GEOG306 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Rockfall, Alluvial Fan, Frank Slide

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Geography and Environmental Management
• Course: GEOG306
• Professor: Amber Silver

Document Summary

Displacement of surface materials down-slope under the force of gravity . Range of movement includes: falling, toppling, sliding, flowing. Mass movements are classified based on four important characteristics: type of movement, type of material that moves, the amount of water/air entrained, velocity. Mass movements occur based on the interaction between driving forces and resisting forces. Many factors influence mass movement: material type, climate, time, vegetation, water, slope and topography, people (!) 90% of deaths along pacific rim: steepness/terrain, population, weather patterns, environmental change, settlement in steep areas. Tropical areas at particular risk: heavy rainfall events (typhoon/ monsoon, debris flow (saturated earth, soil, mud, vegetation & rock) Secondary hazard trigger: tsunami, river blockage flash flood. Almost all flat land" is actually an alluvial fan. Very low awareness of hazard: no urban planning restrictions, many residents new to area or second home" owners, minor forest conversion. Special category of landslide complex slide : most slides travel horizontally <2x vertical fall.