Earth Sciences 1022A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Regolith, Water Content, Earthflow

• School: Western University
• Department: Earth Sciences
• Course: Earth Sciences 1022A/B
• Professor: Steve Hicock

Document Summary

Mass wasting: mass wasting: the downslope movement of rock or regolith (loose weathered material and soil) driven by the force of gravity. The cost of recovery from mass wasting (all forms combined) is more each year than earthquakes, volcanoes, and tornadoes combined. Controls on mass wasting: a number of factors can influence mass wasting events, 1. Properties of material involved (rigid, cohesive, or loose: 2. Properties of material involved ridged, brittle material (e. g. rock) soft, cohesive material (e. g. clay-rich soil or rock in which particles stick together and form coherent mass) loose particles (e. g. gravel sand etc. ) Physical and chemical weathering can further weaken geologic materials and make them prone to failure (especially in the case of rock) Properties of material involved: angle of repose: angle of repose: the maximum angle that a given material will sustain, differences in angle occur based on grain size, grain shape (round vs. angular) and water content.