Friday, October 23, 2015

Mass Wasting

Landslides are often triggered by earthquakes but can also be set off by volcanic eruptions, heavy rains, groundwater rise, undercutting by streams, and other mechanisms; consequently, they occur more widely than earthquakes.

The best strategies for landslide hazards are to avoid construction in hazardous areas and to avoid land uses that provoke mass movement. To build these strategies into development planning requires information on the likely occurrence of landslides. It is suggested that this information should be compiled only for areas of intensive present or planned land use. 

Lastly, the best way to be aware of landslide potential are past landslides. The location, size, and structure of past landslides can be interpreted from remotely-sensed imagery. 

According to Organization of American States, development activities (e.g., the conversion of forest to grasslands or crops, which increases soil moisture) can increase susceptibility to landslides, and the map units of natural characteristics can be adjusted to show the effects of these human activities (1987).  This is characterized as landslide potential, to provide the basis for preparing a landslide hazard maps. 


https://www.oas.org/dsd/publications/Unit/oea54e/ch11.htm

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