February 19, 2018

Bringing down mountains: more landslides

Posted by larryohanlon

Sometimes you have to build the field in the lab. At the Virginia Tech Active Tectonics and Geomorphology Lab researchers do just that. This is the latest in a series of posts shared from their blog. More of their posts can be found here.


Model by Phil Prince

Words by Lisa Whalen

 

Last time we looked at a model replicating a translational landslide. Continuing with our landslide theme, this time Phil has built a model comparing translational slides with rotational or slump landslides. These are characterized by a more curved plane of weakness that allows the slide to move. The curvature leads to the moving material becoming deformed, first through extension or tensional forces as it initially pulls away to compression as the sliding mass piles up on top of itself.