Mass Wasting - The Changing Earth: Exploring Geology and Evolution - page 272

OUTLINE
Introduction
Factors That Infl uence Mass Wasting
Types of Mass Wasting
GEO-FOCUS: Southern California Landslides
GEO-INSIGHT: Point FerminSlip Sliding Away
Recognizing and Minimizing the Effects of Mass Wasting
Geo-Recap

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, you will have learned that
It is important to understand the different types of mass wast-
ing because mass wasting affects us all and causes signifi cant
destruction.
Factors such as slope angle, weathering and climate, water
content, vegetation, and overloading are interrelated, and all
contribute to mass wasting.
Mass movements can be triggered by such factors as
overloading, soil saturation, and ground shaking.
Mass wasting is categorized as either rapid mass movements or
slow mass movements.
The different types of rapid mass movements are rockfalls,
slumps, rock slides, mudfl ows, debris fl ows, and quick clays;
each type has recognizable characteristics.
The different types of slow mass movements are earth-
fl ows, solifl uction, and creep; each type has recognizable
characteristics.
People can minimize the effects of mass wasting by conduct-
ing geologic investigations of an area and stabilizing slopes to
prevent and ameliorate movement.

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

Residents of Caracas, Venezuela, clean up the debris from massive
fl ooding and mudslides that devastated large areas of the country during
December, 1999.

273

273