- 2081 Chaitra · 2 marks
Factors of mass movement
Short answer
Mass movement is driven by increase in shear stress or reduction in shear strength. Key factors are steep slopes, water raising pore pressure and weight, weak and fractured rocks, adverse geological structures, vegetation removal, earthquakes, toe undercutting, loading, weathering, and human activities.
What are the factors of movement (of mass movement)?
The factors of mass movement are those that increase the shear stress or lower the shear strength of the slope.
Causes by group
- Gravity and slope: steep slope angle, large relief.
- Water: rainfall, snow melt and groundwater raise pore pressure and weight, and reduce friction and cohesion.
- Material: weak, weathered or clay-rich rocks and soils; loose debris.
- Structure: joints, bedding and foliation dipping out of the slope, faults and shear zones.
- Vegetation: removal of forest lowers root cohesion.
- Earthquake and vibration: shaking, blasting, traffic.
- Toe undercutting: by river erosion or road cuts.
- Loading: buildings, fills, and water in the reservoir.
- Weathering: freeze-thaw, wetting-drying, chemical decay.
- Human activities: mining, irrigation, deforestation.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
Related questions
- Mass movement and its mechanism · Engineering Geology II, chapter 5 · asked 11×
- Factors and process of groundwater movement · Engineering Geology II, chapter 3 · asked 4×
- Define mass movement and its classification · Engineering Geology I, chapter 6 · asked 5×
- All mass movements are landslides · Engineering Geology I, chapter 6