Mass wasting
Mass wasting, also known as mass movement, is the process by which rock and regolith move downslope mainly due to the pull of gravity.
This process is greatly accelerated on Earth in the presence of water, both as liquid and from the action of water as it freeze fractures rock. Mass wasting may also occur underwater in the form of underwater landslides, debris flows, slumps, and so forth.
When the gravitational force acting on a slope exceeds its resisting force, slope failure (mass wasting) occurs. The slope material's strength and cohesion and the amount of internal friction between grains help maintain the slope's stability and are known collectively as the slopes shear strength.
The steepest angle that a slope can maintain without losing its stability is known as its angle of repose. When a slope possesses this angle, its shear strength perfectly counterbalances the force of gravity acting upon it.
Mass wasting may occur at a very slow rate, particularly in areas that are very dry or those areas that receive sufficient rainfall such that vegetation has stabilised the surface. It may also occur at a very high rate of speed, such as in rock slides or landslides, with disastrous consequences.
Factors that contribute to mass wasting include: change in slope angle, weakening of material by weathering, increased water content, changes in vegetation cover and overloading.
Types of Mass Wasting
- Falls
- Slides
- Flows
References
- . ISBN 0-495-01020-0.
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