Coping with risks of geological hazard chains

Geological hazard chains, characterized by multi-hazard transformations, cascading effects, and spatiotemporal amplification, pose severe threats to societal and infrastructural safety. This study establishes a technical framework spanning "mechanism studies–numerical simulation–risk assessment–intelligent prevention". Using the Wenchuan earthquake hazard chains as an illustrative case, we analyze the triggers, types, multi-decade spatiotemporal evolution of hazard chains. The analysis underscores the need to integrate the full lifecycle of hazard chains into engineering design. In numerical simulation, the EDDA platform enables modeling of the complete "rainfall–landslide–debris flow–flood" cascade in rain-induced landslides, and the GMFA model addresses thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling and hazard transition in glacial landslide chains. These tools collectively support the simulation of the entire hazard-chain process, from initiation and movement to erosion-deposition and hazard transformation. In risk assessment, a five-phase framework is proposed to quantify the interactions and amplification effects in hazard chains. Two rapid–assessment tools were developed: the PoLA system for regional quantitative risk assessment of rainfall-induced landslides, and the QuakeSlide system for real-time risk forecasts of global earthquake-induced landslides. Finally, we propose a risk-informed engineering design approach, advocate the concept of hazard chain disruption based on proactive defense, and explore a dynamic emergency risk assessment protocol powered by digital twin technology. These advancements support risk mitigation, emergency management and engineering safety.