3.4.

1 Physical causes & consequences of mass movement

Mass movement= down slope movement which transport soil + rock (weathered) material
under influence of gravity

Factors: .role of water (lubricant, pore pressure  decreases resistance forces)

.change in temp (avalanche, rock fall, solifluction)
.EQs
.Role of humans + Land management

Types of movement

SLOW movements

- SOIL CREEP: < 1 cm p/y

Continuous process in humid climates w/ veget cover

 Wet-dry period: moisture increases .volume .weight of soil

(during heavy rainfall)

 expansion which allows regolith to move downhill under g

.in dry periods: soil (clay) dries & contract

Eg. south-east England, 1976 drought

Regolith = weathered material

 Freeze-thaw: .regolith freezes  ice crystals rise volume of soil (9%)

.as soil expands, particles lifted at 90° (called heave)
.when ground thaws, regolith contracts  fall, move downslope

Occurs on - 5°

.terracette: step-like features of 20-50 cm height

Develops as vegetation is stretched & torn
- accentuated by grazing animals (ships)

- SOLIFLUCTION: 5 cm -1 m a year
Takes place under periglacial conditions (minimal veget cover)
Eg Siberia / Alaska

.winter: bedrock & regolith frozen

.summer: surface layer thaws (underlying layer remains frozen  impermeable)
.meltwater can’t infiltrate
. topsoil saturates, acts as active layer over frozen subsoil

 produces lobes (rounded, tongue-like features reaching up 50

m width)

head (mixture of sand/clay formed in valleys

& foot of sea cliffs)
- EARTHFLOWS: 5-15°slopes (when regolith becomes saturated w/ water)
.flows downhill (1-15 km p/y)
.movement of material produce .short flow tracks
.small bulging lobes
(not enough to break vegetation)

FAST movements

- MUDFLOWS: occur .on steeper slopes 1km/h

.following intensive rainfall (volume & weight added to soil)

- LANDSLIDES: (common in coastal areas)

.move ‘en masse’, not affected by internal derangement

 PLANAR weathered rocks moves downhill

Leaves a flat rupture surface

 ROTATIONAL curved rupture surface produced

- in areas of homogeneous rock

- more likely where softer materials (clay/sand) overlie more resistant
(granite)

- ROCKFALLS: spontaneous debris movement slopes exceed 40°

- result from extreme physical/chemical weathering in .mountains

.pressure release
.stormwave on sea cliffs
.EQs

- material once broken, bounce & fall

- AVALANCHE: ‘sudden downhill movement of snow/ice/rock’

. 40-60 km/h (Colombia 200 km/h)

Causes - heavy snowfall/rain add weight

- steep slopes over 25°(stability reduced, friction overcome)
- sudden rise in temp
- deforestation
- vibrations from traffic/eqs
Factors

NATURAL .erosion at slope base

.consolidation of slope material
.permeability/porosity of rock
.cracks for water lubrication
.stronger rocks over meaker ones
.earth tremors

HUMAN - removal of base slope for construction

- building on top slope/steep (buildings)
- channeling water onto slope (increase slope + lubrication)
- deforestation
- leaking pipes
- irrigation
- vibration from transport
- road construction

Human response

Stope Stabilisation Methods = hold slope together & help maintain integrity

- soil nailing: structure support (of concrete/metal)

Attach to soil as nail
- spaycrete: create an artificial rock face (stabilizes)

- terracing: relieves slope from pressure

- slope drainage: avoid saturation (pipes into slope allows water to drain off)

- afforestation: hold tops soils together

- avoid construction on steep slopes