Assessment and zonation of regional crustal stability in and around the dam region of the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze River

The scale of the Three Georges Project (TGP) on the Yangtze River ensures that it will have enormous social and economic consequences. Determining the safety of the TGP is an essential consideration, and conducting the assessment and zonation of regional crustal stability has a crucial role in determining the success or failure of the TGP in the future. In this paper, the assessment of regional crustal stability, places much emphasis on tectonic stability and the stability of partial foundations (rock and soil masses) and surface slopes (which include landslides, collapses, etc.) related to fracture activity is also taken into consideration. The evaluation and zonation of regional crustal stability was conducted on two scales and scopes: the dam region and the vicinity of the TGP (about 310 000 km(2)), and the dam region of the TGP (about 30 000 km(2)). On the basis of tectonic zonation and present crustal stress field analysis, fuzzy mathematics was used to perform quantitative and comprehensive evaluations of crustal stability, and then the zonation of crustal stability in the study region, combined with a theoretical geological study, was made. The results of the assessment and zonation of the crustal stability can be summarized as follows: (1) the general crustal stability of the dam region is in a less stable-stable state and the Sandouping dam site is on a relatively stable landmass; and (2) the Sandouping dam site is on an ancient integrated granite body belonging to a stable (1) landmass. Therefore, from the view of assessment and zonation of regional crustal stability, a large-scale hydropower station can be constructed at Sandouping.