This page last updated on 10-Dec-2013 EENS 3050 Natural DisastersTulane University Prof. Stephen A. NelsonSlope Stability, Triggering Events, Mass Movement Hazards Factors that Influence Slope StabilityGravityThe main force responsible for mass movement is gravity. Gravity is the force that acts everywhere on the Earth's surface, pulling everything in a direction toward the center of the Earth. On a flat surface the force of gravity acts downward. So long as the material remains on the flat surface it will not move under the force of gravity.Of course if the material forming the flat surface becomes weak or fails, then the unsupported mass will move downward.On a slope, the force of gravity can be resolved into two components: a component acting perpendicular to the slope and a component acting tangential to the slope. z The perpendicular component of gravity, gp, helps to hold the object in place on the slope. The tangential component of gravity, gt, causes a shear stress parallel to the slope that pulls the object in the down-slope direction parallel to the slope.z On a steeper slope, the shear stress or tangential component of gravity, gt, increases, and the perpendicular component of gravity, gp, decreases.Page 1 of 17Slope Stability12/10/2013http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/Natural_Disasters/slopestability.htmz The forces resisting movement down the slope are grouped under the term shear strength which includes frictional resistance and cohesion among the particles that make up the object.z When the sheer stress becomes greater than the combination of forces holding the object on the slope, the object will move down-slope. z Alternatively, if the object consists of a collection of materials like soil, clay, sand, etc., if the shear stress becomes greater than the cohesional forces holding the particles together, the particles will separate and move or flow down-slope.Thus, down-slope movement is favored by steeper slope angles which increase the shear stress, and anything that reduces the shear strength, such as lowering the cohesion among the particles or lowering the frictional resistance. This is often expressed as the safety factor, Fs, the ratio of shear strength to shear stress.Fs = Shear Strength/Shear StressShear strength consists of the forces holding the material on the slope and could include friction, and the cohesional forces that hold the rock or soil together. If the safety factor becomes less than 1.0, slope failure is expected. The Role of WaterAlthough water is not always directly involved as the transporting medium in mass movement processes, it does play an important role. Water becomes important for several reasons 1. Addition of water from rainfall or snow melt adds weight to the slope. Water can seep into the soil or rock and replace the air in the pore space or fractures. Since water is heavier than air, this increases the weight of the soil. Weight is force, and force is stress divided by area, so the stress increases and this can lead to slope instability.2. Water has the ability to change the angle of repose (the slope angle which is the stable angle for the slope).Think about building a sand castle on the beach. If the sand is totally dry, it is impossible to build a pile of sand with a steep face like a castle wall. If the sand is somewhat wet, however, one can build a vertical wall. If the sand is too wet, then it flows like a fluid and cannot remain in position as a wall. z Dry unconsolidated grains will form a pile with a slope angle determined by the angle of repose. The angle of repose is the steepest angle at which a pile of unconsolidated grains remains stable, and is controlled by the frictional contact between the grains. In general, for dry materials the angle of repose increases with increasing grain size, but usually lies between about 30 and 45 o. Page 2 of 17Slope Stability12/10/2013http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/Natural_Disasters/slopestability.htmz Slightly wet unconsolidated materials exhibit a very high angle of repose because surface tension between the water and the solid grains tends to hold the grains in place. z When the material becomes saturated with water, the angle of repose is reduced to very small values and the material tends to flow like a fluid. This is because the water gets between the grains and eliminates grain to grain frictional contact. Page 3 of 17Slope Stability12/10/2013http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/Natural_Disasters/slopestability.htm3. Water can be adsorbed or absorbed by minerals in the soil. Adsorption, causes the electronically polar water molecule to attach itself to the surface of the minerals. Absorption causes the minerals to take the water molecules into their structure. By adding water in this fashion, the weight of the soil or rock is increased. Furthermore, if adsorption occurs then the surface frictional contact between mineral grains could be lost resulting in a loss of cohesion, thus reducing the strength of the soil.In general, wet clays have lower strength than dry clays, and thus adsorption of water leads to reduced strength of clay-rich soils. 4. Water can dissolve the mineral cements that hold grains together. If the cement is made of calcite, gypsum, or halite, all of which are very soluble in water, water entering the soil can dissolve this cement and thus reduce the cohesion between the mineral grains.5. Liquefaction - As we have already discussed, liquefaction occurs when loose sediment becomes oversaturated with water and individual grains loose grain to grain contact with one another as water gets between them.This can occur as a result of ground shaking, as we discussed during our Page 4 of 17Slope Stability12/10/2013http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/Natural_Disasters/slopestability.htmexploration of earthquakes, or can occur as water is added as a result of heavy rainfall or melting of ice or snow. It can also occur gradually by slow infiltration of water into loose sediments and soils.The amount of water necessary to transform the sediment or soil from a solid mass into a liquid mass varies with the type of material. Clay bearing sediments in general require more water because water is first absorbed onto the clay minerals, making them even more solid-like, then further water is needed to lift the individual grains away from each other. 6. Groundwater exists nearly everywhere beneath the surface of the earth. It is water that fills the pore spaces between