Mass Movement

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Erosion by Mass Movement
Columbia Pkwy, Cincinnati
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Mass Movement

• DEFINITION
• Mass movement is the down-slope movement of rock
  and sediment due to gravitational forces.

• TYPES
• Landslide (rapid)
• Mudslide (rapid)
• Slump (moderate)
• Creep (slow)

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Landslide

• A landslide is a mass of rock moving down a slope

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• The top picture shows a part of the Smokey
  Mountains in 1976. The bottom picture shows the
  same area in 1980.

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Mudslide

• A mudslide (or mudflow) is the downslope movement
  of a mixture of water and soil.

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Slump

• Slump is the downward movement of materials as
  one unit.
• The material moves along a curved plane, it often
  looks like the front of a spoon.

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Creep

• Creep is the slow downhill movement of rock and
  soil over time.

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• IDENTIFY THEFOLLOWING TYPES OFMASS MOVEMENT

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Causes of Mass Movement

• Factors that allow gravity to overcome the
  resistance of materials on a slope are
• Saturation of water (ground becomes too wet).
• Steepening of slopes by other forms of erosion or
  construction.
• Seismic or volcanic activity.
• Freezing and thawing.
• Fires leaving slopes bare (no ground
• vegetation).