Geology GEOL-G 107 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Weathering, Slope Stability
Document Summary
There are many ways to categorize slope failures. Water plays an important part in determining slope failure as it is both a means to resist or prevent slope failure and a means to drive or promote slope failure. In small amounts, water aids in creating cohesion between particles. This is especially noticeable in clay particles that have a platy shape. (click here to see this page from the soils module. ) In large amounts, sudden episodic downpours of water can actually overrun cohesive strength and result in sediments moving like mud. Exposure over long periods of time to water can assist in chemical weathering processes, making particles smaller and more able to stick together due to cohesion. Exposure over long periods of time to water can assist in chemical weathering and physical weathering (e. g. , frost wedging) processes, fracturing and breaking up large consolidated rocks into smaller chunks. This is important in the formation of underground voids, sinkholes, and caves.
