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La Conchita slide
January 10, 2005 Triggered by heavy rainfall, reactivation along an older landslide surface (35,000 years ago, 6000 years ago, and 1995) Potential solution: relocate people and better land use regulation
Introduction
Landslide and other ground failures cause substantial damage and loss of life In U.S., average 2550 deaths; damage more than $3.5 billion annually For convenience, definition of landslide includes all forms of mass-wasting movements Landslide and subsidence: naturally occurred and affected by human activities
Slope Processes
Slopes: The most common landforms Consists of cliff face (free face) and talus slope or upper convex slope, a straight slope, and a lower concave slope Dynamic evolving feature, depending upon topography, rock types, climate, vegetation, water, and time Materials constantly moving down the slope at varied rates
Slopes
Figure 9.3
Types of Landslides
Figure 9.4
Slope Stability
Safety Factor: = Resisting/Driving Forces
If SF >1, then safe or stable slope If SF <1, then unsafe or unstable slope
Preventive measures:
Well-designed explosives Engineering structures to retain, divert, or retard avalanches
Subsurface ground failure Natural or humaninduced Slow settling or rapid collapse Causes:
Withdrawal of fluids (water, oil and gas, steam) Removal of solid materials (dissolution, mining)
Subsidence
Process of Subsidence
Settling
Long Beach harbor Houston Mexico City Mississippi delta
Figure 9.25