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Mass Movement (Mass Wasting) : The Downward Movement of Earth's Surface Materials Due To Gravity

Mass wasting refers to the downward movement of earth materials due to gravity. There are several types of mass wasting including flows, slides, falls, and slumps which describe how the earth materials move downslope. Mass wasting occurs due to factors like steepness, wetness, vegetation cover, earthquakes, and human activity that can trigger events. Specific types of mass wasting include debris flows, earthflows, mudflows, landslides, rockslides, creeps, slumps, lahars, and avalanches.

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72 views

Mass Movement (Mass Wasting) : The Downward Movement of Earth's Surface Materials Due To Gravity

Mass wasting refers to the downward movement of earth materials due to gravity. There are several types of mass wasting including flows, slides, falls, and slumps which describe how the earth materials move downslope. Mass wasting occurs due to factors like steepness, wetness, vegetation cover, earthquakes, and human activity that can trigger events. Specific types of mass wasting include debris flows, earthflows, mudflows, landslides, rockslides, creeps, slumps, lahars, and avalanches.

Uploaded by

Lamiaa Hendawy
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mass Movement (Mass Wasting)

Mark J. Crawford (1998)


Pages 60-65

The downward movement of Earths surface materials due to gravity

Mass Wasting

Mass wasting is a natural result of weathering on slopes . Simply put, gravity pulls loose rock and soil downhill . Mass wasting is the process of erosion whereby rock, soil, and other earth materials move down a slope because of gravitational forces . It proceeds at variable rates of speed and is largely dependent on the water saturation levels and the steepness of the terrain. A destructive, rapid mass-wasting event is called a landslide; if the movement is slow enough that it cannot be seen in motion, it is called creep.

kinds of movement

Flow : if the mass moves down slope like a viscous fluid. Slip: If the mass moves as a solid unit along a surface or plane. Fall : A slip that moves along a surface parallel to the slope. Earth
material that free-falls from a steep face or cliff.

Slump : If the movement occurs along a curved surface where the


downward movement of the upper part of the mass leaves a steep scarp (cliff) and the bottom part is pushed outward along a more horizontal plane.

Gravity and friction.


Rock particles and soil move down slope because of the forces of gravity . The gravity that acts on an object is a combination of the normal force and the shear force . The normal force is perpendicular to the slope the object rests on, and the shear force is parallel to the surface of the slope.

Angle of repose.
The

angle of repose is the steepest angle at which loose material will remain in place . is largely dependent on the size, shape, and roughness of the particles . The angle varies from about 25 degrees to about 40 degrees . the angle is exceeded by additional sedimentation or tilting, a slide or disturbance will result.

It

If

shear strength
The

shear strength is an object's resistance to movement that needs to be overcome in order to make it move. strength is proportional to how solid the mass is, the density of plant roots, the amount of water present, and the roughness of the particles in the mass.

Shear

Factors in mass wasting


steepness
wetness

decreases friction by increasing pore pressure


soil

weight

water increases soil weight


vegetation

deep roots anchor soil

Triggers for rapid Mass Wasting


Rain

Oversteepening

cutting at foot of slope piling on head of slope


Deforesting

/ Devegetating Earthquakes

Water

in sediment

Increases weight Lubricates slope by reducing friction between sediments and bedrock
Storms Vibrations

from earthquakes and volcanoes Human activity Type of Earth material on the slope

Debris Flow
Also

called mudflow, mudslide Soil & regolith get saturated with water and flow like liquid
cement to soup consistency moderate to very fast movement

Debris Flow

Earthflow
basically

a very viscous (thick) debris flow slow-moving


faster in wetter weather

Mudflow
Earthflow

that is rapid and contains large amounts of saturated clay and silt
These fine sediments hold more water than other earthflows Can travel up to 100 km/hr Most common in arid regions that get infrequent, but heavy, rains Powerful enough to move boulders, trees, cars, and buildings

Earthflow
The

downhill movement of a large amount of sediment that has been saturated with water movement speed is determined by:

The

Amount of water Type of sediment Slope steepness

Earthflow

Landslides
A

general term for the movement of a large amount of soil down the slope of a mountain, hill, or cliff material will move together all at once

The

Rockslide
Rock

moves because theres nothing holding it back! Generally requires a pre-existing low-friction surface...

Rockslide
like

a clay layer, once its wet...

Creep
Very

slow movement of soil down a slope sagging

Gradual Only

evident by the tilting and relocation of poles, fences, etc.

Creep
very

slow result of freezing and thawing

Creep

Creep

from D. Schwert, NDSU

Evidence of Creep

Slump
Blocks

of land tilt and slide down a curved surface happens when the base of the slope is thinned or weakened and cannot support the land above.

Slump

How Slumping Occurs

Slump
Earth
scarp

moves on shallow, curved fault

Lahar
Hot

mud flows caused by the melting of snow on top of a volcano triggered by an eruption Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia

Usually

Example:

Avalanche
The

very fast downhill movement of snow/ice caused by partial melting, uneven weight, and human activity

Often

Talus

(rock/soil piles deposited at the base of the cliff/slope where they fell) Exposes bedrock to weathering
Speeds up the breaking of that rock

Mokattam case study for mass wasting

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