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UNIT 5: MASS MOVEMENTS AND HUMAN
RESPONSES
[Link] is mass movement?
Mass movement is the movement of
weathered materials down a slope. This
movement may be gradual or sudden,
depending on:
* the gradient of the slope
+ the weight of the debris
* the presence of any lubricating moisture.
1.1 What triggering events cause mass
movement?
Triggering events can occur at any time,
causing the slope to become unstable.
Examples of triggering events are:
* earthquakes
* modification of slopes by humans
* undercutting of cliffs by waves or rivers
* heavy rains
+ volcanic activity. 2. What are the different kinds of mass
movement?
2.1 Soil creep:
Soil creep is the slow down slope
movement of soil. It takes place at an
average rate of 1 mma year.
2.2 Solifluction:
Solifluction is a very slow down slope
movement of water-saturated soil,
averaging between 5 and 20 cm a year. It
occurs in regions when debris become
saturated after heavy rain or in tundra
regions when ground thaws in spring.
2.3 Landslides:
Landslides occur when a large mass of
land breaks loose and plunges down a
slope. It causes great economic loss by
the destruction of infrastructure such as
roads, railways, dams and bridges. 2.4 Rock falls:
Rock falls are very rapid movement of
material on slopes exceeding 40°. Rocks
break loose from the slope due to
weathering, frost action and earthquakes.
These rocks collect at the bottom of the
slope.
2.5 Mud flows:
Mud flows occur on steep slopes after
very heavy rain. It is like a stream of mud
and exceeds 1 km/h. It happens in arid
regions after heavy rain.
2.6 Slumps
Slumps are slope failure caused by
rotational movement. The movement can
be fast or slow. It is downward and
outward along a curved concave rupture
surface. It occurs in areas where softer
materials overlie more resistant rocks. 3 Impact of mass movements
3.1 What are the effects of mass
movement on the environment?
Mass movements produce a variety of
effects. They include:
* Mass movement carries a material such
as soil and rock from high altitudes to
lower
altitudes, and is a major factor in natural
erosion.
: A landslide may block a river, damming
the water and causing it to form a lake.
« A sudden rush down a steep slope can
cause great destruction to vegetation and
animal life.
« A landslide may cause floods by
damming up bodies of water.
+ Landslides can travel many kilometres
from their source, growing in size as they
pick up trees, rocks and other materials along the way.
3.2 What are the effects of mass
movement on people?
The most severe effect of mass
movement on people is loss of life by
landslides. The other effects are mostly
economic.
* The slow movement of creep does a lot
of long term economic damage to
railroads, building structure and
underground pipes.
* Landslides cause loss of productivity of
agricultural lands.
+ Interruption of transportation systems by
landslides causes a loss of industrial
productivity.
* Road closures force road users to take
long detours.
4. How can the effects of mass movement
be minimised?
People can minimise mass movement in the following ways:
+ plant natural vegetation on slopes
* safety nets to stop rockfalls
* build drainage and run-off channelling
structures to remove access water
* build retaining walls
* fasten unstable rocks with rock bolts.
