Landslide in Rocks of Jodhpur Group at Masuria Hill in Jodhpur, Western Rajasthan, India : Its Causes and Threat to Significant Geoheritage

By : Saurabh Mathur , Sudhanshu , Shruti Kanga , Suraj Kumar Singh , C.P. Khichi , S. C. Mathur , M. S. Nathawat , Shiv Singh Rathore

Page No: 1-15

Abstract
The first disastrous landslide at Masuria Hill (MH) damaged many houses and properties in residential colonies in the Jodhpur city, Western Rajasthan, India. The present landslide created panic and posed a severe concern to geoscientists and local administration. Geologically, MH is represented by rhyolite of Malani igneous suite (MIS) of Cryogenian age occur at the base which is overlain by siliciclastic rocks of Jodhpur Group (JG) of the Marwar Supergroup (MSG). Rocks of JG in Jodhpur are divided into three formations viz: lower Umed Bhawan Formation, middle Soorsagar Formation (SSF) and upper Motisar Hill Formation (MHF). The landslide occurred in horizontally disposed rocks of Umed Bhawan Formation (UBF) of JG. UBF can be divided into a clay-dominated soft sediment zone with sheet and release joints at the base, followed by a rigid sand zone with orthogonal jointing. This disposition of soft and rigid pattern of sedimentation of UBF is identified as the vital horizon responsible for the landslide with shale horizon as the failure plane. The causes of landslides can be explained based on the model of BPSZ (Bedding Parallel Shear Zone). BPSZ is attributed to the liquefaction, mass wasting, and shear stress that caused the landslide. Paper also discussed the geoheritage elements of educational, geotourism and cultural values that are endangered and threatened to a landslide along with seven other similar hills of UBF in the Jodhpur.

Authors : 
Saurabh Mathur
Department of Geology, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, India.

Sudhanshu
Centre for Sustainable Development, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, India. 

Shruti Kanga
Centre for Climate Change and Water Research, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, India.

Suraj Kumar Singh
Department of Geography, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, India.

C.P. Khichi
Rajasthan Public Service Commission, Jaipur Road, Ajmer, India.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/ATNAGI.2022.42.01.1