DISASTER MANAGEMENT RIST D. Thakuria, Asst.

Prof, CE

UNIT V

LANDSLIDES AND FLOODS

5.4 TYPES OF LANDSLIDES

The term "landslide" describes a wide variety of processes that result in the downward and outward
movement of slope-forming materials including rock, soil, artificial fill, or a combination of these. The
materials may move by falling, toppling, sliding, spreading, or flowing.

1. Slides: A slide is a type of Landslide which is characterized by failure of material at depth and then
movement by sliding along a rupture or slip surface. If sliding is on a predominantly planar slip surface
then the slide is called a translational slide. If movement is on a curved slip surface then the slide is
called a rotational slide. A lot of rotational slide end up as a mudflow leaving a gaping hole in the ground
where the slide began. Debris from the slide is strewn down a torrent track along which the mudflow
travelled to the base of the slope or where the flow path widens and dissipates. A rotational slide with
one or more curved slip surfaces where the movement of material is incomplete, leaving individual
slumped blocks, is referred to as a slump.

Rotational slide
A rotational slide is one in which the surface of rupture is curved concavely upward (spoon shaped) and the
slide movement is more or less rotational about an axis that is parallel to the contour of the slope. A "slump"
is an example of a small rotational slide.
Translational slide
In a translational slide, the mass moves out, or down and outward along a relatively planar surface and has
little rotational movement or backward tilting. The mass commonly slides out on top of the original ground
surface. Such a slide may progress over great

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT RIST D. Thakuria, Asst. Prof, CE

2. Falls: Falls are abrupt movements of masses of geologic materials, such as rocks and boulders, that
become detached from steep slopes or cliffs (fig. 3 ). Movement occurs by free-fall, bouncing, and rolling.
Depending on the type of earth materials involved, the result is a rockfall, soil fall, debris fall, earth fall,
boulder fall, and so on. Separation occurs along discontinuities such as fractures, joints, and bedding planes,
and movement occurs by free-fall, bouncing, and rolling. Falls are strongly influenced by gravity,
mechanical weathering, and the presence of interstitial water.

A B

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT RIST D. Thakuria, Asst. Prof, CE

Fig. 3: Rockfall, Fig. B: Debris Fall, Fig. C: Earthfall

3. Topples: A topple is a block of rock that tilts or rotates forward on a pivot or hinge point and then
separates from the main mass, falling to the slope below and subsequently bouncing or rolling down the
slope.

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