Research progress on catastrophic responses of reservoir–dam systems to landslide-induced waves in alpine canyon regions

Geological conditions in the alpine canyon regions of southwestern China are highly complex, tectonic activity is intense, and mountain hazards occur frequently. Consequently, the prevention and mitigation of landslide-related geological disasters is a critical research topic for ensuring the safety of high dams and large reservoirs. This paper provides a comprehensive review of research progress on: (i) the dynamics of landslide-generated impulse waves in reservoirs; (ii) multi-physics coupled analysis methods for landslide–wave–dam-break disaster chains; (iii) catastrophic response behaviors of reservoir–dam systems under landslide-induced waves; and (iv) conditions governing the occurrence of large-scale disasters. The review indicates that current studies still provide an insufficient understanding of the evolution of landslide–wave disaster chains in alpine canyon regions and their impact mechanisms on reservoir–dam systems. In view of these limitations, three priority directions for future research are identified: (1) establishing dynamic process models for reservoir landslide-induced waves that explicitly account for mass and energy transfer at the soil–water interface; (2) developing efficient multi-physics numerical frameworks for simulating the entire landslide–wave–dam-breach process; and (3) constructing dual-control criteria and risk assessment systems for reservoir–dam mega-disasters based on both energy and structural strength. The outcomes are expected to bridge the current gap in quantitatively linking reservoir landslide source characteristics to catastrophic dam responses, providing theoretical support and technical guidance for the long-term safe operation of major hydropower projects and basin-scale disaster risk reduction in alpine canyon regions.