Q. What are the main factors that influence slope stability?
Slope stability is ultimately determined by two factors: the angle of the slope and the strength of the materials on it. In Figure 15.2 a block of rock situated on a rock slope is being pulled toward Earth’s centre (vertically down) by gravity.
Q. What can make a slope unstable?
Shocks – A sudden shock, such as an earthquake may trigger slope instability. Minor shocks like heavy trucks rambling down the road, trees blowing in the wind, or human made explosions can also trigger mass movement events.
Q. What factors contribute to Oversteepening of slopes?
Excessive stream erosion, wave cutting on sea cliffs, road cuts; all can contribute to over-steepening of slopes. No. Excessive stream erosion, wave cutting on sea cliffs, road cuts; all can contribute to over-steepening of slopes.
Q. How do human activities affect the stability of slopes?
Human activities can effect slope stability through overloading the slope (waste, reservoirs) undercutting the slope (roads, quarrying, mining) vegetation removal (deforestation), cultivation (ploughing). Generally, however, these serve to accentuate slope instability rather than being the only cause.
Q. How may human activities modify slope forms?
Humans can affect slopes by destabilising them or influence the processes (mass movements) occurring on them.
- Mining. Mining involves a huge destruction of land ,leaving the land degraded and filthy.
- Deforestation.
- Agriculture.
- Infrastructure/ Construction.
- Hiking/skiing/ racing e.t.c along slopes.
- Positive impact on Slopes.
Q. How does human activity affect mass movement?
Human activity is one of the causes of mass movement. Increased human activity would increase the driving forces of mass movement. The density of the human activity, such as infrastracture, plus the pull of gravity would increase the likelihood of a landslide or a mudslide, or weaken a part of the slope.
Q. What are the factors that influence mass movement?
Such factors include: weathering or erosional debris cover on slopes, which is usually liable to mass movement; the character and structure of rocks, such as resistant permeable beds prone to sliding because of underlying impermeable rocks; the removal of the vegetation cover, which increases the slope’s susceptibility …
Q. What are the four factors that influence mass movement?
- Composition of Slope Material. Another factor that determines mass wasting is the slope’s material.
- Weight and Friction of Slope. A third factor that influences whether a slope will fail is the load or weight of that slope.
- Regional Climate Conditions.
- Water Content within Slopes.
- Gravity.
Q. Which is the most important factor in causing mass movements?
Gravity is the main force responsible for mass movements. Gravity is a force that acts everywhere on the Earth’s surface, pulling everything in a direction toward the center of the Earth.
Q. What force and what cause can contribute to both erosion and mass wasting?
Gravity can cause erosion and deposition. Gravity makes water and ice move. It also causes rock, soil, snow, or other material to move downhill in a process called mass movement.
Q. What are three things that could be done to prevent erosion?
You can reduce soil erosion by:
- Maintaining a healthy, perennial plant cover.
- Mulching.
- Planting a cover crop – such as winter rye in vegetable gardens.
- Placing crushed stone, wood chips, and other similar materials in heavily used areas where vegetation is hard to establish and maintain.
Q. What are some negative side effects of trying to control erosion?
The effects of soil erosion go beyond the loss of fertile land. It has led to increased pollution and sedimentation in streams and rivers, clogging these waterways and causing declines in fish and other species. And degraded lands are also often less able to hold onto water, which can worsen flooding.
