The researchers analyzed the stability of a specific type of landslide in the Three Gorges reservoir using a computer model called FLAC3D. They found that this type of landslide, called floated-pushed landslide, is most unstable when the water level is high in the Yangtze River. Deformation in the landslide varies depending on water levels and rainfall, with the front edge deforming more when water levels drop, and the back edge deforming more during rainfall.