mass movement

Question 1

describe mass movement

Answer 1

includes downslope motion of rock, soil, sediment, snow and ice, is driven by gravity operating on any sloping surface, is characterised by a wide range of rates

Question 2

what factors are classifications of mass movement usually based on?

Answer 2

type of material, rate of movement, nature of that mass, immediate surroundings

Question 3

what forces favour the downslope force?

Answer 3

gravity - the weight of earths materials, the weight of added water, the weight of added structures

Question 4

what forces favour the resisting force?

Answer 4

cohesion, friction, steeper slopes

Question 5

what are some types of failure surfaces?

Answer 5

saturates sand or clay layers, joints parallel to the land surfaces, weak sedimentary bedding, metamorphic foliatin

Question 6

how can geological mapping identify regions at risk?

Answer 6

highlight past failures, reveal currently unstable slopes, GPS can detect slow movements

Question 7

what can be done to reduce the risk of mass movement hazards occuring in an area?

Answer 7

re-vegetating, redistrubuting mass by terracing, regrading, drainage, slowing undercutting, engineered structures.