Mass Wasting Flashcards
It is the downslope movement of rock and
regolith near the Earth’s surface mainly due
to the force of gravity.
Mass Wasting
Any perceptible downslope movement of
rock or regolith is often referred to in general terms as a
Landslide
The Cherry Hills Landslide’s complex
slide started out as a ______ and developed into a _______ near the base.
slump; debris flow
Knowledge about the relationships between these two can lead to better planning that can reduce
vulnerability to such hazards.
local geology and mass wasting processes
The material that is (practically) still in place and
adjacent to the highest parts of the main scarp.
Crown
A steep surface on the undisturbed ground at the
upper edge of the landslide, caused by movement of the displaced material away from the undisturbed ground. It is the visible part of the surface of rupture.
Main scarp
The highest point of contact between the displaced
material and the main scarp.
Top
The upper parts of the landslide along the contact
between the displaced material and the main scarp.
Head
A steep surface on the displaced material of the landslide produced by differential movements within the
displaced material.
Minor scarp
The part of the displaced material of the landslide
that overlies the surface of rupture between the main scarp
and the toe of the surface of rupture.
Main body
The portion of the landslide that has moved beyond the
toe of the surface of rupture and overlies the original ground
surface.
Foot
The point of the toe farthest from the top of the landslide.
Tip
The lower, usually curved margin of the displaced
material of a landslide, it is the most distant from the main
scarp.
Toe
The surface that forms (or has formed) the lower boundary of the displaced material below the original ground surface.
Surface of rupture
The intersection (usually buried)
between the lower part of the surface of rupture of a landslide and the original ground surface.
Toe of surface of rupture
The part of the original ground surface overlain by the foot of the landslide.
Surface of separation
Material displaced from its original position
on the slope by movement in the landslide. It forms both the
depleted mass and the accumulation.
Displaced material
The area of the landslide within which the displaced material lies below the original ground surface.
Zone of depletion
The area of the landslide within which
the displaced material lies above the original ground surface.
Zone of accumulation
The volume bounded by the main scarp, the depleted mass and the original ground surface.
Depletion
The volume of the displaced material that overlies the rupture surface but underlies the original ground
surface.
Depleted mass
The volume of displaced material that lies above the original ground surface.
Accumulation
The undisplaced material adjacent to the sides of the rupture surface. Compass directions are preferable in
describing these, but if left and right are used, they refer to these as viewed from the crown.
Flank
The surface of the slope that existed
before the landslide took place
Original ground surface
True or False: Slump is the term for translational landslide
False; rotational
State of a mass wasting that refers to the ongoing or currently occurring movement of materials down a slope. It is characterized by the continuous displacement of material due to the force of gravity.
Active
A state of mass wasting where the movement of material down a slope has temporarily ceased, often due to a decrease in the driving forces (e.g., reduced rainfall) or an increase in resisting forces (e.g., vegetation growth).
Suspended
A state of mass wasting that occurs when previously stable materials on a slope are suddenly mobilized due to changes in conditions. These changes can reinitiate movement after a period of suspension.
Reactivated
A state of mass wasting where there is no current movement of materials down a slope. The slope may have fully stabilized, or the conditions necessary for movement are not currently met.
Inactive
A state of mass wasting that where a mass wasting feature, such as a landslide or slope failure, is not currently active but has the potential to become active again under the right conditions.
Dormant
A state of mass wasting that have undergone movement in the past but are no longer active and are not expected to become active again. These features have reached a state of long-term stability.
Abandoned
A state of mass wasting that features have been actively managed or engineered to reduce or eliminate the risk of further movement. Stabilization measures aim to secure the slope and prevent future mass wasting events.
Stabilized
A state of mass wasting where features are remnants of ancient or long-past mass wasting events. These features are no longer active and are often found in older geological formations.
Relict
Mass Movements can be classified according to:
- Type of movement: flow, slide, slump, etc.
- Type of material involved: rock, debris,
earth, and mud - Relative proportions of material and water
- Velocity of movement: slow<>rapid
- Thickness: shallow or deep seated
- Type of triggering factor: rain-induced,
earthquake-induced
A type of movement that comprise a detachment of soil or rock
from a steep slope and the more or less free and extremely rapid descent of the material.
Fall
Triggering factors of a fall
lateral pressures (roots, crystallization pressures, ice wedging, etc.) or by lost of underlying support (erosion on cliffs)
A forward rotation out of the
slope of a mass of soil or rock about a
point below the center of gravity of
the displaced mass.
Topple
A _____ is defined as a
moving slab of soil or
bedrock that moves
downslope as a whole,
remaining in contact
with the underlying
material.
Slide