 per year on emergency street repairs for damage
of landslides has increased as a result of many investigations. due to landslides between 1983 and 1987 (Earth Surface Pro-
This knowledge became part of the basis for landslide miti- cesses Group, 1987), and the cost of landslide damage in
gation programs adopted by the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County averaged about $5,170,000 per year
Hamilton County, Ohio. In 1974 the Cincinnati City Coun- between 1973 and 1978 (Fleming and Taylor, 1980).
cil passed an excavation and fill ordinance to help reduce Landslides occur in many kinds of surficial deposits of
landslide damage in areas of new construction. In 1989 fol- the Cincinnati area, but slides appear to be more common in
lowing much additional study, Cincinnati created a geotech- colluvium than in any other deposits. Consequently, remain-
nical office within its Department of Public Works. The ing chapters in this series (U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin
office, which is staffed by a geotechnical engineer, an engi- 2059, chapters B, C, D, and E) report the results of several
neering geologist, and two technicians, carries out a mitiga- research projects on landslides in colluvium. Investigations
tion program. Since 1989, members of the geotechnical staff by many people, particularly research conducted jointly by
have worked in several ways to reduce landslide damage in the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Cincinnati,
the city; their work includes engineering-geologic mapping identified the causes and mechanisms of landslides in the
of selected parts of the city, inspection of retaining walls that Cincinnati area. Basic geologic data, the distribution of his-
impact public right-of-way, review of proposed construction toric slides, and knowledge of the causes and mechanisms
in hillside areas, inspecting and arranging for repair of land- coupled with experience from other urban areas are the basis
slide areas that affect city property, and compiling geologic for mitigation strategies that the City of Cincinnati and
and geotechnical data on landslide areas within the city. In Hamilton County have adopted in the last decade. This
1990, Hamilton County also adopted an excavation and fill chapter briefly describes the geologic setting and landslide
types of the area, traces the history of landslide investiga-
tions and efforts to remedy landslide problems, and reviews
I
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Purdue University, some of the questions and problems that prompted the
West Lafayette, IN 47907. research described in succeeding chapters.
Al
84°45' 84°30' 84°15'
39°15'
LANDSLIDESOF THECINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA

EXPLANATION
Olson, 1988
Area of detailed engineering-geologic mapping,

identified by author and date
Fig. 9
Approximate location of landslide depicted by a 4A,itgt, A 4..4 trAP& I''-••• 4.4%
plane-table map, identified by figure number AW2511%%. Asibover41,, k 4114 - .
39°00' 1:
111\
0 10 20 KILOMETERS
Figure 1. Map of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio, showing approximate outlines of areas of detailed engineering-geologic mapping by students at the University
Df Cincinnati and locations of landslides depicted by plane table maps. Base from U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000 Cincinnati, Ohio; Indiana; Kentucky (1953, revised
1974). Contour interval 100 feet.
OVERVIEW OF LANDSLIDE PROBLEMS, RESEARCH, AND MITIGATION A3
TOPOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, AND fossiliferous limestone. Beds in the Fairview are less than
LANDSLIDES OF THE CINCINNATI 50 cm thick and average 8 cm. The Miamitown Shale,
0-11 m thick, interfingers with the Fairview Formation and
AREA may lie above or within the Fairview. Nodular, shale-rich
(about 90 percent shale) lithology is typical of the Miami-
town Shale. Bellevue Limestone, about 0-8 m thick, and
TOPOGRAPHY unnamed Upper Ordovician beds cap the hilltops. The
Bellevue Limestone consists of crenulated, shelly limestone
The Cincinnati area is a rolling, gently sloping upland with thin, clay-rich interbeds. Unnamed beds above the
that has been dissected in a dendritic pattern by ancient Bellevue Limestone contain variable amounts of shale and
drainage systems, as well as by the modern Ohio River and limestone.
its tributaries (fig. 1). Many of the tributaries occupy Colluvium covers many hillsides in the area, especially
broad, terraced valleys. Steep hillsides line the valleys. those that were glaciated only in pre-Illinoian time (fig. 3).
The area has about 120 m of relief between the Ohio River The colluvium is derived from weathered bedrock and con-
(139 m above mean sea level) and nearby hilltops. The sists of fragments of weathered limestone and siltstone in a
highest point in Hamilton County is about 293 m above matrix of yellow, silty clay. The colluvium forms a wedge-
mean sea level at a point 11 km north-northwest of down- shaped deposit that is thin on the steeper, higher slopes and
town Cincinnati, on a major north-trending drainage divide gradually becomes thicker (as much as 15 m thick) near the
that bisects Hamilton County. Hillsides slope gently near valley bottom.
the valley floor and gradually become steeper as elevation The relatively simple geologic structure influences the
increases. Near the rounded hilltops, the slopes flatten movement of ground water in the bedrock. The area is on
again. About 20 percent of the area of Cincinnati and the west flank of the Cincinnati Arch, a broad anticline
Hamilton County slopes more than 25 percent (about 14°) that occupies much of southwestern Ohio and northern
(Earth Movement Task Force, 1982). Thus, hillsides deter- Kentucky. Bedding in most of Hamilton County dips
mine much of the character of the Cincinnati area by form- about 1.5-2.0 in/km toward the northwest. Limestone and
ing natural green belts between hilltop communities and siltstone beds contain near-vertical fractures that are
neighboring valley communities. spaced regularly. Two or three sets of fractures, each hav-
ing a different orientation, exist at any given location.
However, orientations of the fracture sets vary from place
to place (Hoffman, 1966). The shale separates along bed-
GEOLOGY ding planes but it also contains steeply dipping fractures
(Richards, 1982; Baum, 1983, p. 15). Fractures and,
Glacial deposits cover most of the upland areas and locally, small solution channels appear to be the main ave-
form terraces along the Ohio River and its tributaries. Out- nues of ground-water movement in the bedrock (Fenne-
wash and alluvium occupy the valley floors; colluvium, man, 1916). Hoffman (1966) observed a few small,
locally derived from bedrock and glacial deposits, covers complex structures in bedrock exposed in stream valleys;
bedrock on most hillsides. Bedrock underlies the glacial the structures do not appear to have any relation to modern
deposits at various depths. Landslides occur in colluvium landslides.
and in some glacial deposits. Brief descriptions of bedrock Pre-Illinoian (Kansan?), Illinoian, and Wisconsinan
and glacial geology follow. glaciation changed the drainage pattern and left glacial
Ordovician bedrock underlying the area consists of deposits in valleys, on upland areas, and on hillsides (Dur-
almost horizontally layered shale with subordinate lime- rell, 1961, 1977; Pavey and others, 1992) (fig. 3A).
stone (Ford, 1967). The Upper Ordovician Kope Formation Before the advent of the first ice sheet in southwest Ohio,
(more than 60 m thick) is present between the level of the the area was a gently rolling plain and north-flowing
Ohio River and about midheight of hillsides along the Ohio streams occupied valleys that were about 45 m deep (Dur-
and its major tributaries (fig. 2). The Kope Formation con- rell, 1977). The pre-Illinoian glacier advanced into north-
sists of about 70-80 percent blue-gray shale with discontin- ern Hamilton County and dammed the north-flowing
uous interbeds of gray, fossiliferous limestone. Shale of the streams; eventually a deep, west-flowing river ("Deep
Kope Formation slakes when exposed to water and weath- Stage") formed that flowed west through Norwood, north
ers readily into a yellow-brown clay soil. The Upper up the valley of Mill Creek, and then south down the val-
Ordovician Fairview Formation, 20-30 m thick, rests con- ley of the Great Miami River. Remnants of deeply weath-
formably on and interfingers with the Kope Formation ered pre-Illinoian till, lake clay, and outwash are found on
(Ford, 1967). The Fairview Formation consists of 60-75 hilltops in Hamilton County (fig. 3B) and northern Ken-
percent blue-gray shale with continuous interbeds of tucky, beyond the limits of later glaciers (Durrell, 1961,
84°45' 84°30' 84°15'
39°15
LANDSLIDES OFTHECINCINNATI , OHIO, AREA

' \\•,-; ;
A01,0.4ftr_
EXPLANATION
Area where bedrock is concealed by

alluvium or glacial deposits
UPPER ORDOVICIAN OHIO

Ou Fairview Formation, Miamitown Shale, Bellevue Limestone,
and unnamed beds above the Bellevue, undivided
Ok MAP LOCATION
Mope Formation, 60+ m thick, blue-gray shale with
39°00'
interbedded fossiliferous limestone
0 10 20 KILOMETERS
Contact, approximately located
Figure 2. Bedrock geology of Hamilton County, Ohio (top of Kope Formation from Gray and others, 1972). Base from U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000 Cincinnati, Ohio; Indiana;
Kentucky (1953, revised 1974). Contour interval 100 feet.
p. 55). Two lobes of the Illinoian glacier advanced into translational or rotational landslides form on flatter slopes
Hamilton County, damming the Deep-Stage Ohio River. in colluvium, artificial fill, and glacial deposits near the
Eventually the water overflowed a divide at Anderson valley floors. In many places, thin and thick landslides
Ferry (fig. 3A, about 10 km east of downtown Cincinnati) join to form large landslide complexes (Fleming and oth-
and formed the channel of the modern Ohio River. Illi- ers, 1981).
noian till and lake-clay deposits occur on the uplands and Translational landslides in thin colluvium are abundant
in the major tributary valleys (fig. 3A). In Hamilton on steep slopes underlain by the Kope and Fairview Forma-
County, Illinoian deposits appear to be absent only in a tions (Richards, 1982). Commonly the slides are 10-150 m
triangular area between the Great Miami River and the wide (parallel to the contours) and 30-150 m long, and they
Ohio River. Wisconsinan till occupies only the northern form on slopes between about 27 percent (15°) and 58
part of Hamilton County, but coarse Wisconsinan out- percent (30°). In plan view, the landslides can range in shape
wash is found in valleys of the Ohio River and its major from long and narrow to short and wide (Richards, 1982, p1.
tributaries. The three episodes of glaciation left a com- 1). Thin landslides may occur singly or grouped in slide
plex array of glacial deposits (fig. 3A, B); many land-
complexes; some complexes are several hundred meters
slides have occurred in the deposits (Fleming and others,
long (Fleming and others, 1981). Springs and seeps occur
1981; Lion, 1983; Rodriguez Molina, 1983).
within or near many thin landslides. Thin landslides are
active only in the spring because the colluvium is nearly sat-
urated between mid January and early May and dry the rest
LANDSLIDES of the year (Haneberg, 1991). Longitudinal stretching is the
dominant style of deformation in thin landslides. Features
Landslides in the Cincinnati area generally occur in
surficial materials; landslides in which bedrock failed have near the downslope end commonly appear more fully devel-
been extremely rare (Fleming, 1975, p. 5). Several kinds of oped. Most thin slides have many downhill-facing scarps,
landslides have been identified, including rapid earth flows, 0.3-1 m high, consistent with longitudinal stretching (figs.
thin translational landslides, thick landslides that move by 5-7). The well-developed flanks are indicated by troughs
rotation or a combination of rotation and translation, and (0.3-1.2 m deep) or scarps roughly perpendicular to the con-
block-extrusion glides (table 1). tours. The slip surface, 0-2 m deep, is near the irregular con-
Many of the landslides that occurred in the 1970's tact between colluvium and weathered bedrock. Thin
and 1980's were studied by students of the University of landslides have also been observed in till where it forms a
Cincinnati. A part of the investigation was to make a veneer over bedrock (fig. 8).
detailed map of cracks and damage to such structures as Thick, rotational or rotational-translational landslides
roads and sidewalks. Several of these maps are repro- are common in till, thick colluvium, and fill derived from
duced here at a reduced scale to illustrate how the different colluvium or till (figs. 9-12). Rotational landslides are com-
kinds of landslides appear in the field. Detailed descrip- monly 2-15 m thick, 30-300 m wide, and 30-150 m long,
tions of most are contained in the reports and theses cited and they occur on slopes between about 11 percent (6°) and
in the references. 27 percent (15°). One of the largest of this type, near the
Rapid earth flows, known locally as "mudslides," are Riverside-Harrison School (fig. 1), was about 600 m wide,
common on steeper slopes underlain by the Kope Formation 12 m deep, and 460 m long (Von Schlichten, 1935; Fleming
in areas such as Columbia Parkway and Elberon Avenue and others, 1981). Some of these slides occur naturally, per-
(Fleming, 1975, p. 10). These failures are notorious for spill- haps due to the action of subsurface water, but many occur
ing onto Columbia Parkway and disrupting traffic. Rapid in connection with earthwork in otherwise stable material
earth flows form during wet periods in thin colluvium (less (figs. 9-12). The landslide material appears to be only par-
than 2 m thick) overlying weathered bedrock and in clay tially saturated most of the time. Although springs and
derived from mechanically weathered bedrock exposed in locally marshy ground indicate that some areas are saturated
steep cuts, mainly along highways (Pohana, 1983). Rapid (figs. 9 and 10), many open-tube piezometers remain dry
earth flows involve the entire thickness of colluvium and
leave exposed bedrock in their scars (fig. 4). Most rapid
earth flows are small compared to other landslides of the Figure 3 (following three pages). Surficial geology of Hamilton
Cincinnati area; the maximum dimension is usually less than County, Ohio. A, Generalized map, simplified from a recent map of
Quaternary deposits in Ohio (Pavey and others, 1992). Base from
25 m (Fleming, 1975; Richards, 1982; Riestenberg and
U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000 Cincinnati, Ohio; Indiana; Ken-
Sovonik-Dunford, 1983). tucky (1953, revised 1974). Contour interval 100 feet. B, Part of a
Slow-moving landslides also form in colluvium. detailed map by Brockman (1986), showing complex distribution of
Thin translational landslides form in thin colluvium on glacial deposits. Base from U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000 Shan-
steep (27-47 percent or 15°-25°) slopes. Thick don, Ohio (1965, photorevised 1981). Contour interval 10 feet.
84°30' 84°15'
84°45'
0 =
1 Socialvill
126 • Fla
f.
39°15'
LANDSLIDESOF THE CINCINNATI , OHIO, AREA

ts
I nEi
Wo
yio
OHIO
MAP LOCATION
f•;'•
)f):
39°00'
A 0 10 20 KILOMETERS
EXPLANATION
z a
b
Uj
j
0 Alluvium and alluvial terraces; silty clay in areas of
0 fine-grained deposits; coarse sand, gravel, or
cobbles in areas of shallow bedrock
z Wo WI
z
(7)
Outwash, deposited by meltwater in front Lacustrine silt, locally includes Kames and kame terraces, hummocks Moraine, flat to gently undulating,
Z
OVERVIEW OF LANDSLIDE PROBLEMS, RESEARCH , AND MITIGATION

O of glacial ice; valley terraces or low fine sand or clay, well laminated or high valley steps, sand and gravel, hummocks or hummocky ridges,
plains; well-sorted, stratified sand and in distal parts of deltas, poorly poorly sorted and stratified, locally sandy loam till with patchy loess
gravel laminated elsewhere contains boulders or masses of till cover
Io II
z
Outwash, small benches and high Lacustrine deposits, clay and Moraine, flat, relatively continuous in eastern
z terraces, uniform sand beds, silts more than 1 m thick, Hamilton County; dissected, occurring on
some coarse silts, 0.5-2 m massive silt or colluvial cover ridge tops and mixed with colluvium on
loess cover 0.25-0.5 m thick hillslopes in western Hamilton County;
silty loam till covered with 1-3 m loess
Outwash(?), "Gallia sands," high sandy Moraine, mainly on ridgetops, dissected, eroded,
areas with bright-red soil profiles highly weathered remnants of pre-Illinoian
(Kansan?) till
Contact, approximately located

A8 LANDSLIDES OF THE CINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA
84°38'45"
EXPLANATION
a Alluvium HOLOCENE
• :Wsa Sand
39°17'30"
:•.• • • ..
Gravel Wisconsinan
Wsi Silt
Isa Sand PLEISTOCENE
Ig Gravel Illinoian
It Till
Loess over till Kansan(?)
0 Bedrock (covered ORDOVICIAN
with thin layer of
colluvium)
Note: Some units are "mixed," as, Wsa/VVg
0 .5 1 KILOMETER
I
Table 1. Characteristics of landslides in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area.
Type Style of movement Rate Thickness (m) Volumes Materials

(cubic meters)
Rapid earth flow Translation and As much as several meters <2 <300 Colluvium.
-(or "mudslide"). flow. per second(?).
Thin slide Translation Slow, probably a few <2 300-50,000 Colluvium, artificial fill,
centimeters per year with till.
episodes of more rapid
movement, 1-100
cm/day.
Thick slide Rotation and 0-50 cm/day(2 ) 2-15 200— Colluvium, artificial fill,
translation. 500,000(3 ) glacial deposits.
Block glide Translation 0-25 cm/yr(4) 2-10 1,000-100,000 Till on glacial lake clay.
Block-extrusion glide _ Translation and 0-25 cm/yr(4 ) 10 1,000-100,000 Till on glacial lake clay.
extrusion.
I Estimated from typical dimensions.

2 Von Schlichten (1935).
3 The landslide near Riverside-Harrison School was one of the largest of its kind in the area; its volume was about 3,000,000 m3 (Von Schlichten,
1935; Fleming and others, 1981).
4 Fleming and others (1981, p. 561).
(Fleming and Johnson, 1994). Longitudinal shortening The ground surface slopes gently, about 5°-15°, and the
appears to be the dominant style of deformation in thick contact between the till and underlying lake clay slopes a
landslides because such slides commonly have many inter- few degrees toward the stream. The surface of the bed-
nal toes (fig. 11). The internal toes are analogous to thrust rock may be horizontal or gently sloping. Water pres-
faults, which are known to result from shortening (Billings, sures in the till are low or negative, but confined water
1972, p. 196). Many thick slides have only one major scarp occurs in the bedrock. Water levels of wells sealed into
(the head scarp) and a few minor internal scarps. The lateral the bedrock are near the ground surface. Well-developed
margins are often poorly expressed. scarps or grabens form at the heads of these slides, weakly
Many complex slides consist of one or more thin developed cracks mark lateral margins (flanks) of some
slides, joined to a thick slide. In such complexes, the thin landslides (the flanks cannot be located in others), and
slides occupy the upper part of the hillside and contain domes or ridges of clay that appear and disappear in the
many scarps; the thick slide occupies the lower part of stream channels mark toes of these slides. Failure seems
the hillside and contains internal toes. Thus, the thin to occur by a combination of extrusion of the lake clay
slide acts as the head and the thick slide acts as the toe of into the stream channel and sliding within the lake clay.
the landslide complex (Fleming and Johnson, 1994). Several lines of evidence indicate that extrusion plays
Unusual block glides (fig. 13) and block-extrusion a significant role in movement of some of these block
glides (fig. 14) occurred in Illinoian glacial lake clay over- glides (Fleming and others, 1981; Gokce, 1989). Inclinom-
lain by till at Huffman Court, McKelvey Road (Fleming eter measurements at the Huffman Court block-extrusion
and others, 1981; Gokce, 1989, 1992), at Glenwood Ave- glide indicated a bulge in the velocity profile (that is,
nue in Avondale (Rodriguez Molina, 1983), near the greater horizontal velocity) in the depth interval of the lake
southeast corner of Hamilton County (Pohana, 1983, pl. clay (fig. 14). Domes of laminated clay appeared in the
4), and probably elsewhere. Gokce (1989, p. 108-204) stream beds during dry periods and apparently were eroded
described several examples and noted the following gen- away during rainy periods. The laminations were disturbed
eral characteristics. These slides typically occur where a and steeply dipping in the domes, but horizontal lamina-
stream has cut through till resting on soft, horizontally tions were observed in samples from boreholes elsewhere
laminated lake clay; the lake clay rests on limestone and in the landslide. Lake clay in the domes was also a few
shale bedrock. The slides commonly are about 10 m meters higher in elevation than the clay beneath the rest of
thick, and the maximum dimension in plan view is about the landslide. The ground surface of the landslides (except
100 m. Movement is slow, usually less than 25 cm/yr. in the clay domes) settled, indicating that the slides were
Figure 4. Scar and deposits of rapid earth flow ("mudslide") along Columbia Parkway, by R.W. Fleming (reproduced from Fleming, 1975;
Fleming and Johnson, 1994).
getting thinner. Shear strength of the laminated clay, mea- hillside soils sometimes fail during wet periods. Exon
sured in laboratory tests on samples from block extrusion (1929) and Von Schlichten (1935) described in moderate
glides at McKelvey Road and Huffman Court, were consis- detail a major landslide near the Riverside-Harrison School
tent with a model for extrusion (Gokce, 1989). However, that was active from 1926 to 1930.
the shear strength was not consistent with a model for sim- Landslides became more common after about 1960
ple sliding; back calculation by means of limit equilibrium when population growth and improvements in technology
stability analysis, using the observed water pressures and led to increased development of hillside areas. Hillsides
geometry, indicated much lower shear strengths than did served as natural barriers to urban development until about
the laboratory tests. 1960 when heavy-duty earth-moving equipment became
widely available and made it much easier to build on the hill-
sides (Hough, 1978). At about the same time, undeveloped
level or gently sloping ground became scarce, so that urban
HISTORY OF LANDSLIDE
development began to expand more and more into hillside
INVESTIGATIONS IN CINCINNATI areas.
AND HAMILTON COUNTY Efforts to understand factors that contributed to
landsliding and to delineate landslide-prone areas began in
Reports of landslide investigations published before the the late 1960's and early 1970's. H.C. Nutting and Co.
1970's are uncommon, and descriptions of the local geology (1967) compiled information on bedrock and glacial
mention landslides only briefly. Orton (1873, p. 423-424)
mentioned landslide and foundation problems related to the Figure 5 (following two pages). Plane-table map of a landslide
Kope Formation (his Eden beds). Fenneman (1916, p. complex in thin colluvial soils above Columbia Parkway (modified
76-77) in describing the geology of the Cincinnati area, from Richards, 1982, p1. 4). Contour interval 1 meter (arbitrary da-
noted that hillside soils creep downslope gradually, and that tum). Cross section vegetation is representational only.
OVERVIEW OF LANDSLIDE PROBLEMS, RESEARCH, AND MITIGATION All
MARTIN STREET
Curb displaced 1/2 in CLIFF DRIVE

Curb displaced 1 in.
-Guardsa i "
I-beam Pier wall
EXPLANATION
Scarp—Dashed where subdued;
hachures on downdropped side _
Toe—Dashed where subdued; - -
sawteeth on moving ground
Crack
Shear zone—Showing relative
horizontal movement; dashed
where subdued 125
Block separation zone
Note: heavier line depicts
newer features
Exposed slip surface
Debris from broken wall
1213` 1
-7‹ Wet area
Water seep
Stone wall
Concrete wall ----- I — --A i
775
I
Stone foundation wall
• , •
705
Con-
Creie-Arainage
10 gully
COLUMBIA PARKWAY
0 10 20 METERS
A' A
METERS METERS
140 — Cliff - 140
Drive
ti
135 --- 135
LANDSLI DESOFTHE CINCINNATI, OHIO,AREA

130 130
Shale with thin

125 -----=---=--- 125
limestone interbedsH-
120 120
115 — - 115
110 — - 110
105 — - 105
p T - •
100 — ====== NOTE: Bedrock-colluvium contact is gradational; - 100

-
Columbia _- Shale with thin---_ bedrock/colluvium zone ranges from 2 ft -
Parkway imestone - -------------
- to 4 ft thick; unweathered bedrock surface
95 — is depicted on section. -95
0 20 40 METERS
I I I
OVERVIEW OF LANDSLIDE PROBLEMS, RESEARCH, AND MITIGATION Al3
geology, soils, mineral and ground-water resources, and the county and identifies several factors common to land-
underground disposal for some of Hamilton County at a slides. The soils are classified according to slope and parent
scale of 1:16,000. The Ohio Department of Natural material, as well as depth of weathering, texture, structure,
Resources mapped the bedrock geology of about half of and other properties.
Hamilton County during this time (Ford, 1972, 1974; The severity of landslide problems in the Cincinnati
Osborne, 1970, 1974); bedrock geology is one of several fac- area became widely known after Fleming and Taylor (1980)
tors considered in modern schemes of landslide hazard zona- compiled and compared estimates of the cost of landslide
tion. One of the first efforts to delineate areas of potential damage in three large metropolitan areas. They determined
landslide hazard was a map of "landslide-prone bedrock" that annual per-capita cost of damage in Hamilton County,
within the city limits. Using empirical observations, Hough Ohio, was $5.80 (not including the slide at Mount Adams),
and Fleming (1974) designated areas underlain by the Kope compared with $2.50 for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania,
Formation and sloping 20 percent (11°) or more as landslide and $1.80 for the nine-county San Francisco Bay region,
prone; areas sloping between 10 percent (6°) and 20 percent California.
(11°) were considered susceptible to sliding if improperly Faculty and students at the University of Cincinnati
graded. Merritt (1975) did a similar study for Hamilton together with the U.S. Geological Survey undertook
County, but he classified ground sloping more than 15 per- detailed studies of landslides. Graduate students produced
cent (9°) as unstable. detailed engineering-geologic maps and relative stability
maps (fig. 15A, B), most at a scale of 1:2400 or 1:4800, for
Faculty and students at the University of Cincinnati several parts of the Cincinnati metropolitan area (fig. 1)
began investigating landslides in the early 1970's. Scheper (Richards, 1982; Baum, 1983; Brockman, 1983; Geiger,
(1973) investigated the history of landslides in Illinoian till 1983; Lion, 1983; Pohana, 1983; Rodriguez-Molina, 1983;
and lake clays at Huffman Court (fig. 14). Yahne (1974) Olson, 1988). Riestenberg and Sovonik-Dunford (1983;
described landslides in a 23-km2 area north of downtown also Riestenberg, 1981) began investigating the contribution
Cincinnati and found that landslides occurred in colluvium of tree roots to stability of thin colluvium. Detailed field
on the Kope Formation, in glacial till, and in man-made fill studies led to identification, description, and analysis of the
placed on till. McCandless (1976) measured the bulking of main landslide mechanisms active on Cincinnati hillsides
material in a few small landslides near the University of Cin- (Fleming and others, 1981; Gokce, 1989). Gokce (1989)
cinnati. Fleming (1975) described the observed relationship described the variation of water levels in thin and thick col-
between geology and landslides. The most expensive land- luvium and in bedrock beneath thick surficial deposits,
slide in the history of Cincinnati began moving in November described and analyzed block-extrusion glides, and investi-
1973 when colluvium on the south side of Mount Adams (a gated the contribution of cohesion and slip-surface rough-
247-m hill that is on the north bank of the Ohio River and ness to the sliding resistance of thin colluvium. Efforts to
immediately east of downtown) failed during construction of map the distribution of glacial features and materials in
ramps for Interstate Highway 471. Elaborate remedial mea- Hamilton County also began (Weaver, 1983).
sures completed in the early 1980's cost more than $22 mil- From about 1975 to 1981, Hamilton County undertook
lion (Fleming and others, 1981). many plans, studies, and proposed earthwork regulations to
From the mid 1970's through the 1980's, efforts to mitigate landslide problems. In 1982, Hamilton County
understand the causes and distribution of landslides organized the Earth Movement Task Force to evaluate land-
increased. In an effort to reduce landslide damage in areas slide problems in Hamilton County and to make recommen-
of new construction, the city instituted an excavation and fill dations for dealing with them. As part of their investigation,
ordinance in 1974. To help cope with the problem of land- the Earth Movement Task Force (1982) compiled a landslide
slides, the city commissioned a study of landslide suscepti- inventory showing where landslides had occurred in Hamil-
bility (Sowers and Dalrimple Consulting Engineers, 1980). ton County.
The study compiled existing geologic, topographic, and Investigations during the late 1980's and early 1990's
engineering information along with an inventory of land- built on previous work, in order to answer several questions
slides visible on 1979 black-and-white aerial photographs. related to mitigation. The Ohio Geological Survey started
Composite data for 250-ft-square grid cells were analyzed mapping bedrock of the remainder of Hamilton County in
statistically using a computer to determine what factors are 1984 (Swinford and Schumacher, 1985; Swinford, 1986),
common to landslide-prone areas. Generally, areas under- and glacial deposits of all of Hamilton County in 1985
lain by the Kope Formation or the Fairview Formation and (Brockman, 1986; Vormelker, 1985a, 1985b). Murdoch
having slopes greater than 20 percent (11°) were found to
have the highest susceptibility. The Ohio Department of Figure 6 (overleaf). Plane-table map of the Sunset View land-
Natural Resources and the U.S. Department of Agriculture slide, by Michael J. Westerfield and Robert L. Olson, University of
completed a soil survey for Hamilton County (Lerch and Cincinnati, 1987. All elevations are relative to an arbitrary station
others, 1982); the survey shows the distribution of soils in on Sunset Avenue. Contour interval 1 meter (arbitrary datum).
A A'
APARTMENT
ROAD
SUNSET AVENUE
B' SUNSET
AVENUE
LANDSLIDESOFTHE CINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA

B B'
70
EXPLANATION
Scarp—Hachures on downdropped side -— — — Sheet pile
Slip surface—In cross section
Toe—Sawteeth on moving ground
Shear zone—Showing relative horizontal I I Limestone—In cross section
movement; dashed where inferred Shale—In cross section
Crack
Sewer
APARTMENT ROAD
5 10 15 METERS
1 _L
EXPLANATION
Scarp—Thinner where recent;
hachures on downdropped side
A—A—A Toe—Dashed where subdued;
( saw-teeth on moving ground;
BONNIEVIEW
LANE 0, old; YR, younger, YT,
youngest
Crack
Shear zone—Showing relative
horizontal movement; dashed
where inferred
Wet area
Drainage (runoff)
• Sycamore tree location
Retaining wall
Rubber pipe (4 in. diameter) drain
Following in cross section only:

19
Kope Formation
Shale
Limestone interbeds
190 Fill
•
Colluvium
Slip surface
Wall
Recent crack
185 Wall h -± LOCATION MAP
Creek
iQ
MITCHELL
75
AVENUE
Church SITE
VINE STREET
A' A
METERS
200
195
190
2054
A
185
VINE STREET
0 50 METERS
Figure 7. Plane-table map of a landslide between Bonnieview Lane and Vine Street by Carlos Rodriguez Molina and Paul Bates, Jr.,
University of Cincinnati, April 1982 (modified from Rodriguez Molina, 1983, pl. 4). Elevations on map and cross section are in relation to
Benchmark 2054 (solid triangle) near Vine Street. City datum 167.7 meters; plane table datum, 181.5 meters. Contour interval 1 meter.
Buildings are schematic. Cross section vegetation is representational only.
CS
FH °
FH
LANDSLIDES OF THE CINCINNATI , OHIO, AREA

20 ..;Y
• ••••
0 50 METERS
220 EXPLANATION
'f .•.•:.• Landslide debris

Gravel
Fill
Till
Unweathered o•n•.ocl
.°°.° Weathered and unweathered—
Weathered In cross section
Bedrock Fairview Formation—In cross section

Septic outlet
Kope Formation—In cross section
Grand Avenue Member of Kope
Formation—In cross section
' FH
Scarp—Dashed where old; hachures on downdropped side Wet area Fire hydrant
8251
Lateral extent of slide mass—Queried where uncertain Water seep o Water meter
A—A—A- Toe—Dashed where old; sawteeth on moving ground • Tree stabilizing or Buried water
line
modifying slide
Slip surface (cross section)—Showing relative horizontal
movement; dotted where inferred; queried where uncertain Gully .4 Survey stake
Contact (cross section)—Dashed where inferred; queried Culvert Culvert—Dashed
where uncertain where covered
A A' A A"
METERS METERS
230-7. 230
225= oC7 F6-c>„ ef3 225

Slide I Slide II ,:c,.°°:e.€212°..9.8%C,RC
OVERVIEW OF LANDSLIDE PROBLEMS, RESEARCH, AND MITIGATION

.ck% C3ce=0*.k:•`.'6 Pg,?
220= 22 0
•c=,
215 = c;P• 15
D'o°~° °oov p9 • •
-•
•°. 9'oo -1'or•° ••F):..00
b.
210 1
- - 210
•o' 545'
205 7 205
:
.••••4"
200 —:,1...-; 200
195 195
B B' C C' D D'

METERS
METERS
— 230
230 - H H'
METERS 225
225 Slide III Slide IV 210 —
••....••• 220
220 o 205
D.
•C. a NOY,0:
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,,.--%-.1.'eQ. ?Oe ksIc :,;., .1.y. s,F,.,3 BRIDLE RD 0 ° $0 . 1°0 0; 205
c'-`;'
Culvert <'.Pg.V ‘&'..2.8''',,,VoQQ41-C''..S:Q7RCS'A',°Z<3, ...
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195
195 *.•z07 .9,
190
190
E E' E" E"'

METERS METERS
215 7 Slide I Slide II Slide III Slide IV •• 215
•••• 210
. 210
Water lines 205
205
Figure 8. Plane-table map of the Bridle Road landslide complex (thin landslides in till) by C. Scott Brockman, University of Cincinnati, March 1982 (modified from Brockman, 1983, pl. 5). Base
datum established from Hamilton County topographic map of the Dry Run Creek area, Anderson Township. Contour interval 1 meter.
(1987) and Haneberg (1989, 1991) investigated movement landslides. Some of these activities are discussed in the next
of soil moisture and rainfall infiltration in thin colluvium. section
Their work indicates that thin colluvium is uniformly moist As landslide problems became more severe and infor-
and nearly tension saturated from mid January to early May mation about landslides accumulated, Cincinnati and Hamil-
and is nearly dry the remainder of the year. Haneberg ton County began to take action to reduce losses due to
(1989, 1991) observed that a sharp wetting front slowly landslides. Work began in 1967 to draft an excavation and
moves downward from the surface toward the base of the fill ordinance, but the work soon halted (R.E. Pohana, City
colluvium during November and December; colluvium of Cincinnati, written commun., 1992). The work resumed
dries from the surface downward in May. Haneberg (1989) in 1972, and an ordinance was passed by the Cincinnati City
also investigated the effectiveness of subsurface drains in Council on October 30, 1974, providing for plan review
reducing destabilizing pore pressures in thin colluvium. A prior to issuance of a building permit and for inspection dur-
mass-balance model indicates that downslope discharge ing construction. The Department of Public Works of the
from thin colluvium barely exceeds the long-term recharge City of Cincinnati administered the ordinance until 1979, but
due to precipitation; the slow discharge enables destabiliz- enforcement was ineffective because Public Works had no
ing pore pressures to build during large storms (Haneberg, field personnel to perform the inspections. In 1979, the ordi-
1992). Riestenberg (1987, 1992) investigated the ability of nance was amended to transfer administration of the inspec-
tree roots to anchor thin colluvium to steep slopes. The tion and enforcement functions to the Department of
Earth Surface Processes Group (1987) investigated the Buildings and Inspections. In 1983, the ordinance was
extent of landslide damage to streets and condition of incorporated into the Cincinnati, Ohio, Basic Building Code,
retaining walls in the City of Cincinnati; they made several and the plan review function was transferred to the Depart-
recommendations for improving methods of monitoring ment of Buildings and Inspections.
damage to and planning for repair of streets and retaining Following Cincinnati's adoption of the excavation and
walls, as well as methods for avoiding landslide problems fill ordinance, work by two committees, the Earth Movement
in areas of new development. Bernknopf and others (1988) Task Force (1982) and the Earth Surface Processes Group
used a geographic information system (GIS) to perform (1987), largely determined subsequent actions by the city
probabilistic landslide hazard mapping and estimate the and county governments to mitigate landslide problems.
costs and benefits of mitigation. They found that the cost These committees drew their members from city, county,
of mitigation was significantly less than the prevented and Federal agencies and the University of Cincinnati.
losses only if mitigation was applied only to areas having
relatively high probability of landslide damage. Probability
of damage was based on topographic slope and shear COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
strength of the surficial materials. Thus, the work of
Bernknopf and others (1988) pointed out the need for data The Earth Movement Task Force (1982) recommended
that accurately portray landslide susceptibility for areas of three approaches for mitigating landslide hazards in devel-
planned development. Behringer and Shakoor (1992) con- oped and undeveloped parts of Hamilton County. (1) Collect
cluded, at five different sites, that human modification of background geologic information for Hamilton County. (2)
slopes has aggravated movement. Adopt and enforce procedures for avoiding landslide prob-
lems during development of new properties. (3) Develop
and use procedures for dealing with landslide damage in pre-
viously developed areas. A summary of specific tasks for
STEPS TOWARD MITIGATION each approach follows:
Geological Base Data and Mapping. Obtain geological
During the 1970's and continuing into the present, peo- base data, including 1:24,000 scale mapping of bedrock and
ple from the private sector have become significantly and surficial deposits, and detailed engineering-geologic map-
increasingly involved in the mitigation of landslide prob- ping of selected areas. Obtain additional research on land-
lems. Beyond the involvement of students and faculty from slides, including effects of tree roots on stabilization of
the Geology and Civil Engineering Departments of the Uni- shallow landslides, what controls the rate of sliding, loca-
versity of Cincinnati, engineers and geologists from private tions of landslides that pose hazards to life, and the value of
consulting companies have donated services to prepare draft drainage in the stabilization of active landslides.
grading regulations and to recommend strategies for damage Landslide mitigation for undeveloped land. Develop,
reduction. Private foundations, including the Cincinnati fund, and staff an earthwork regulation to provide review,
Institute of E. Pope Coleman during the 1970's, and cur- evaluation, and permit issuance on all earthwork in Hamilton
rently the Hillside Trust under the leadership of Robin County. In connection with this, the Board of County Com-
Corathers, have worked toward thoughtful use of hillsides, missioners would direct the Regional Planning Commission
including support for research on causes and controls of to designate hillside areas in the county for which geologic
and geotechnical investigation is required prior to design of yr, help the geotechnical group to recommend changes to
development, approval of zone changes, or approval of sub- the excavation and fill ordinance. (5) Require geotechni-
division plats. A geotechnical engineer and an engineering cal investigation prior to development of hillside areas.
geologist working for the county (either as employees or as
contractors) would assist with enforcement of the regulation,
review reports, and maintain a data bank of information rel- IMPLEMENTATION
evant to geotechnical problems in Hamilton County.
Landslide mitigation for developed land. Implement Cincinnati and Hamilton County have implemented a
a public-information program. Seek modification of number of these recommendations. In particular, Cincinnati
requirements for State and Federal disaster relief to adopted most of the recommendations of the Earth Surface
include "slow-death" slides (slides that gradually destroy Processes Group (1987). The City of Cincinnati created its
property over an extended period, rather than suddenly). Geotechnical Office within the Department of Public Works
Work for creation of federally backed landslide insur- and hired a geotechnical engineer, an engineering geologist,
ance. Seek authority from the State legislature to and two technicians in August 1989. Pohana (1992a) out-
designate landslide-prone areas. Improve Cincinnati's lined the six major responsibilities of the Geotechnical
excavation and fill ordinance. As Hamilton County devel- Office: (1) To provide geotechnical expertise for prevention
ops methods for dealing with landslides, all jurisdictions and stabilization of landslides on property controlled by the
within the county should be encouraged to adopt the meth- city, (2) To compile geological information in a computer-
ods and review developmental regulations in order to pro- ized data base, (3) To make detailed engineering-geologic
mote orderly development. Establish a geographic maps and relative stability maps of selected parts of the city
information system (GIS) for Cincinnati and Hamilton and add that information to the city's data base, (4) To
County to aid research and make possible a broader inspect and inventory all retaining walls in the city that
approach to mitigation. Form a long-term action group to impact the public right-of-way, (5) To provide technical
study mitigation. assistance to other departments and divisions of the city gov-
The Earth Surface Processes Group (1987) made the ernment (including review of proposed development within
following recommendations to the Smale Infrastructure the city's Environmental Quality Hillside Districts), (6) To
Commission for the City of Cincinnati: (1) The city respond to questions from the public about slope stability.
should hire a geotechnical engineer and an engineering By the spring of 1992, the geotechnical staff had inspected
geologist to serve as consultants to other city agencies and sites of known slope movement and selected 40 of them for
to work to mitigate hazards in undeveloped areas by help- monitoring and repairs over a period of 6 yr. Nine of the
ing enforce the excavation and fill ordinance, reviewing sites were repaired soon after selection. The staff had also
engineering geologic and geotechnical engineering reports started compiling an automated data base; by reviewing city
submitted to any city agency or department, and develop- files they had identified nearly 500 areas of suspected land-
ing and maintaining a data base of geotechnical informa- slide activity for eventual inspection and inclusion in the
tion relevant to problems likely to be encountered in data base. They had completed engineering-geologic maps
undeveloped areas. The engineer and the geologist would and relative-stability maps for one area and part of another
also work in previously developed areas by (a) making and area of the city and directed inspection of retaining walls
maintaining engineering-geologic maps and repair-priority throughout the city. Also, they had reviewed many proposed
maps (fig. 15A; table 2), (b) monitoring landslide problem construction projects and provided other services to the city
areas and notifying appropriate city agencies about need (Pohana, 1992a). The increased attention to landslides is
for emergency repairs, (c) monitoring damage to utilities in evident in the city's expenditures: Cincinnati spent $1.3 mil-
landslide areas and notifying utility companies about lion for landslide repairs from 1983 to 1987, $7.5 million
impending damage, and (d) studying records of utility from 1988 to 1992, and projected spending from 1993 to
repairs, if feasible, to determine whether landslide damage 1997 is $8.5 million (Pohana, 1992b).
can be forecast (fig. 16). (2) Make annual contributions to To reduce the damage from landslides caused by new
landslide emergency repair fund; the amount is to be based construction, Hamilton County adopted earthwork regula-
on the current average cost of emergency repairs. (3) Pro- tions (an excavation and fill ordinance) November 1, 1992.
vide for one-time inspection, by trained personnel, of all The Hamilton County Department of Public Works adminis-
city-owned retaining walls and follow-up yearly inspec- ters the regulations, which require plan review and periodic
tions on a 5-yr cycle. (4) Establish a geotechnical advi- inspections during the progress of earthwork operations.
sory committee to aid in the search for a competent The Hamilton County Division of Engineering has been
geotechnical engineer and an engineering geologist, recom- responsible since 1960 (or perhaps earlier) for landslide
mend how the geotechnical group should be placed in the repairs in the public right-of-way; the county spends about
city, advise the geotechnical group and help it clarify its $0.5—$1 million to repair an average of four landslides annu-
duties, annually review the work of geotechnical staff for 5 ally (Steve Mary, Hamilton County Division of Engineering,
OREGON STREET!
Broken oncrete Sidewalk

garag- s a
Oregon
329 Oregon
Pati
10 20 METERS
I
CONTOUR INTERVAL 1 METER
318 Baum
Former building site

- 320
Baum
O
Sidew . lk
MONASTARY ST erridden side Underriglden

concrte
BAUM STREET
sidewal slabs
Sidewalk
O 317
331 327-329 319-325 Baum
Baum
Baum Baum
0 150 METERS
0 500 FEET
EXPLANATION
CONTOUR INTERVAL 25 FEET
Scarp—Dashed where subdued or old feature; Water seep

Stone wall
-1--
• 411, Concrete wall
Shear zone—Showing relative horizontal movement;
queried where uncertain; hachured to indicate oo . Debris from broken wall
vertical offset
o Borehole location
►
-1 Crack
Figure 9 (above and facing page). Plane-table map of the Oregon Street and Baum Street landslide in Mount Adams, by N.B. Patterson
and K.A. Richards, University of Cincinnati, spring 1981 (modified from Richards, 1982, pl. 3). Map contours defined by arbitrary datum on
Baum Street; index map datum is mean sea level. Buildings, steps, sidewalks, and walls are schematic.
oral commun., 1993). The Division of Engineering relies on Work has also proceeded on other recommendations of
the street department, maintenance crews, and the general the Earth Movement Task Force. The background geologic
public to report landslides needing correction and uses local data became available toward the end of the 1980's as the
consultants to perform geotechnical investigations of indi- Ohio Geological Survey completed bedrock and glacial geo-
vidual landslides needing repair. logic mapping of Hamilton County (Swinford, 1986;
A A'
METERS Broken concrete slab METERS
Oregon Scarp
225 Street — 225
Crack
220 — -— 220
215 — — 215
Toe
210 —
1st floor
-— 210
Baum
Street
205 — — 205
Shale with thin_

200 — ilimestone interbeds- -—200
195 — — 195
B B'
METERS METERS
230 — — 230
Oregon
Street
Scarp
225 — -—225
Cracks
220 —220
±-- Shale with thin

215 — -— 215
limestone interbeds
210 — Overridden -—21(1

sidewalk
Baum
205 — Street -— 205
200 — NOTE: Bedrock-colluvium contact is gradationa ; -—200

fill-colluvium contact is uncertain; weathered
bedrock/colluvium zone ranges from 1 to 2.4
unweathered bedrock surface is depicted on ---
sections. Bedrock stratigraphy is schematic
195 - 195
0 10 20 30 METERS
I I
ZERO VERTICAL EXAGGERATION
Brockman, 1986, and oral commun., 1993) and some of the successes should be in the quality of new construction where
proposed research projects have been completed (Riesten- grading is performed under strong regulations with inspec-
berg, 1987; Haneberg, 1989). By 1990, work was started to tion of plans and grading by the technical staff from the city
create a geographic information system covering all of and county. The pieces are in place with the enthusiastic
Hamilton County; aerial photographs for topographic data involvement of both the public and private sectors to achieve
were made in the spring of 1990 (R. E. Pohana, City of Cin- major gains in landslide-damage reduction.
cinnati, written commun., 1992).
Overall the city of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, in
conjunction with the general public and the geotechnical OVERVIEW OF CHAPTERS IN THIS
community, have combined in a major effort to reduce the SERIES
damages from landslides. Experience in other areas, notably
the City of Los Angeles (Fleming and Taylor, 1980) reveals This bulletin series contains four chapters in addition to
that these efforts will be successful. The most visible this overview and introduction. Fleming and Johnson (1994)
Access road
\\1' Curb
Benches0 o'ike ur b
A\3
!).1?'
4/
EXPLANATION
Scarp—Dashed where subdued;
hachures on downdropped side •
Large scarp—Hachures on downdropped side
line pattern indicates extent of scarp area
Toe—Dashed where subdued; queried where
uncertain; sawteeth on moving ground
Shear zone—Showing relative horizontal
movement; dashed where subdued;
queried where uncertain
Slip surface in cross section—
Showing relative movement; NORTH Drain SOUTH
queried where uncertain
A' To Natural History Museum
A
Water seep
METERS Gilbert Avenue METERS
4-• Tree—Arrow indicates direction 35 —
Shale with thin
— 35
trunk leans
limestone beds Scarp
— — — Approximate landfill boundary— 30 — 30
Queried where extent uncertain
25 — 25
O Pole
20
15
0 5 10 METERS
I I I 10
Figure 10. Plane-table map of the Eden Park landslide, by R.G. Hummeldorf and E.F. Robinson, University of Cincinnati, spring 1982
(after Richards, 1982, pl. 5). Contour interval 1 meter (arbitrary datum). Cross section scale in meters. Bedrock stratigraphy in cross section
is schematic.
described typical landslides in thin and thick colluvium, the colluvium following spring storms. Water levels in thick
most common types in the Cincinnati area. Their field inves- colluvium and in bedrock beneath thick colluvium or glacial
tigation focused primarily on the causes of the landslides. deposits seem to vary on an annual cycle. Thick colluvium
Detailed trench logs depict the internal structure of one of appears to be capable of sliding even when only partially sat-
these landslides, which consists of several blocks that rest on urated, and some water may enter thick colluvium by lateral
an irregular slip surface; the blocks are bounded by listric flow from bedrock. Measured properties and residual shear
faults. Observations of movement and ground water indicate strength of colluvium seem consistent with failure of the
differing behavior of water in thin and thick colluvium. thick landslides, but appear to be too low to explain how thin
Water levels appear to rise rapidly as rainfall soaks into thin colluvium remains on steeper slopes. Observations indicate
that tree roots, residual cohesion, soil suction (negative pore contributed by various sources, including shear strength of
pressure), and roughness of the potential slip surfaces are the soil, roots, and roughness of the slip surface. Ulti-
possible sources of additional sliding resistance needed to mately, information from studies such as these will lead to
keep the thin colluvium on the slopes. improved construction practices in sloping areas and better
Fleming and Johnson's (1994) observations raised sev- methods of landslide repair. A field study of rapid earth
eral questions about the mechanics of landslides in thin col- flow ("mudslides") might aid in design of measures to con-
luvium, and students from the University of Cincinnati tain or divert these slope failures away from major roads to
investigated some of these questions. The rapid water-level areas where they pose no serious threat. Although the for-
fluctuations observed in thin colluvium following rain mation of small earth flows on cut slopes seems fairly well
storms required explanation. Haneberg and Gokce (1994) understood (Pohana, 1983), study is needed to determine
have analyzed this problem to determine the relationship what causes some landslides in thin colluvium to become
between rainfall infiltration and the fluctuations. The pres- rapid earth flows.
ence of confined ground water in limestone layers of bed-
rock seemed to indicate that pressurized ground water might
exert significant buoyant pressure at the base of the collu- REFERENCES CITED
vium (Fleming and others, 1981; Fleming and Johnson,
1994). Baum's (1994) analysis indicates that the limestone Baum, R.L., 1983, Engineering geology and relative slope stability
layers determine the distribution of pressure at the base of in the area of the Fay Apartments and in part of Mount Airy
the colluvium but the factor of safety is almost the same as Forest, Cincinnati, Ohio: Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Cin-
if water flowed parallel to the slope. Artesian pressure in a cinnati M.S. thesis, 74 p.
limestone bed disperses within a short distance after flowing 1994, Contribution of artesian water to progressive failure
of the upper part of the Delhi Pike landslide complex, Cincin-
from the bed into the colluvium. Residual shear strength of
nati, Ohio: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2059—D, 14 p.
the colluvium appears inadequate to explain how colluvium
Behringer, D.W., and Shakoor, Abdul, 1992, A study of selected
remains on steep slopes. Riestenberg (1994) investigated landslides in the Cincinnati area in relation to human activity:
the ability of tree roots to anchor thin colluvium on slopes. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 24,
She found that roots can effectively anchor thin colluvium no. 7, p. A294.
on steep slopes and that anchoring ability of a tree species Bernknopf, R.L., Campbell, R.H., Brookshire, D.S., and Shapiro,
depends on its root system. White ash has a dominant tap C.D., 1988, A probabilistic approach to landslide hazard map-
root that can anchor colluvium as thick as 1 m, but sugar ping in Cincinnati, Ohio, with applications for economic evalu-
maple has shallow roots that can anchor colluvium only 0.5 ation: Association of Engineering Geologists Bulletin, v. 25,
m thick. no. 1, 39-56.
Several subjects still need detailed investigation. An Billings, M.P., 1972, Structural geology, 3rd edition: Englewood
Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall, 606 p.
inventory of landslides, achieved by mapping the entire
Brockman, C.S., 1983, The engineering geology, relative stability,
metropolitan area at a scale of 1:24,000, would constitute a
and Pleistocene history of the Dry Creek area, Ohio: Cincin-
rational starting point for studying landslide susceptibility. nati, Ohio, University of Cincinnati M.S. thesis, 147 p.
An inventory is in progress within the Cincinnati city limits 1986, Report of progress on the first phase of glacial geo-
(Pohana, 1992a). By combining inventory data with geologic mapping in Hamilton County, Ohio: Ohio Geological
logic, topographic, and other data, a study of susceptibility Survey, 10 p., 6 plates.
in the context of surficial materials, slope, and other param- Durrell, R.H., 1961, The Pleistocene geology of the Cincinnati
eters significant to slope stability would be possible. area—Guidebook for field trips: Geological Society of Amer-
Results of such study could be used to identify areas need- ica, Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, 1961, p. 47-57.
ing detailed investigation prior to development. Monitor- 1977, A recycled landscape: Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati
ing of ground movement and subsurface water on a short Museum of Natural History, 8 p.
time interval (15-30 minutes) at different levels in thick Earth Movement Task Force, 1982, Final report: Unpublished
and thin colluvium could clarify the details of ground-water report to Hamilton County, Cincinnati, Ohio, September, 38 p.
movement in Cincinnati hillsides and the role of water in + appendix.
Earth Surface Processes Group, 1987, Report and recommendations
failure of the colluvium. The actual subsurface water con-
on maintenance and repair of deteriorating retaining walls and
ditions at the time of movement of existing slides has yet
streets damaged by landslides, City of Cincinnati: Cincinnati,
to be documented. Monitoring in progress by the City of Ohio, University of Cincinnati Department of Geology, unpub-
Cincinnati is aimed at determining whether landslides can lished report to Smale Commission, July, 48 p.
be stabilized economically by dewatering (Pohana, Exon, A.H., 1929, Thesis on Riverside Landslide [Senior Thesis]:
1992b). Additional trenching and detailed subsurface Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Cincinnati Department of Civil
investigation of landslides in thin colluvium combined with Engineering, 22 p.
the movement and water data would form a basis for deter- Fenneman, N.M., 1916, Geology of Cincinnati and vicinity: Ohio
mining the relative amounts of sliding resistance Geological Survey, Fourth series, Bulletin 19,207 p.
A
McA L PI N AVENUE
41•111 Sidewalk
N
A
House
House
Ditch
485 McAlpin
Retaining
wall
Fence
----100
5 10 15 METERS
I Toe
Brush-covereda----
05
Area of old
slidin
-Pillar
‘‘‘
Limestone
outcrop
Driveway
Apartment
House building
1y-A-VE—r-
600 _Me-A-L-P-1-
485 Wood Ave
(ElevatiOn
2725 ft
710- gi„-----vvpop AVE -"\
O
Sidewalk
0 200 METERS
ti I WOOD AVENUE
0 500 FEET
Figure 11 ( above and facing page). Plane-table map of a landslide between Wood Avenue and McAlpin Avenue,
by Arvid Johnson, University of Cincinnati, April 1980. Contour interval 1 meter (arbitrary datum); intermediate con-
tours dashed; approximate contours dotted. Dashed outline for fill, queried where extent uncertain. Buildings, steps,
rock wall, and sidewalks are schematic. Inset map contour interval 25 feet (datum is mean sea level).
o LO
12,
O CO N LO
1
7 - 07 T
,
1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
O McALPIN AVENUE CO
z Sidewalk
Sidewalk
rl
L
0
a)
to
O
O
C,
1
CO
CC) 1 I 1 1 1 1
Cr)
CC
I ' 1 I 1 I 1 1 I 1 I I 1 I I I I I I I 1 1 I I I
LCJ
LL1
N 0",
LO
CO Lu •
LLI 2
2
2 dm EXPLANATION
I III
Scarp—Dashed where subdued or old; hachures on downdropped Wide crack or graben
side; bar and ball show and locate amount of vertical offset,
in decimeters
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Narrow crack
Toe—Dashed where subdued or old; queried where uncertain; sawteeth Area of soil creep or incipient sliding
on moving ground; bar and ball show and locate height of toe,
in decimeters Water seep
Shear zone—Showing relative horizontal movement Tree
.iummumdil 041
ai,1011611unimohibiamigrouNiblighillhill1111141111.1110011..1/101111111"
'-
11111111101111111111111110MOMMUMUMIMMUMkuppo
":"7."111111111.11111111 111111111

A A'
METERS INTERSTATE 74
200
195
Base 3
190 U
New toe? :
-
185 Fence E—
Toe -
180
50 METERS
EXPLANATION (1:24,000) with text.

Geiger, K.J., 1983, The engineering geology and relative stability
Scarp-Dashed where subtle; hachures on downdropped side
of parts of Newport, Bellevue, and Fort Thomas, Kentucky:
Large sca Hachures on downdropped side; line pattern Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Cincinnati M.S. thesis, 66 p.
indicates extent of scarp area Gokce, A. O., 1989, Mechanisms of landsliding in the Cincinnati
A-A-A- Toe-Dashed where inferred; sawteeth on moving ground
area: Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Cincinnati Ph. D. disser-
Fault-U, upthrown side; D, downthrown side tation, 507 p.
1992, Extrusion landslides in Cincinnati lake clays: Geo-
Shear-Showing relative horizontal movement logical Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 24, no.
7, p. A204.
Slip surface in cross section-Showing relative
movement; dashed where inferred; queried where uncertain Gray, H.H., Forsythe, J.L., Schneider, A.F., and Gooding, A.M.,
1972, Geologic map of the 1°x2° Cincinnati Quadrangle, Indi-
Axis of compression-Arrows show direction of shortening ana and Ohio, showing bedrock and unconsolidated deposits:
Indiana Geological Survey Regional Geologic Map 7, Cincin-
1 1111111111 Crack
nati Sheet, Parts A and B; 2 maps (1:250,000) with text.
Recent drainage Haneberg, W.C., 1989, Hydrology and drainage of a thin colluvium
hillside in Delhi township, Ohio: Cincinnati, Ohio, University
Construction damage of Cincinnati Ph. D. dissertation, 232 p.
Small trees 1991, Observation and analysis of pore pressure fluctua-
tions in a thin colluvium landslide complex near Cincinnati,
Wire fence Ohio: Engineering Geology, v. 31, p. 159-184.
1992, A mass balance model for the hydrologic response of
Base station
fine-grained hillside soils to rainfall: Geological Society of
FilVcolluvium--In cross section America Abstracts with Programs, v. 24, no. 7, p. A203.
Haneberg, W.C., and Gokce, A.O., 1994, Rapid water-level fluctu-
Bedrock-In cross section ations in a thin colluvium landslide west of Cincinnati, Ohio:
U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2059-C, 16 p.
Figure 12 (above and facing page). Plane-table map of the Tay- Hoffman, H.J., 1966, Deformational structures near Cincinnati,
lor Creek landslide next to 1-74 by Reginald Victor, Jr., Jonathan Ohio: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 77, no. 5, p.
Woods, and David Lubinski, University of Cincinnati, spring 1987. 533-548.
Contour interval 1 meter (arbitrary datum). Cross section vertical Hough, J.E., 1978, Landsliding in Greater Cincinnati: Cincinnati,
scale in meters; vertical exaggeration x2. Bedrock stratigraphy in Ohio, James E. Hough, pamphlet, 35 p.
Hough, J.E., and Fleming, R.W., 1974, Landslide-prone bedrock
cross section is schematic. Index map contour interval 100 feet.
hillsides within the city of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio:
Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati Institute, map (1:24,000) with
Fleming, R.W., 1975, Geologic perspectives-The Cincinnati text.
example: Ohio Valley Soils Seminar Proceedings, 6th, Ft. Lerch, N.K., Hale, W.F., and Lemaster, D.D., 1982, Soil Survey of
Mitchell, Ky., October 17, 1975, p. 1-22. Hamilton County, Ohio: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil
Fleming, R.W., and Johnson, A.M., 1994, Landslides in collu- Conservation Service, 219 p. and maps. Scales 1:15,840 and
vium: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2059-B, 24 p. 1:190,080.
Fleming, R.W., Johnson, A.M., and Hough, J.E., 1981, Engineering Lion, T.E., 1983, Engineering geology and relative stability of
geology of the Cincinnati area, with contributions by Gokce, ground for hillside development in part of Springfield Town-
A.O., and Lion, T.E., in Volume 3 of Roberts, T.G., ed., ship, Hamilton County, Ohio: Cincinnati, Ohio, University of
Geological Society of America Cincinnati '81 Field Trip Cincinnati M.S. thesis, 157 p.
Guidebooks: Falls Church, Va., American Geological Institute, McCandless, R.M., 1976, Measurement of bulking in landslides on
p. 543-570. the basis of topographic form and density changes in landslide
Fleming, R.W., and Taylor, F.A., 1980, Estimating the costs of land- debris: Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Cincinnati M.S. thesis,
slide damages in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey 63 p., appendix.
Circular 832, 21 p. Merritt, R., 1975, Hillside development study-Identification of
Ford, J.P., 1967, Cincinnatian geology in southwest Hamilton critical environmental impact areas: Cincinnati, Ohio,
County, Ohio: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission, 65 p.
Bulletin, v. 51, no. 6, p. 918-936.
1972, Bedrock geology of the Addyston Quadrangle and
part of the Burlington Quadrangle, Hamilton County, Ohio: Figure 13 (overleaf). Plane-table map of the Partridge Hills land-
Ohio Geological Survey Report of Investigations 83, map slide, a block glide in till and lake clay, by Thomas Lion and Paul
(1:24,000) with text. Rauf, University of Cincinnati, spring 1981 (modified from Lion,
1974, Bedrock geology of the Cincinnati West Quadrangle 1983, p. 112). Contour interval 0.5 meter (arbitrary datum); con-
and part of the Covington Quadrangle, Hamilton County, Ohio: tours hachured in closed depression. Cross section vertical scale in
Ohio Geological Survey Report of Investigations 93, map meters.
Curb and gutter
D RIVE
SARBRO OK
Sidewalk
O Shrubs
o 0.0
Shrubs
oc
~ Dc .0 929
—
{1 Sarbrook
Garage 933
Sarbrook
EXPLANATION Railroad
ties
Head scarp—Hachures on
downdropped side
Minor scarp—Hachures on
downdropped side 2a›5
23
A—A—A— Toe—Sawteeth on moving
ground; number gives height
of toe in centimeters
Crack
Water seep, line of seepage
Surface drainage
— — Buried drainpipe
o Reference elevation,
238.48 meters
• Alidade station
A3
• Borehole
A A'
METERS
Pre-construction profile
240
238
236
234
B
METERS
241 _ Drain pipe(projected)
239 ,•: Landslide debris 0 10
237 ,
-----
ke
4 5
0 5 10 METERS McKELVEY ROAD
C I , I
METERS Clay till
240 —r-- Cl 0
z
C2
238 :' C_ 3_ &ARBRO
0
236 ,C4 --- orez -"P`
4G6-
234
0 5 10 METERS
1 1 1 1 1
0 10 20 30 40 50 METERS
EXPLANATION
Scarp—Dashed where approximate; Lake clay (extruded)

Alluvium
--
Crack
4--- Axis of lake clay ridge
Soil creep
04
Survey stake
Gully
Contact—Dashed where approximately located
Figure 14. Plane-table map of a block-extrusion glide in till and lake clay at 980, 984, and 988 Huffman Court, by A. Onder Gokce, Univer-
sity of Cincinnati, spring 1980. Contour interval 1 meter (arbitrary datum); contours hachured in closed depression.
0 100 200 300 METERS

I
EXPLANATION
Colluvium Bedrock contact
o.
o'•
Alluvium Scarp—Dashed where subdued or old;
Residual soil, in place
A A A
Ou Ordovician rocks, undifferentiated
Limestone and shale Shear zone—Showing relative horizontal
Bellevue Limestone movement
Miamitown Shale 1111111111111 Crack
Of Fairview Formation (Ordovician)-65 percent shale with Soil creep
35 percent interbedded limestone
Water seep
Ok Kope Formation (Ordovician)-75 percent shale with
25 percent interbedded limestone
A
Figure 15 (above and facing page). Example of maps produced by students at the University of Cincinnati. Contour interval 25 feet
(about 7.6 meters; datum is mean sea level). Base from City of Cincinnati topographic map series. A, Engineering geologic map of part of
Mount Adams (modified from Richards, 1982, pl. 1). All fresh and subdued landslide features are depicted (as of 1982). Some areas of
active and past movement, however, exhibited no mappable features; such areas are shown on the relative stability map (B). B, Relative
stability map of part of Mount Adams (modified from Richards, 1982, pl. 2). Active deep-seated landsliding not shown on this part of map
view but retained in explanation for completeness.
Murdoch, L.C., III, 1987, Pore-water pressures and unsaturated Geological Survey Report of Investigations 77, 1 pl.
flow during infiltration into colluvial soils at the Delhi Pike 1974, Bedrock geology of the Cincinnati East Quadrangle,
landslide, Cincinnati, Ohio: Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Hamilton County, Ohio: Ohio Geological Survey Report of
Cincinnati M.S. thesis, 133 p. Investigations 94, 1 pl.
Nutting, H.C., and Co., 1967, Physical features of the Ohio-Indiana Pavey, R. R., Goldthwait, R.P., Brockman, C.S., Hull, D.N., and
area: Cincinnati, Ohio, unpublished report to the Hamilton Van Horn, R.G., 1992, The new Quaternary map of Ohio:
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 24,
County Regional Planning Commission. Scale 1:16,000.
no. 7, p. A314.
Olson, R.L., 1988, Engineering geology and relative stability of Pohana, R.E., 1983, Engineering geologic and relative stability
ground adjacent to Sawyer Place, Cincinnati, Ohio: Cincin- analysis of portion of Anderson Township: Cincinnati, Ohio,
nati, Ohio, University of Cincinnati M.S. thesis, 102 p. University of Cincinnati M.S. thesis, 132 p.
Orton, Edward, 1873, Geology of Hamilton County: Ohio Geo- 1992a, City of Cincinnati geotechnical office: The Hill-
logical Survey [Report] v. 1, pt. 1, p. 419-434. side Trust Outlook, v. 11, no. 1 [spring], p. 1-2.
Osborne, Robert H., 1970, Bedrock geology of the Madeira 1992b, Landslide remediation and prevention by the City of
Quadrangle, Hamilton and Clermont Counties, Ohio: Ohio Cincinnati: Geological Society of America Abstracts with
Allikzezz-
45004 I gi ii24 wey
• w /ffe
ZPVire.f 450,17,•~Affegf/71 "ale
WZC
Arilroasr Aware ACCIAGW,
414itzgedwor,
0 100 200 300 METERS
EXPLANATION
TYPE OF MOVEMENT, MATERIAL, OR SLOPE FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED OR RESTRICTION OF LAND USE
STABLE GROUND
Stable gentle hillside Place entire weight of structure on bedrock or have geotechnical engineer determine
type of foundation.
Stable steep hillside Geotechnical engineer should design foundation and slope modifications.
POTENTIALLY UNSTABLE GROUND
Geotechnical engineer in cooperation with engineering geologist should be consulted
Potential for shallow-seated landsliding
concerning location and design of structures and slope modification.
Potential for deep-seated landsliding Extreme caution should be exercised-develop only with guidance of engineering
geologist and geotechnical engineer.
Artificial fill of questionable stability Engineering geologist and geotechnical engineer should investigate and evaluate
potential instability.
MOVING GROUND
Active shallow-seated landsliding Moving material must be removed or stabilized prior to development. Geotechnical
engineer in cooperation with engineering geologist should be consulted concerning
stabilization, and location and design of structures.
Active deep-seated landsliding Develop with extreme care with guidance of engineering geologist and geotechnical
(none shown in this view) engineer. Development should be allowed only if ground is stabilized prior to
construction.
NOTE: Shallow-seated is defined as slip surface 5 feet or less from ground surface. Similarly, deep-seated is defined as slip surface greater than 5 feet from ground surface,
Programs, v. 24, no. 7, p. A204. America Abstracts with Programs, v. 24, no. 7, p. A204.
Richards, K.A., 1982, The engineering geology and relative stabil- 1994, Anchoring of thin colluvium by roots of sugar maple
ity of Mt. Adams and parts of Walnut Hills and Columbia and white ash on hillslopes in Cincinnati: U.S. Geological
Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio: Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Survey Bulletin 2059-E, 25 p.
Cincinnati M.S. thesis, 111 p. Riestenberg, M.M., and Sovonik-Dunford, Susan, 1983, The role
Riestenberg, M.M., 1981, The effect of woody vegetation on stabi- of woody vegetation in stabilizing slopes in the Cincinnati
lizing slopes in the Cincinnati area, Ohio: Cincinnati, Ohio, area, Ohio: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 94, p.
University of Cincinnati M.S. thesis, 79 p. 506-518.
1987, Anchoring of thin colluvium on hillslopes in Cincin- Rodriguez Molina, Carlos, 1983, Engineering geology and relative
nati by roots of sugar maple and white ash: Cincinnati, Ohio, stability of parts of Avondale: Cincinnati, Ohio, University
University of Cincinnati Ph. D. dissertation, 366 p. of Cincinnati M.S. thesis, 86 p.
1992, A study of two tree species interplanted in colluvium Scheper, R.J., 1973, Report of a landslide investigation:
on hillsides in Cincinnati, Ohio: Geological Society of Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Cincinnati, Geology Library,
Table 2. Characteristics of maps proposed for mitigation of

landslide damage in developed areas of Cincinnati, Ohio (Earth
Surface Processes Group, 1987).
2600
Landslide Map Map units

April 1987
ENGINEERING GEOLOGIC Surficial deposits of man-made fill.
MAP (product of field investi- Man-made excavations.
2400 gation, scale about 1:2,400). Bedrock units.
N Glacial deposits.
Colluvium.
Landslide deposits.
2500 Landslide features (scarps, toes,
cracks, lateral shears).
Boundaries of individual landslides.
Boreholes.
LANDSLIDE INTERSECTION Locations where lateral shears,

MAP (product resulting from heads, and toes cross alignments
overlay of engineering geologic of water mains, sewer lines, and
c, map and maps of water other sources of subsurface water.
and sewer lines).
2400 REPAIR PRIORITY MAP Priority one: Emergency repairs

(product of interpreting required. Landslide damage is so
I- engineering geologic map, severe or is developing so rapidly
landslide intersection map, and that it must be repaired to protect
EXPLANATION
potential economic/social the public health or safety.
Scarp—Hachures on impact of damage from indi- Priority two: Geotechnical study
downdropped side
vidual landslides). needed now. Emergency repairs
Shear zone—Showing probably required within a few
relative horizontal years. Shallow' landslides that
movement will disrupt water or sewer lines.
Toe—Sawteeth on Deep landslides that will disrupt
moving ground water or sewer lines or that are
damaging critical facilities.
Tilted wall or pole Priority three: Geotechnical study
2300
required within a few years.
Emergency repaires probably re-
quired within a few tens of years.
Shallow landslides that involve
0 50 100 METERS no man-made water sources.
Deep landslides that do not inter-
/ sect man-made water sources and
are not damaging critical facilities.
Priority four: Stable ground. No
evidence of sliding of the street.
25 'Shallow landslides are less than 2 m thick.
- B
o: z 20 Figure 16. Landslide damage and number of calls for repair of
0
LL water mains by address along Maryland Avenue (modified from
U)
2
15
Earth Surface Processes Group, 1987). A, Landslide features along
Maryland Avenue on March 28, 1987, mapped by faculty and stu-
00 dents of the University of Cincinnati Department of Geology. Num-
w 10 bers are street addresses. A landslide that moved abruptly and
c cc
o_
caused the street to be closed occurred in April 1987 near 2600
z cc Maryland Avenue. A large landslide that is damaging the ramps to
the Sixth Street Viaduct appears to be between 2350 and 2400
Maryland Avenue. B, Total number of calls for repair of water main
Ir i I 'MI I I I I
0 0 0 0 o o 0 0 0 by address from 1931 to 1987. Many breaks between 2350 and
0 Ln 0 LO o U) 0 Lt, ' 0
C")
CV
LO
CV
LO
CV
CD
CV
CO N 2400 Maryland Avenue appear to coincide with the landslide dam-
aging the ramps to the Sixth Street Viaduct. No breaks occurred
STREET ADDRESS ALONG MARYLAND AVENUE
near 2600 before the abrupt movement in April 1987.
graduate student report, 20 p. Vormelker, Joel, 1985a, Top-of-rock map of Hamilton County,
Sowers and Dalrimple Consulting Engineers, 1980, Landslide sus- Ohio: Ohio Geological Survey Open-File Map 229, scale
ceptibility map of Cincinnati, Ohio: Unpublished report to 1:62,500.
the City of Cincinnati, May, maps (scale 1:24,000 and 1985b, Drift thickness map of Hamilton County, Ohio:
1:9,600) with text. Ohio Geological Survey Open-File Map 230, scale 1: 62,500.
Swinford, E.M., 1986, Bedrock geologic map of Hamilton County,
Ohio [abs.]: The Ohio Journal of Science, v. 86, no. 2, p. 8-9. Weaver, T.R., 1983, Surficial geology of the Glendale Quadrangle,
Swinford, E.M., and Schumacher, G.A., 1985, New bedrock geo- southwestern Ohio: Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Cincin-
logic maps of Hamilton and Clermont Counties, Ohio [abs.]: nati, unpublished report to U.S. Geological Survey, 29 p., 1 pl.
The Ohio Journal of Science, v. 85, no. 2, p. 24-25. (scale 1:24,000).
Von Schlichten, 0.C., 1935, Landslides in the vicinity of Yahne, G.W., 1974, A preliminary study of landslides in Cincin-
Cincinnati: The Compass, Sigma Gamma Epsilon, v. 15, no. nati, Ohio: Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Cincinnati, Geol-
3, p. 151-154. ogy Library, M.S., non-thesis report, 36 p.
Manuscript approved for publication April 5, 1995

Published in the Central Region, Denver, Colorado
Photocomposition by Norma J. Maes
Graphics by B. Wayne Hawkins and Denny Welp
Edited by Lorna Carter
'7 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1996 - 774-045 / 20046 REGION NO. 8
CONTENTS
[Chapters originally published separately]
A. Overview of landslide problems, research, and mitigation, Cincinnati, Ohio, area

By Rex L. Baum and Arvid M. Johnson
B. Landslides in colluvium
By Robert W. Fleming and Arvid M. Johnson
C. Rapid water-level fluctuations in a thin colluvium landslide west of Cincinnati, Ohio

By William C. Haneberg and A. Onder Gokce
D. Contribution of artesian water to progressive failure of the upper part of the Delhi
Pike landslide complex, Cincinnati, Ohio
By Rex L. Baum
E. Anchoring of thin colluvium by roots of sugar maple and white ash on hillslopes in
Cincinnati
By Mary M. Riestenberg
SELECTED SERIES OF U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PUBLICATIONS
Periodicals Coal Investigations Maps are geologic maps on topographic or

Earthquakes & Volcanoes (issued bimonthly). planimetric bases at various scales showing bedrock or surficial geology,
Preliminary Determination of Epicenters (issued monthly). stratigraphy, and structural relations in certain coal-resource areas.
Oil and Gas Investigations Charts show stratigraphic informa-
Technical Books and Reports tion for certain oil and gas fields and other areas having petroleum po-
tential.
Professional Papers are mainly comprehensive scientific reports
Miscellaneous Field Studies Maps are multicolor or black-and-
of wide and lasting interest and importance to professional scientists and
white maps on topographic or planimetric bases on quadrangle or irreg-
engineers. Included are reports on the results of resource studies and of ular areas at various scales. Pre-1971 maps show bedrock geology in re-
topographic, hydrologic, and geologic investigations. They also include
lation to specific mining or mineral-deposit problems; post-1971 maps
collections of related papers addressing different aspects of a single sci-
are primarily black-and-white maps on various subjects such as environ-
entific topic.
mental studies or wilderness mineral investigations.
Bulletins contain significant data and interpretations that are of
Hydrologic Investigations Atlases are multicolored or black-and-
lasting scientific interest but are generally more limited in scope or geo-
white maps on topographic or planimetric bases presenting a wide range
graphic coverage than Professional Papers. They include the results of
of geohydrologic data of both regular and irregular areas; the principal
resource studies and of geologic and topographic investigations; as well
scale is 1:24,000, and regional studies are at 1:250,000 scale or smaller.
as collections of short papers related to a specific topic.
Water-Supply Papers are comprehensive reports that present sig- Catalogs
nificant interpretive results of hydrologic investigations of wide interest
to professional geologists, hydrologists, and engineers. The series covers Permanent catalogs, as well as some others, giving comprehensive
investigations in all phases of hydrology, including hydrology, availabil- listings of U.S. Geological Survey publications are available under the
ity of water, quality of water, and use of water. conditions indicated below from USGS Map Distribution, Box 25286,
Circulars present administrative information or important scien- Building 810, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225. (See latest
tific information of wide popular interest in a format designed for distri- Price and Availability List.)
bution at no cost to the public. Information is usually of short-term "Publications of the Geological Survey, 1879-1961" may be pur-
interest. chased by mail and over the counter in paperback book form and as a set
Water-Resources Investigations Reports are papers of an inter- microfiche.
pretive nature made available to the public outside the formal USGS "Publications of the Geological Survey, 1962-1970" may be pur-
publications series. Copies are reproduced on request unlike formal chased by mail and over the counter in paperback book form and as a set
USGS publications, and they are also available for public inspection at of microfiche.
depositories indicated in USGS catalogs. "Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey, 1971-1981" may be
Open-File Reports include unpublished manuscript reports, maps, purchased by mail and over the counter in paperback book form (two
and other material that are made available for public consultation at de- volumes, publications listing and index) and as a set of microfiche.
positories. They are a nonpermanent form of publication that may be cit- Supplements for 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, and for subse-
ed in other publications as sources of information. quent years since the last permanent catalog may be purchased by mail
and over the counter in paperback book form.
Maps State catalogs, "List of U.S. Geological Survey Geologic and Wa-
ter-Supply Reports and Maps For (State)," may be purchased by mail
Geologic Quadrangle Maps are multicolor geologic maps on to-
and over the counter in paperback booklet form only.
pographic bases in 7 1/2- or 15-minute quadrangle formats (scales main-
"Price and Availability List of U.S. Geological Survey Publica-
ly 1:24,000 or 1:62,500) showing bedrock, surficial, or engineering
tions," issued annually, is available free of charge in paperback booklet
geology. Maps generally include brief texts; some maps include structure
form only.
and columnar sections only.
Selected copies of a monthly catalog "New Publications of the
Geophysical Investigations Maps are on topographic or plani-
U.S. Geological Survey" is available free of charge by mail or may be
metric bases at various scales, they show results of surveys using geo-
obtained over the counter in paperback booklet form only. Those wish-
physical techniques, such as gravity, magnetic, seismic, or radioactivity,
ing a free subscription to the monthly catalog "New Publications of the
which reflect subsurface structures that are of economic or geologic sig-
U.S. Geological Survey" should write to the U.S. Geological Survey,
nificance. Many maps include correlations with the geology.
582 National Center, Reston, VA 22092.
Miscellaneous Investigations Series Maps are on planimetric or
topographic bases of regular and irregular areas at various scales; they Note.—Prices of Government publications listed in older catalogs,
present a wide variety of format and subject matter. The series also in- announcements, and publications may be incorrect. Therefore, the prices
cludes 7 I/2-minute quadrangle photogeologic maps on planimetric charged may differ from the prices in catalogs, announcements, and pub-
bases which show geology as interpreted from aerial photographs. The lications.
series also includes maps of Mars and the Moon.
Baum and Johnson—OVERVIEW'OF LANDSLIDE PROBLEMS, RESEARCH, AND MITIGATION, CINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA—U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2059—A

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LANDSLIDES OF THE CINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA

Overview of Landslide Problems,

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2059—A

BY MAIL OVER THE COUNTER

Books Books and Maps

Superintendent of Documents • SALT LAKE CITY, Utah-Federal Bldg., Rm. 8105,

By REX L. BAUM and ARVID M. JOHNSON

LANDSLIDES OF THE CINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2059-A

Description of landslide types in relation to local

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1996

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

1. Characteristics of landslides in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area A9

ABSTRACT ordinance to help reduce the damage due to landslides in

LANDSLIDESOF THECINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA

Area of detailed engineering-geologic mapping,

LANDSLIDES OFTHECINCINNATI , OHIO, AREA

Area where bedrock is concealed by

UPPER ORDOVICIAN OHIO

Contact, approximately located

LANDSLIDESOF THE CINCINNATI , OHIO, AREA

OVERVIEW OF LANDSLIDE PROBLEMS, RESEARCH , AND MITIGATION

Contact, approximately located

Table 1. Characteristics of landslides in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area.

Type Style of movement Rate Thickness (m) Volumes Materials

I Estimated from typical dimensions.

Curb displaced 1/2 in CLIFF DRIVE

135 --- 135

LANDSLI DESOFTHE CINCINNATI, OHIO,AREA

Shale with thin

100 — ====== NOTE: Bedrock-colluvium contact is gradational; - 100

LANDSLIDESOFTHE CINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA

• Sycamore tree location

Rubber pipe (4 in. diameter) drain

Following in cross section only:

185 Wall h -± LOCATION MAP

LANDSLIDES OF THE CINCINNATI , OHIO, AREA

'f .•.•:.• Landslide debris

Bedrock Fairview Formation—In cross section

225= oC7 F6-c>„ ef3 225

OVERVIEW OF LANDSLIDE PROBLEMS, RESEARCH, AND MITIGATION

B B' C C' D D'

E E' E" E"'

Broken oncrete Sidewalk

Former building site

MONASTARY ST erridden side Underriglden

Scarp—Dashed where subdued or old feature; Water seep

Shale with thin_

±-- Shale with thin

210 — Overridden -—21(1

200 — NOTE: Bedrock-colluvium contact is gradationa ; -—200

LANDSLIDES OF THE CINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA

EXPLANATION (1:24,000) with text.

Curb and gutter

Water seep, line of seepage

Scarp—Dashed where approximate; Lake clay (extruded)