Mass Wasting - Types

    Landslides are generally classified on the basis of:
      1.) Type of Motion

        Flow = move by internal deformation of materials

        Slide = material moves as a coherent mass

      2.) Water Content

      3.) Speed

    image from Richard L. Meehan Associates Page
    (http://www.dnai.com/~meehan/rlmce/intro.html)

Common types of Landslides include: (click on each type for descriptions and pictures)

Click here for Photo sources

    ~ Slow Flows:

      Dry-> Creep

      Wet -> Solifluction

    ~ Fast Flows (all ~wet, however mudflows have highest water%):

      Coarse materials -> Debris flows (& Lahars)

      Sand & mud -> Earthflows & Mudflows

    Slides:

      Rotational (rotational motion) -> Slumps

      Translational (movement in same direction) -> Rock slides, Earth slides, Debris slides

      Topples

      Falls

    Complex motions (both flow & slide):

      Avalanches -> very fast, a lot of material, very destructive

 

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