MASS

WASTING
Discuss the following topics:
• Controlling factors in mass wasting
• Classify mass wasting processes
• The events that trigger mass wasting
processes
• Discuss how landslide hazard can be
reduced
 Mass movement (or
mass wasting) is the
downslope motion of
rock, regolith (soil,
sediment, and debris),
snow, and ice.
MASS WASTING vs
It is a common term
used by many people
to describe sudden
event in which large
quantities of rock &
soil plunge down
steep slopes.
LANDSLIDE
1.SLOPE ANGLE
As the slope increase, the slope-
parallel component increases
while the slope perpendicular
component decreases. Thus the
tendency to slide down the
slope becomes greater.
2. ROLE OF WATER
• Addition of water
from rainfall or
snowmelt adds
weight to the slope
• Water can reduce
the friction along a Water – lubricates debris
by forcing grains apart.
sliding surface Increasing the water
decreases the tensions.
Ice = 9.2%
expansion over
water.
Freeze-thaw
cause
movement down
slope = CREEP
3. PRESENCE OF CLAYS
• Expansive and hydrocompacting soils –expand
when wet and shrink when they dry out
• Sensitive soils – clays in some soils rearrange
themselves after dissolution of salts
in the pore spaces. Clay minerals line up with
one another and the pore space is reduced.
• Quick clays – water-saturated clays that
spontaneously liquefy when disturbed
4. WEAK MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
• Vegetation cover - roots bind loose regolith
together. Deforestation promotes slope instability.
• Earthquakes – disturbs grain contacts.
• Size and shape of grains, which determine the
amount of friction across boundaries.
FALL

Mass movements
FLOW can be classified
on the basis of
type of material
moved and the
characteristic
type or form of
movement.

SLIP
CREEP
Imperceptibly
slow
downslope
movement, <1
cm/year.
Affects the
upper few
meters
only
SOLIFLUCTION
Thawing above
permafrost on
slopes
promotes slow
downhill
movement.
ROCK GLACIERS:
slow movement downhill of
rock fragments and ice
(rock > ice).
Develop where debris volume
falling into a valley exceeds
ice accumulation.
SLUMPING
Mass of regolith
detaches from its
substrate along a
spoon-shaped
sliding/
failure surface;
slips coherently
downhill.
MUDFLOW:
flowing
mixture of
debris and
water, usually
moving down
a channel.
Can occur
after heavy
rainfall or due
to volcanic
activity.
Typically
occurs in areas
where
vegetation is
sparse.
LAHARS:
Type of mudflow
occurring on
young volcanoes
- unconsolidated
ash. Volcanic ash
from recent or
ongoing eruptions
mixes with water
from heavy rains
or melted glacial
ice
DEBRIS FLOW: mudflow is mixed with large rock fragments.
Speed is dependent upon slope angle and water content.

DEBRIS
AVALANCHE:
very rapidly
moving,
turbulent
mass of
debris, rock
and water
AVALANCHES
Turbulent clouds of debris mixed with
air that rush down steep slopes.

Wet avalanches behave like a

viscous slurry, hugging the slope
and entraining little air. As a result,
they move relatively slowly
(usually <30 km per hour).
Dry avalanches move cold,
powdery snow. They move above
the ground surface on a layer of
pressurized air. They move rapidly
(up to 250 km per hour).
ROCKSLIDE:
Coherent mass moves.
Movement along a
plane parallel to the
surface
ROCKFALL – rock free-falls due to undercutting!
[e.g., cliff (natural) or road cutting (man-made)].
DEBRIS
FALL:
free fall of
regolith-
dominated
material.
 EVENTS THAT TRIGGER
MASS WASTING PROCESSES
earthquakes and minor EVENTS THAT
shocks such as those TRIGGER
produced by heavy trucks MASS WASTING
PROCESSES
on the road, man-made
explosions
 –
creating artificially EVENTS THAT
TRIGGER
steep slope so it is no MASS WASTING
PROCESSES
longer at the angle of
repose
– due to streams EVENTS THAT
TRIGGER
eroding banks or surf MASS WASTING
PROCESSES
action undercutting a
slope
 – heavy rains
lead to water-saturated EVENTS THAT
regolith increasing its TRIGGER
MASS WASTING
weight, reducing grain to PROCESSES
grain contact and angle of
repose;
 –
weathering weakens the rock
and leads to slope failure;
EVENTS THAT
vegetation holds soil in place and TRIGGER
slows the influx of water; tree MASS WASTING
roots strengthen PROCESSES
slope by holding the ground
together
 -
produce shocks; may
produce large volumes of EVENTS THAT
water from melting of TRIGGER
MASS WASTING
glaciers during eruption, PROCESSES
resulting to mudflows and
debris flows