{"id":628,"date":"2017-11-20T14:54:16","date_gmt":"2017-11-20T19:54:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/"},"modified":"2023-06-07T14:05:29","modified_gmt":"2023-06-07T18:05:29","slug":"classification-of-mass-wasting","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/chapter\/classification-of-mass-wasting\/","title":{"raw":"15.2 Classification of Mass Wasting","rendered":"15.2 Classification of Mass Wasting"},"content":{"raw":"There are three criteria used to classify slope failures:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>The type of material that failed (e.g., bedrock or unconsolidated sediment)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The mechanism of the failure (how the material moved as it failed<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The rate of movement (how quickly the material moved)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nThe mechanism of the failure is the most important characteristic of a slope failure. The main mechanisms of are:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>In a <strong>fall<\/strong>, material drops through the air, either vertically or nearly vertically.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>In a <strong>slide<\/strong>, material moves as a coherent mass along a sloping surface, with little to no internal motion within the mass.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>In a <strong>flow<\/strong>, failing material has internal motion (like a fluid) as it moves.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">While we don't classify slope failures by the shape of the rupture surface (the <strong>rupture surface<\/strong> is the boundary between the slope and the sliding material), it's still an important feature used to describe mass wasting processes. Slope failures with curved rupture surfaces are called <b>rotational slope failures<\/b>, and slope failures with planar rupture surfaces are called <b>translational slope failures.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\r\nUnfortunately, classifying slope failure is not as simple as the classification scheme above suggests<strong>.<\/strong> Many slope failures involve more than one type of motion, and it may not be possible to know how the material moved. The types of slope failure that are covered in this chapter are summarized in Table 15.1.\r\n<table class=\"grid aligncenter\" style=\"width: 100%;\"><caption>Table 15.1 Classification of slope failures based on type of material and motion.\u00a0<\/caption>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th class=\"shaded\" scope=\"col\">Failure Type<\/th>\r\n<th class=\"shaded\" scope=\"col\">Type of Material<\/th>\r\n<th class=\"shaded\" scope=\"col\">Type of Motion<\/th>\r\n<th class=\"shaded\" scope=\"col\">Rate of Motion<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th scope=\"row\">Rock fall<\/th>\r\n<td>Rock fragments<\/td>\r\n<td>Vertical or near-vertical fall (plus bouncing in many cases)<\/td>\r\n<td>Very fast (&gt;10s m\/s)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th scope=\"row\">Rock slide<\/th>\r\n<td>A large rock body<\/td>\r\n<td>Motion as a unit along a planar surface (translational sliding)<\/td>\r\n<td>Typically very slow (mm\/y to cm\/y), but some can be faster<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th scope=\"row\">Rock avalanche<\/th>\r\n<td>A large rock body that slides and then breaks into small fragments<\/td>\r\n<td>Flow (at high speeds, the mass of rock fragments is suspended on a cushion of air)<\/td>\r\n<td>Very fast (&gt;10s m\/s)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th scope=\"row\">Creep or solifluction<\/th>\r\n<td>Soil or other overburden; in some cases, mixed with ice<\/td>\r\n<td>Flow (although sliding motion may also occur)<\/td>\r\n<td>Very slow (mm\/y to cm\/y)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th scope=\"row\">Slump<\/th>\r\n<td>Thick deposits (m to 10s of m) of unconsolidated sediment<\/td>\r\n<td>Motion as a unit along a curved surface (rotational sliding)<\/td>\r\n<td>Slow (cm\/y to m\/y)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th scope=\"row\">Mudflow<\/th>\r\n<td>Loose sediment with a significant component of silt and clay<\/td>\r\n<td>Flow (a mixture of sediment and water moves down a channel)<\/td>\r\n<td>Moderate to fast (cm\/s to m\/s)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th scope=\"row\">Debris flow<\/th>\r\n<td>Sand, gravel, and larger fragments<\/td>\r\n<td>Flow (similar to a mudflow, but typically faster)<\/td>\r\n<td>Fast (m\/s)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<h1>Rock Fall<\/h1>\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">Rock fragments can break off relatively easily from steep bedrock slopes, most commonly due to frost wedging. If you ever hike along a steep mountain trail on a cool morning, you'll probably hear the occasional fall of rock fragments onto a <span class=\"bold\">talus slope. <\/span>Water in the cracks in the rock freezes and expands overnight, and this can break the rock apart. When the ice thaws in the morning sun, some of these broken fragments will fall to the slope below (Figure 15.8). <b><\/b><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_617\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"wp-image-617\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/contribution-of-freeze-thaw-to-rock-fall.png\" alt=\"Figure 15.7 The contribution of freeze-thaw to rock fall [SE]\" width=\"500\" height=\"264\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.8<\/strong> The contribution of freeze-thaw to a rock fall. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>[\/caption]\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"bold\"><strong>Talus slopes<\/strong> (also known as <strong>scree slopes<\/strong>) form from this fallen rock as it accumulates at the angle of repose below high rock walls. <\/span>A typical talus slope near Keremeos in southern BC is shown in Figure 15.9 (left). In December 2014, a large block of rock split away from a cliff in this same area. It broke into smaller pieces that tumbled down the slope and crashed into the road, smashing the concrete barriers and gouging out large parts of the pavement (Figure 15.9, right). Luckily no one was hurt.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_618\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"650\"]<img class=\"wp-image-618\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/talus-slope-and-The-results-of-a-rock-fall-1024x384-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"244\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.9<\/strong> Left: A talus slope near Keremeos, B.C., formed by rock falls from the cliffs above. Right: The results of a rock fall onto a highway west of Keremeos in December 2014. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>[\/caption]\r\n<h1>Rock Slide<\/h1>\r\nA rock slide is a large body of rock that slips along a sloping surface. In most cases, the movement is parallel to a fracture, bedding plane, or metamorphic foliation plane; thus, most rock slides are translational slope failures.\r\n\r\nThe speed of the movement can range from very slow to moderately fast. The word <strong>sackung<\/strong> describes the very slow motion of a block of rock (mm\/y to cm\/y) on a slope. A good example is the Downie Slide, a translational slide north of Revelstoke, BC (Figure 15.10). Foliation is present in the rock, and approximately parallel to the slope. It's acting as a plane of weakness, permitting a massive body of rock to inch its way down.\r\n\r\nThe Downie Slide was recognized prior to the construction of the Revelstoke Dam, and was moving very slowly (a few cm\/year) at the time of dam construction. Geological engineers were concerned that the presence of water in the reservoir (visible in Figure 15.10) could further weaken the plane of failure and accelerate the slide. The result would have been a catastrophic failure into the reservoir that would have sent a wall of water over the dam and into the community of Revelstoke.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_619\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"650\"]<img class=\"wp-image-619\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/DownieSlideGoogleEarth-1024x635.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"403\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.10<\/strong> The Downie Slide, a sackung, on the shore of the Revelstoke Reservoir (above the Revelstoke Dam). The head scarp is visible at the top and a side-scarp along the left side. Source: Joyce McBeth (2018) CC BY 4.0, image \u00a9 2018 Google Earth, Data Google CNES \/ Airbus Data LDEO-Columbia, NSF, NOAA Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO DigitalGlobe Landsat \/ Copernicus Province of BC.[\/caption]\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">During the construction of the dam, the engineers tunneled into the rock at the base of the slide and drilled hundreds of drainage holes upward into the plane of failure. This allowed water to drain out more efficiently, reducing the hydrostatic pressure, and decreasing the rate of the slide. BC Hydro monitors this site continuously. The slide block is currently moving more slowly than it was prior to the construction of the dam. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">In the summer of 2008, a large block of rock slid rapidly from a steep slope above Highway 99 near Porteau Cove, BC (between Horseshoe Bay and Squamish). The block crashed into the highway and adjacent railway and broke into many pieces, and the highway was closed for several days. Engineers and geoscientists took steps to stabilize the slope to decrease the risk of future rock falls. Rock bolts (long metal rods) were installed to anchor the blocks of rocks and prevent them falling Drainage holes were installed to drain water from the slope and decrease the water pressure. The rock along the slope is fractured parallel to the slope (Figure 15.11), and this almost certainly contributed to the failure, but it isn't known what actually triggered the event. The weather was dry and warm during the preceding weeks, and there was no significant earthquake in the region.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_620\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"419\"]<img class=\"wp-image-620 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/RockBoltSeatoSky.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"419\" height=\"303\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.11<\/strong> Site of the 2008 rock slide at Porteau Cove. Notice the prominent fracture set parallel to the surface of the slope. The slope has been stabilized with rock bolts (top arrow) and holes have been drilled into the rock to improve drainage (tube from drainage hole indicated with bottom arrow). Risk to passing vehicles from rock fall has been reduced by hanging mesh curtains (background), which secures loose material to the slope. Source: Joyce McBeth (2018) CC BY 4.0 after Steven Earle (2015) CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>[\/caption]\r\n<h1>Rock Avalanche<\/h1>\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">If a rock slides and then starts moving quickly (at a rate of m\/s), the rock is likely to break into many pieces. It will become a <strong>rock avalanche<\/strong>, in which the fragments of rock travel like a fluid, and are supported by a cushion of air within and beneath the moving mass. The 1965 Hope Slide was a rock avalanche, as was the famous 1903 Frank Slide in southwestern Alberta. The 2010 slide at Mt. Meager (west of Lillooet) was also a rock avalanche and rivals the Hope Slide as the largest slope failure in Canada during historical times (Figure 15.12).<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_621\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"550\"]<img class=\"wp-image-621\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/2010-Mt.-Meager-rock-avalanche-.png\" alt=\"Figure 15.11 The 2010 Mt. Meager rock avalanche, showing where the slide originated (arrow, 4 km upstream). It then raced down a steep narrow valley, and out into the wider valley in the foreground. [Mika McKinnon photo, http:\/\/www.geomika.com\/blog\/2011\/01\/05\/the-trouble-with-landslides\/ Used with permission.]\" width=\"550\" height=\"508\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.12<\/strong> The 2010 Mt. Meager landslide, showing where the slide originated (arrow, 4 km upstream). It then raced down a steep narrow valley and out into the wider valley in the foreground. \u00a0Source: Mika McKinnon (2011), CC BY-SA-NC.[\/caption]\r\n<h1>Creep and Solifluction<\/h1>\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">The very slow\u2014mm\/y to cm\/y\u2014movement of soil or other unconsolidated material down slope is known as <b>creep<\/b>. Creep normally only affects the upper several centimetres of loose material, but in some cases sliding can also occur.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">Creep can be facilitated by freezing and thawing because particles are lifted perpendicular to the surface by the growth of ice crystals within the soil, and then move downwards vertically due to gravity when the ice melts (Figure 15.13). The same effect can be produced by frequent wetting and drying of the soil. In cold environments,<b> solifluction<\/b> is a more intense form of freeze-thaw-triggered creep.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_622\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"550\"]<img class=\"wp-image-622\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/depiction-of-the-contribution-of-freeze-thaw.png\" alt=\"Figure 15.12 A depiction of the contribution of freeze-thaw to creep. The blue arrows represent uplift caused by freezing in the wet soil underneath, while the red arrows represent depression by gravity during thawing. The uplift is perpendicular to the slope, while the drop is vertical. [SE]\" width=\"550\" height=\"345\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.13<\/strong> The contribution of freeze-thaw to creep. The blue arrows represent uplift caused by freezing in the wet soil underneath, while the red arrows represent depression by gravity during thawing. The uplift is perpendicular to the slope, while the drop is vertical. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>[\/caption]\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\">C<span lang=\"EN-US\">reep is most noticeable on moderate to steep slopes where trees or fence posts are consistently leaning in a downhill direction. Trees will try to correct their lean by growing upright, leading to a curved lower trunk known as a \u201cpistol butt.\u201d Creep can also generate <strong>terracettes<\/strong>, horizontal and repeating ridges on slopes (Figure 15.14). Historically, people thought terracettes formed where livestock or wild animals regularly travelled along slopes. While animals can accentuate terracettes, the primary reason terracettes form is creep.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_697\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"550\"]<img class=\"wp-image-697\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/Creep-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"367\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.14<\/strong> Evidence of creep-generated terracettes on the Peace River hills in northeastern B.C. Source: Joyce McBeth (2018), CC BY 4.0.[\/caption]\r\n<h1>Slump<\/h1>\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">A slide is a mass movement where the material moves as a coherent mass. A <b>slump<\/b> is a type of slide that takes place within thick unconsolidated deposits. Slumps involve movement along one or more curved failure surfaces, and are thus rotational slope failures. Slumps have downward motion near the top and outward motion toward the bottom (Figure 15.15). They are typically caused by high water pressure within these materials on a steep slope.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_624\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"550\"]<img class=\"wp-image-624\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/motion-of-unconsolidated-sediments-in-an-area-of-slumping-1024x456-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"245\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.15<\/strong> The motion of unconsolidated sediments in an area of slumping. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>.[\/caption]\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">This slump in the Lethbridge area of Alberta (Figure 15.16) has likely been active for many decades, and moves a little more whenever there are heavy spring rains and snowmelt runoff. The toe of the slump is being eroded by the small stream at the bottom. The basal material (material at the toe of the slope) forms the support for the overlying mass of material in the slope, so erosion of that material contributes to slumping. This means the slumping will likely continue.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_625\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"550\"]<img class=\"wp-image-625\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/slump-along-the-banks-of-a-small-coulee-near-Lethbridge.jpg\" alt=\"Figure 15.15 A slump along the banks of a small coulee near Lethbridge, Alberta. The main head-scarp is clearly visible at the top, and a second smaller one is visible about one-quarter of the way down. The toe of the slump is being eroded by the seasonal stream that created the coulee. [SE 2005]\" width=\"550\" height=\"371\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.16 <\/strong>A slump along the banks of a small coulee near Lethbridge, Alberta. The main head-scarp is clearly visible at the top, and a second smaller one is visible about a quarter of the way down the slope. The toe of the slump is being eroded by the seasonal stream that created the coulee. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>.[\/caption]\r\n<h1>Mudflows and Debris Flows<\/h1>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_626\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"258\"]<img class=\"wp-image-626 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/A-slump-and-an-associated-mudflow.png\" alt=\"Figure 15.16 A slump (left) and an associated mudflow (centre) at the same location as Figure 15.15, near Lethbridge, Alberta. [SE 2005]\" width=\"258\" height=\"295\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.17 <\/strong>A slump (left) and an associated mudflow (centre) at the same location as Figure 15.16, near Lethbridge, Alberta. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>. <em><br \/><\/em>[\/caption]\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">When a mass of sediment becomes completely saturated with water, the mass loses strength, to the extent that the grains may be pushed apart and flow, even on a gentle slope. This can happen during rapid spring snowmelt or heavy rains and is also relatively common during volcanic eruptions because of rapid melting of snow and ice. If the material involved is primarily sand-sized or smaller, it's a <strong>mudflow<\/strong> (e.g., Figure 15.17).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">If the material involved is gravel sized or larger, it is known as a <strong>debris flow<\/strong>. It takes more gravitational force to overcome friction and move larger particles, so debris flows typically form in areas with steeper slopes and higher water pressure. In many cases, a debris flow takes place within a steep stream channel and is triggered by the collapse of bank material into the stream. This may create a temporary dam followed by a major flow of water and debris when the dam finally bursts. This is the situation that led to the fatal debris flow at Johnsons Landing, BC, in 2012. <\/span><span lang=\"EN-US\">A mudflow or debris flow on a volcano or during a volcanic eruption is called a <span class=\"italic\">lahar<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">A typical west-coast debris flow is shown in Figure 15.18. This event took place in November 2006 in response to very heavy rainfall. There was enough energy in the flow to move large boulders and to knock over large trees.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_627\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"550\"]<img class=\"wp-image-627\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/lower-part-of-debris-flow-within-a-steep-stream.png\" alt=\"Figure 15.17 The lower part of debris flow within a steep stream channel near Buttle Lake, B.C., in November 2006. [SE]\" width=\"550\" height=\"323\" \/> <strong>Figure 15.18<\/strong> The lower part of debris flow within a steep stream channel near Buttle Lake, B.C., in November 2006. Note the trees along the edges of the stream that have been damaged by the rocks in the debris flow. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>.[\/caption]\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<strong><a id=\"271\"><\/a>Practice with Types of Mass Wasting<\/strong>\r\n<div class=\"offline\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1724\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1280\"]<img class=\"wp-image-1724 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Basalt-in-Iceland.jpg\" alt=\"A cliff of basaltic columns with broken columns at the base.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" \/> Columns of basalt have tumbled from an exposed lava flow in Iceland.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThis is a\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: this type of mass wasting involves a rapid vertical descent) with a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: the term for accumulated debris from mass wasting of a steep slope or rock face) of basalt columns at the bottom.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1727\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"604\"]<img class=\"wp-image-1727 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Thin-soil-in-steep-slope-in-Iceland.jpg\" alt=\" A steep slope has a wrinkled texture. A tiny abandoned farmhouse sits at the base.\" width=\"604\" height=\"686\" \/> The thin soil on this steep slope in Iceland has a wrinkled texture.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThis is an example of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1728\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1224\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1728\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Grassy-hillside-slipping.jpg\" alt=\"A small section of a hillside is fenced off along a road. A scarp is visible at the top of the hillside, and the hill bulges out toward the bottom.\" width=\"1224\" height=\"852\" \/> This grassy hillside is slipping along a curved failure surface.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThis type of mass wasting is a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>. A distinctive <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: A vertical face of exposed sediment, two words) is visible at the top, and the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: the advancing part of the sliding mass) bulges out toward the bottom.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1730\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1280\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1730\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Cleanup-after-storm.jpeg\" alt=\"A deep valley is strewn with a thick layer coarse and fine-grained debris.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" \/> Cleanup after a devastating storm.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThis material is here because of a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: mass wasting involving water-bourne particles in a range of sizes, two words).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1733\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1280\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1733\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Slap-of-rock-inching-down.jpeg\" alt=\"A slab of rock detaches from a grassy mountainside.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" \/> A massive slab of rock is slowly inching its way down this mountain.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThis is a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: also called a sackung). A similar slope failure is present along the Revelstoke Reservoir.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1735\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"2411\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1735\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside.jpg\" alt=\"The foreground is filled with rubble. In the background a mountain is visible.\" width=\"2411\" height=\"1700\" \/> A mountainside gave way, and crumbled into pieces.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThis <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: you might also have seen snow involved in this type of slope failure) slid far from its origin, behaving like a turbulent fluid. This event originated with failure along bedding planes oriented <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: parallel or perpendicular) to the slope.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1740\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"856\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1740\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Mud-after-heavy-rains.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial view of a community engulfed in mud.\" width=\"856\" height=\"576\" \/> Southern California community inundated with mud after heavy rains.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThis <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> happened when fine-grained sediments were washed down from hillsides recently deforested by wildfires.\r\n\r\nTo check your answers, navigate to the below link to view the interactive version of this activity.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n[h5p id=\"167\"]\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<p>There are three criteria used to classify slope failures:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The type of material that failed (e.g., bedrock or unconsolidated sediment)<\/li>\n<li>The mechanism of the failure (how the material moved as it failed<\/li>\n<li>The rate of movement (how quickly the material moved)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The mechanism of the failure is the most important characteristic of a slope failure. The main mechanisms of are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In a <strong>fall<\/strong>, material drops through the air, either vertically or nearly vertically.<\/li>\n<li>In a <strong>slide<\/strong>, material moves as a coherent mass along a sloping surface, with little to no internal motion within the mass.<\/li>\n<li>In a <strong>flow<\/strong>, failing material has internal motion (like a fluid) as it moves.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">While we don&#8217;t classify slope failures by the shape of the rupture surface (the <strong>rupture surface<\/strong> is the boundary between the slope and the sliding material), it&#8217;s still an important feature used to describe mass wasting processes. Slope failures with curved rupture surfaces are called <b>rotational slope failures<\/b>, and slope failures with planar rupture surfaces are called <b>translational slope failures.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, classifying slope failure is not as simple as the classification scheme above suggests<strong>.<\/strong> Many slope failures involve more than one type of motion, and it may not be possible to know how the material moved. The types of slope failure that are covered in this chapter are summarized in Table 15.1.<\/p>\n<table class=\"grid aligncenter\" style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<caption>Table 15.1 Classification of slope failures based on type of material and motion.\u00a0<\/caption>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th class=\"shaded\" scope=\"col\">Failure Type<\/th>\n<th class=\"shaded\" scope=\"col\">Type of Material<\/th>\n<th class=\"shaded\" scope=\"col\">Type of Motion<\/th>\n<th class=\"shaded\" scope=\"col\">Rate of Motion<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">Rock fall<\/th>\n<td>Rock fragments<\/td>\n<td>Vertical or near-vertical fall (plus bouncing in many cases)<\/td>\n<td>Very fast (&gt;10s m\/s)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">Rock slide<\/th>\n<td>A large rock body<\/td>\n<td>Motion as a unit along a planar surface (translational sliding)<\/td>\n<td>Typically very slow (mm\/y to cm\/y), but some can be faster<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">Rock avalanche<\/th>\n<td>A large rock body that slides and then breaks into small fragments<\/td>\n<td>Flow (at high speeds, the mass of rock fragments is suspended on a cushion of air)<\/td>\n<td>Very fast (&gt;10s m\/s)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">Creep or solifluction<\/th>\n<td>Soil or other overburden; in some cases, mixed with ice<\/td>\n<td>Flow (although sliding motion may also occur)<\/td>\n<td>Very slow (mm\/y to cm\/y)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">Slump<\/th>\n<td>Thick deposits (m to 10s of m) of unconsolidated sediment<\/td>\n<td>Motion as a unit along a curved surface (rotational sliding)<\/td>\n<td>Slow (cm\/y to m\/y)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">Mudflow<\/th>\n<td>Loose sediment with a significant component of silt and clay<\/td>\n<td>Flow (a mixture of sediment and water moves down a channel)<\/td>\n<td>Moderate to fast (cm\/s to m\/s)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"row\">Debris flow<\/th>\n<td>Sand, gravel, and larger fragments<\/td>\n<td>Flow (similar to a mudflow, but typically faster)<\/td>\n<td>Fast (m\/s)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h1>Rock Fall<\/h1>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">Rock fragments can break off relatively easily from steep bedrock slopes, most commonly due to frost wedging. If you ever hike along a steep mountain trail on a cool morning, you&#8217;ll probably hear the occasional fall of rock fragments onto a <span class=\"bold\">talus slope. <\/span>Water in the cracks in the rock freezes and expands overnight, and this can break the rock apart. When the ice thaws in the morning sun, some of these broken fragments will fall to the slope below (Figure 15.8). <b><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_617\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-617\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-617\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/contribution-of-freeze-thaw-to-rock-fall.png\" alt=\"Figure 15.7 The contribution of freeze-thaw to rock fall [SE]\" width=\"500\" height=\"264\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/contribution-of-freeze-thaw-to-rock-fall.png 710w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/contribution-of-freeze-thaw-to-rock-fall-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/contribution-of-freeze-thaw-to-rock-fall-65x34.png 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/contribution-of-freeze-thaw-to-rock-fall-225x119.png 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/contribution-of-freeze-thaw-to-rock-fall-350x185.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-617\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.8<\/strong> The contribution of freeze-thaw to a rock fall. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\"><span class=\"bold\"><strong>Talus slopes<\/strong> (also known as <strong>scree slopes<\/strong>) form from this fallen rock as it accumulates at the angle of repose below high rock walls. <\/span>A typical talus slope near Keremeos in southern BC is shown in Figure 15.9 (left). In December 2014, a large block of rock split away from a cliff in this same area. It broke into smaller pieces that tumbled down the slope and crashed into the road, smashing the concrete barriers and gouging out large parts of the pavement (Figure 15.9, right). Luckily no one was hurt.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_618\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-618\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-618\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/talus-slope-and-The-results-of-a-rock-fall-1024x384-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/talus-slope-and-The-results-of-a-rock-fall-1024x384-1.png 1024w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/talus-slope-and-The-results-of-a-rock-fall-1024x384-1-300x113.png 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/talus-slope-and-The-results-of-a-rock-fall-1024x384-1-768x288.png 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/talus-slope-and-The-results-of-a-rock-fall-1024x384-1-65x24.png 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/talus-slope-and-The-results-of-a-rock-fall-1024x384-1-225x84.png 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/talus-slope-and-The-results-of-a-rock-fall-1024x384-1-350x131.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-618\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.9<\/strong> Left: A talus slope near Keremeos, B.C., formed by rock falls from the cliffs above. Right: The results of a rock fall onto a highway west of Keremeos in December 2014. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Rock Slide<\/h1>\n<p>A rock slide is a large body of rock that slips along a sloping surface. In most cases, the movement is parallel to a fracture, bedding plane, or metamorphic foliation plane; thus, most rock slides are translational slope failures.<\/p>\n<p>The speed of the movement can range from very slow to moderately fast. The word <strong>sackung<\/strong> describes the very slow motion of a block of rock (mm\/y to cm\/y) on a slope. A good example is the Downie Slide, a translational slide north of Revelstoke, BC (Figure 15.10). Foliation is present in the rock, and approximately parallel to the slope. It&#8217;s acting as a plane of weakness, permitting a massive body of rock to inch its way down.<\/p>\n<p>The Downie Slide was recognized prior to the construction of the Revelstoke Dam, and was moving very slowly (a few cm\/year) at the time of dam construction. Geological engineers were concerned that the presence of water in the reservoir (visible in Figure 15.10) could further weaken the plane of failure and accelerate the slide. The result would have been a catastrophic failure into the reservoir that would have sent a wall of water over the dam and into the community of Revelstoke.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_619\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-619\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-619\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/DownieSlideGoogleEarth-1024x635.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/DownieSlideGoogleEarth-1024x635.png 1024w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/DownieSlideGoogleEarth-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/DownieSlideGoogleEarth-768x476.png 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/DownieSlideGoogleEarth-65x40.png 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/DownieSlideGoogleEarth-225x140.png 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/DownieSlideGoogleEarth-350x217.png 350w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/DownieSlideGoogleEarth.png 1053w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-619\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.10<\/strong> The Downie Slide, a sackung, on the shore of the Revelstoke Reservoir (above the Revelstoke Dam). The head scarp is visible at the top and a side-scarp along the left side. Source: Joyce McBeth (2018) CC BY 4.0, image \u00a9 2018 Google Earth, Data Google CNES \/ Airbus Data LDEO-Columbia, NSF, NOAA Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO DigitalGlobe Landsat \/ Copernicus Province of BC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">During the construction of the dam, the engineers tunneled into the rock at the base of the slide and drilled hundreds of drainage holes upward into the plane of failure. This allowed water to drain out more efficiently, reducing the hydrostatic pressure, and decreasing the rate of the slide. BC Hydro monitors this site continuously. The slide block is currently moving more slowly than it was prior to the construction of the dam. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">In the summer of 2008, a large block of rock slid rapidly from a steep slope above Highway 99 near Porteau Cove, BC (between Horseshoe Bay and Squamish). The block crashed into the highway and adjacent railway and broke into many pieces, and the highway was closed for several days. Engineers and geoscientists took steps to stabilize the slope to decrease the risk of future rock falls. Rock bolts (long metal rods) were installed to anchor the blocks of rocks and prevent them falling Drainage holes were installed to drain water from the slope and decrease the water pressure. The rock along the slope is fractured parallel to the slope (Figure 15.11), and this almost certainly contributed to the failure, but it isn&#8217;t known what actually triggered the event. The weather was dry and warm during the preceding weeks, and there was no significant earthquake in the region.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_620\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-620\" style=\"width: 419px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-620 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/RockBoltSeatoSky.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"419\" height=\"303\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/RockBoltSeatoSky.png 419w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/RockBoltSeatoSky-300x217.png 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/RockBoltSeatoSky-65x47.png 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/RockBoltSeatoSky-225x163.png 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/RockBoltSeatoSky-350x253.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-620\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.11<\/strong> Site of the 2008 rock slide at Porteau Cove. Notice the prominent fracture set parallel to the surface of the slope. The slope has been stabilized with rock bolts (top arrow) and holes have been drilled into the rock to improve drainage (tube from drainage hole indicated with bottom arrow). Risk to passing vehicles from rock fall has been reduced by hanging mesh curtains (background), which secures loose material to the slope. Source: Joyce McBeth (2018) CC BY 4.0 after Steven Earle (2015) CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Rock Avalanche<\/h1>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">If a rock slides and then starts moving quickly (at a rate of m\/s), the rock is likely to break into many pieces. It will become a <strong>rock avalanche<\/strong>, in which the fragments of rock travel like a fluid, and are supported by a cushion of air within and beneath the moving mass. The 1965 Hope Slide was a rock avalanche, as was the famous 1903 Frank Slide in southwestern Alberta. The 2010 slide at Mt. Meager (west of Lillooet) was also a rock avalanche and rivals the Hope Slide as the largest slope failure in Canada during historical times (Figure 15.12).<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_621\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-621\" style=\"width: 550px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-621\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/2010-Mt.-Meager-rock-avalanche-.png\" alt=\"Figure 15.11 The 2010 Mt. Meager rock avalanche, showing where the slide originated (arrow, 4 km upstream). It then raced down a steep narrow valley, and out into the wider valley in the foreground. [Mika McKinnon photo, http:\/\/www.geomika.com\/blog\/2011\/01\/05\/the-trouble-with-landslides\/ Used with permission.]\" width=\"550\" height=\"508\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/2010-Mt.-Meager-rock-avalanche-.png 952w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/2010-Mt.-Meager-rock-avalanche--300x277.png 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/2010-Mt.-Meager-rock-avalanche--768x710.png 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/2010-Mt.-Meager-rock-avalanche--65x60.png 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/2010-Mt.-Meager-rock-avalanche--225x208.png 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/2010-Mt.-Meager-rock-avalanche--350x324.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-621\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.12<\/strong> The 2010 Mt. Meager landslide, showing where the slide originated (arrow, 4 km upstream). It then raced down a steep narrow valley and out into the wider valley in the foreground. \u00a0Source: Mika McKinnon (2011), CC BY-SA-NC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Creep and Solifluction<\/h1>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">The very slow\u2014mm\/y to cm\/y\u2014movement of soil or other unconsolidated material down slope is known as <b>creep<\/b>. Creep normally only affects the upper several centimetres of loose material, but in some cases sliding can also occur.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">Creep can be facilitated by freezing and thawing because particles are lifted perpendicular to the surface by the growth of ice crystals within the soil, and then move downwards vertically due to gravity when the ice melts (Figure 15.13). The same effect can be produced by frequent wetting and drying of the soil. In cold environments,<b> solifluction<\/b> is a more intense form of freeze-thaw-triggered creep.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_622\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-622\" style=\"width: 550px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-622\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/depiction-of-the-contribution-of-freeze-thaw.png\" alt=\"Figure 15.12 A depiction of the contribution of freeze-thaw to creep. The blue arrows represent uplift caused by freezing in the wet soil underneath, while the red arrows represent depression by gravity during thawing. The uplift is perpendicular to the slope, while the drop is vertical. [SE]\" width=\"550\" height=\"345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/depiction-of-the-contribution-of-freeze-thaw.png 693w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/depiction-of-the-contribution-of-freeze-thaw-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/depiction-of-the-contribution-of-freeze-thaw-65x41.png 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/depiction-of-the-contribution-of-freeze-thaw-225x141.png 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/depiction-of-the-contribution-of-freeze-thaw-350x220.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-622\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.13<\/strong> The contribution of freeze-thaw to creep. The blue arrows represent uplift caused by freezing in the wet soil underneath, while the red arrows represent depression by gravity during thawing. The uplift is perpendicular to the slope, while the drop is vertical. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\">C<span lang=\"EN-US\">reep is most noticeable on moderate to steep slopes where trees or fence posts are consistently leaning in a downhill direction. Trees will try to correct their lean by growing upright, leading to a curved lower trunk known as a \u201cpistol butt.\u201d Creep can also generate <strong>terracettes<\/strong>, horizontal and repeating ridges on slopes (Figure 15.14). Historically, people thought terracettes formed where livestock or wild animals regularly travelled along slopes. While animals can accentuate terracettes, the primary reason terracettes form is creep.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_697\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-697\" style=\"width: 550px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-697\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/Creep-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"367\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-697\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.14<\/strong> Evidence of creep-generated terracettes on the Peace River hills in northeastern B.C. Source: Joyce McBeth (2018), CC BY 4.0.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Slump<\/h1>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">A slide is a mass movement where the material moves as a coherent mass. A <b>slump<\/b> is a type of slide that takes place within thick unconsolidated deposits. Slumps involve movement along one or more curved failure surfaces, and are thus rotational slope failures. Slumps have downward motion near the top and outward motion toward the bottom (Figure 15.15). They are typically caused by high water pressure within these materials on a steep slope.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_624\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-624\" style=\"width: 550px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-624\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/motion-of-unconsolidated-sediments-in-an-area-of-slumping-1024x456-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"550\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/motion-of-unconsolidated-sediments-in-an-area-of-slumping-1024x456-1.png 1024w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/motion-of-unconsolidated-sediments-in-an-area-of-slumping-1024x456-1-300x134.png 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/motion-of-unconsolidated-sediments-in-an-area-of-slumping-1024x456-1-768x342.png 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/motion-of-unconsolidated-sediments-in-an-area-of-slumping-1024x456-1-65x29.png 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/motion-of-unconsolidated-sediments-in-an-area-of-slumping-1024x456-1-225x100.png 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/motion-of-unconsolidated-sediments-in-an-area-of-slumping-1024x456-1-350x156.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-624\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.15<\/strong> The motion of unconsolidated sediments in an area of slumping. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">This slump in the Lethbridge area of Alberta (Figure 15.16) has likely been active for many decades, and moves a little more whenever there are heavy spring rains and snowmelt runoff. The toe of the slump is being eroded by the small stream at the bottom. The basal material (material at the toe of the slope) forms the support for the overlying mass of material in the slope, so erosion of that material contributes to slumping. This means the slumping will likely continue.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_625\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-625\" style=\"width: 550px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-625\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/slump-along-the-banks-of-a-small-coulee-near-Lethbridge.jpg\" alt=\"Figure 15.15 A slump along the banks of a small coulee near Lethbridge, Alberta. The main head-scarp is clearly visible at the top, and a second smaller one is visible about one-quarter of the way down. The toe of the slump is being eroded by the seasonal stream that created the coulee. [SE 2005]\" width=\"550\" height=\"371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/slump-along-the-banks-of-a-small-coulee-near-Lethbridge.jpg 840w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/slump-along-the-banks-of-a-small-coulee-near-Lethbridge-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/slump-along-the-banks-of-a-small-coulee-near-Lethbridge-768x517.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/slump-along-the-banks-of-a-small-coulee-near-Lethbridge-65x44.jpg 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/slump-along-the-banks-of-a-small-coulee-near-Lethbridge-225x152.jpg 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/slump-along-the-banks-of-a-small-coulee-near-Lethbridge-350x236.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-625\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.16 <\/strong>A slump along the banks of a small coulee near Lethbridge, Alberta. The main head-scarp is clearly visible at the top, and a second smaller one is visible about a quarter of the way down the slope. The toe of the slump is being eroded by the seasonal stream that created the coulee. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Mudflows and Debris Flows<\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_626\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-626\" style=\"width: 258px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-626 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/A-slump-and-an-associated-mudflow.png\" alt=\"Figure 15.16 A slump (left) and an associated mudflow (centre) at the same location as Figure 15.15, near Lethbridge, Alberta. [SE 2005]\" width=\"258\" height=\"295\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/A-slump-and-an-associated-mudflow.png 258w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/A-slump-and-an-associated-mudflow-65x74.png 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/A-slump-and-an-associated-mudflow-225x257.png 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 258px) 100vw, 258px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-626\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.17 <\/strong>A slump (left) and an associated mudflow (centre) at the same location as Figure 15.16, near Lethbridge, Alberta. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>. <em><br \/><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">When a mass of sediment becomes completely saturated with water, the mass loses strength, to the extent that the grains may be pushed apart and flow, even on a gentle slope. This can happen during rapid spring snowmelt or heavy rains and is also relatively common during volcanic eruptions because of rapid melting of snow and ice. If the material involved is primarily sand-sized or smaller, it&#8217;s a <strong>mudflow<\/strong> (e.g., Figure 15.17).<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">If the material involved is gravel sized or larger, it is known as a <strong>debris flow<\/strong>. It takes more gravitational force to overcome friction and move larger particles, so debris flows typically form in areas with steeper slopes and higher water pressure. In many cases, a debris flow takes place within a steep stream channel and is triggered by the collapse of bank material into the stream. This may create a temporary dam followed by a major flow of water and debris when the dam finally bursts. This is the situation that led to the fatal debris flow at Johnsons Landing, BC, in 2012. <\/span><span lang=\"EN-US\">A mudflow or debris flow on a volcano or during a volcanic eruption is called a <span class=\"italic\">lahar<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"NormalOT\"><span lang=\"EN-US\">A typical west-coast debris flow is shown in Figure 15.18. This event took place in November 2006 in response to very heavy rainfall. There was enough energy in the flow to move large boulders and to knock over large trees.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_627\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-627\" style=\"width: 550px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-627\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/kzlab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/lower-part-of-debris-flow-within-a-steep-stream.png\" alt=\"Figure 15.17 The lower part of debris flow within a steep stream channel near Buttle Lake, B.C., in November 2006. [SE]\" width=\"550\" height=\"323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/lower-part-of-debris-flow-within-a-steep-stream.png 432w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/lower-part-of-debris-flow-within-a-steep-stream-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/lower-part-of-debris-flow-within-a-steep-stream-65x38.png 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/lower-part-of-debris-flow-within-a-steep-stream-225x132.png 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2021\/08\/lower-part-of-debris-flow-within-a-steep-stream-350x206.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-627\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 15.18<\/strong> The lower part of debris flow within a steep stream channel near Buttle Lake, B.C., in November 2006. Note the trees along the edges of the stream that have been damaged by the rocks in the debris flow. Source: Steven Earle (2015), CC BY 4.0. <a href=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/geology\/chapter\/15-2-classification-of-mass-wasting\/\">Image source<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p><strong><a id=\"271\"><\/a>Practice with Types of Mass Wasting<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"offline\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_1724\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1724\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1724 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Basalt-in-Iceland.jpg\" alt=\"A cliff of basaltic columns with broken columns at the base.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Basalt-in-Iceland.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Basalt-in-Iceland-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Basalt-in-Iceland-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Basalt-in-Iceland-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Basalt-in-Iceland-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Basalt-in-Iceland-225x169.jpg 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Basalt-in-Iceland-350x263.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1724\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Columns of basalt have tumbled from an exposed lava flow in Iceland.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This is a\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: this type of mass wasting involves a rapid vertical descent) with a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: the term for accumulated debris from mass wasting of a steep slope or rock face) of basalt columns at the bottom.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1727\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1727\" style=\"width: 604px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1727 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Thin-soil-in-steep-slope-in-Iceland.jpg\" alt=\"A steep slope has a wrinkled texture. A tiny abandoned farmhouse sits at the base.\" width=\"604\" height=\"686\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Thin-soil-in-steep-slope-in-Iceland.jpg 604w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Thin-soil-in-steep-slope-in-Iceland-264x300.jpg 264w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Thin-soil-in-steep-slope-in-Iceland-65x74.jpg 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Thin-soil-in-steep-slope-in-Iceland-225x256.jpg 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Thin-soil-in-steep-slope-in-Iceland-350x398.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1727\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The thin soil on this steep slope in Iceland has a wrinkled texture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This is an example of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1728\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1728\" style=\"width: 1224px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1728\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Grassy-hillside-slipping.jpg\" alt=\"A small section of a hillside is fenced off along a road. A scarp is visible at the top of the hillside, and the hill bulges out toward the bottom.\" width=\"1224\" height=\"852\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Grassy-hillside-slipping.jpg 1224w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Grassy-hillside-slipping-300x209.jpg 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Grassy-hillside-slipping-1024x713.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Grassy-hillside-slipping-768x535.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Grassy-hillside-slipping-65x45.jpg 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Grassy-hillside-slipping-225x157.jpg 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Grassy-hillside-slipping-350x244.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1224px) 100vw, 1224px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1728\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This grassy hillside is slipping along a curved failure surface.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This type of mass wasting is a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>. A distinctive <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: A vertical face of exposed sediment, two words) is visible at the top, and the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: the advancing part of the sliding mass) bulges out toward the bottom.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1730\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1730\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1730\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Cleanup-after-storm.jpeg\" alt=\"A deep valley is strewn with a thick layer coarse and fine-grained debris.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Cleanup-after-storm.jpeg 1280w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Cleanup-after-storm-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Cleanup-after-storm-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Cleanup-after-storm-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Cleanup-after-storm-65x43.jpeg 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Cleanup-after-storm-225x150.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Cleanup-after-storm-350x233.jpeg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1730\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cleanup after a devastating storm.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This material is here because of a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: mass wasting involving water-bourne particles in a range of sizes, two words).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1733\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1733\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1733\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Slap-of-rock-inching-down.jpeg\" alt=\"A slab of rock detaches from a grassy mountainside.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Slap-of-rock-inching-down.jpeg 1280w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Slap-of-rock-inching-down-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Slap-of-rock-inching-down-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Slap-of-rock-inching-down-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Slap-of-rock-inching-down-65x43.jpeg 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Slap-of-rock-inching-down-225x150.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Slap-of-rock-inching-down-350x233.jpeg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1733\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A massive slab of rock is slowly inching its way down this mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This is a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: also called a sackung). A similar slope failure is present along the Revelstoke Reservoir.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1735\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1735\" style=\"width: 2411px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1735\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside.jpg\" alt=\"The foreground is filled with rubble. In the background a mountain is visible.\" width=\"2411\" height=\"1700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside.jpg 2411w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside-1024x722.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside-768x542.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside-1536x1083.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside-2048x1444.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside-65x46.jpg 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside-225x159.jpg 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Crumbled-mountainside-350x247.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2411px) 100vw, 2411px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1735\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mountainside gave way, and crumbled into pieces.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: you might also have seen snow involved in this type of slope failure) slid far from its origin, behaving like a turbulent fluid. This event originated with failure along bedding planes oriented <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> (hint: parallel or perpendicular) to the slope.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1740\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1740\" style=\"width: 856px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1740\" src=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Mud-after-heavy-rains.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial view of a community engulfed in mud.\" width=\"856\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Mud-after-heavy-rains.jpg 856w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Mud-after-heavy-rains-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Mud-after-heavy-rains-768x517.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Mud-after-heavy-rains-65x44.jpg 65w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Mud-after-heavy-rains-225x151.jpg 225w, https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/360\/2017\/11\/Mud-after-heavy-rains-350x236.jpg 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 856px) 100vw, 856px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1740\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Southern California community inundated with mud after heavy rains.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" aria-label=\"blank\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> happened when fine-grained sediments were washed down from hillsides recently deforested by wildfires.<\/p>\n<p>To check your answers, navigate to the below link to view the interactive version of this activity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"h5p-167\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-167\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"167\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Types of mass wasting\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":["joyce-mcbeth"],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[64],"license":[],"class_list":["post-628","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","contributor-joyce-mcbeth"],"part":607,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/628","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/123"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/628\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1745,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/628\/revisions\/1745"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/607"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/628\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=628"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=628"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/physicalgeologyh5p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}