What is slump and creep?

Slump moves materials as a large block along a curved surface (figure 1). Slumps often happen when a slope is undercut, with no support for the overlying materials, or when too much weight is added to an unstable slope. Creep is the imperceptibly slow, steady, downward movement of slope-forming soil or rock.

How would you recognize a debris flow?

To be considered a debris flow, the moving material must be loose and capable of “flow,” and at least 50% of the material must be sand-size particles or larger. Some debris flows are very fast – these are the ones that attract attention.

What visual evidence is a sign of creep?

What visual evidence is a sign of creep? fence posts and telephone poles standing at an angle or cracks in buildings.

What was the largest landslide in history?

In the world? The largest subaerial (on land) landslide in Earth’s recorded history was connected with the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington state, USA.

What areas are safe from landslides?

Areas that are typically considered safe from landslides

• On hard, non-jointed bedrock that has not moved in the past.
• On relatively flat-lying areas away from sudden changes in slope angle.
• At the top or along the nose of ridges, set back from the tops of slopes.

What are the warning signs of a landslide?

Fact Sheet: Recognize Landslide Warning Signs

• Changes in your landscape such as patterns of storm-water drainage on slopes (especially the places where runoff water converges) land movement, small slides, flows, or progressively leaning trees.
• Doors or windows stick or jam for the first time.
• New cracks appear in plaster, tile, brick, or foundations.

What was the deadliest landslide in recorded US history?

The worst landslide in U.S. history was in 1928, when as many as 500 people were killed after the collapse of the St. Francis Dam near Los Angeles, according to geologist Lynn Highland of the U.S.Geological Survey.

What is creep erosion?

Creep, in geology, slow downslope movement of particles that occurs on every slope covered with loose, weathered material. Even soil covered with close-knit sod creeps downslope, as indicated by slow but persistent tilting of trees, poles, gravestones, and other objects set into the ground on hillsides.

How many people are killed by landslides every year?

25-50 people

What is the difference between soil creep and landslide?

The generic term “landslide” refers to a wide range of mass wasting events during which rock material moves downhill. Not all mass wasting events are rapid—slow land movement, known as soil creep (Figure 10.11), usually does not cause loss of life, but it can still destroy roads and buildings.

What is the difference between an Earthflow and a debris flow?

A debris flow is the movement of a water-laden mass of loose mud, sand, soil, rock and debris down a slope. A debris flow can dash down the slope, reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour or greater. An earthflow is a flow of fine-grained material that typically develops at the lower end of a slope.

Do landslides occur in all 50 states?

Landslides occur in every state and U.S. territory. The Appalachian Mountains, the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Coastal Ranges and some parts of Alaska and Hawaii have severe landslide problems. USGS scientists continue to produce landslide susceptibility maps for many areas in the United States.

How do you stop slope creep?

Cover exposed soil with a variety of plants — trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals — to create a barrier that stops soil movement from both wind and water. The plants’ roots will hold the soil in place, as well. Lay mulch or stone between plants to provide additional coverage of exposed dirt.

How do you secure a hillside?

1. Cover bare soil on hillsides with erosion-control netting, which comes in rolls that you simply unroll from top to bottom and pin in place with stakes.
2. Break the steep slope into several level terraces supported with retaining walls made from stone or landscape timbers stacked no more than 3 feet high.

What is the most landslide prone country in the world?

Countries where there are frequent landslides include China, the western United States, Italy, Switzerland, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia. Countries that straddle the Himalayas such as Nepal, Pakistan and India are also areas where there are a large number of landslides.

How do you keep a hillside from sliding?

Five Ways To Stop Erosion On A Hillside

1. 1) Build A Garden Terrace. Preventing soil erosion on a hillside is a steep challenge.
2. 3) Use Sandbags As Diversions. You can’t necessarily fight nature, but you can certainly try to channel and divert it.
3. 5) Use Geotextiles Or Erosion Control Blankets.

What was the worst landslide in history?

Deadliest Landslides In Recorded History

1. Haiyuan Flows, Ningxia, China, December 1920 (100,000+ deaths)
2. Vargas Tragedy, Vargas, Venezuela, December 1999 (30,000 deaths)
3. Armero Tragedy, Tolima, Colombia, November 1985 (23,000 deaths)
4. 70 Nevado Huascaran Debris Fall, Yungay, Peru, May 1970 (22,000 deaths)

Can humans cause landslides?

Yes, in some cases human activities can be a contributing factor in causing landslides. They are commonly a result of building roads and structures without adequate grading of slopes, poorly planned alteration of drainage patterns, and disturbing old landslides.

What is the slowest mass wasting event?

The slowest and least noticeable, but most widespread of the slow mass wasting categories is creep. Creep involves the entire hillside, and is characterized by very slow movement of soil or rock material over a period of several years.

What is the fastest mass movement?

Rockfalls

Where did the biggest landslide happen?

The world’s biggest historic landslide occurred during the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, a volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range in the State of Washington, USA. The volume of material was 2.8 cubic kilometers (km).

How can we prevent landslide?

There are also various direct methods of preventing landslides; these include modifying slope geometry, using chemical agents to reinforce slope material, installing structures such as piles and retaining walls, grouting rock joints and fissures, diverting debris pathways, and rerouting surface and underwater drainage.

What is the difference between a rockslide and a debris slide?

While a landslide occurs when loose dirt or sediment falls down a slope, a rockslide occurs only when solid rocks are transported down slope. Fast-flowing rock slides or debris slides behave similarly to snow avalanches, and are often referred to as rock avalanches or debris avalanches.