Causes and Solutions to Mass Wasting

CAUSES

Shocks: A sudden shock, like that of an earthquake may trigger a slope to become more unstable. Even more minor shocks such as a truck rolling down the road or heavy winds can cause things to get unsettled.

Slope Modification: Sometimes the amount of slope can be modified by either humans or natural causes and this can cause either more or less mass wasting to occur.

Undercutting: When a stream or river cuts away at a slope causing it become unstable.

Precipitation: In some cases rain is minor and only causes little change, or moves soil so that it may move in the future, in other cases where the rain is quite major then it can cause large amounts of mass wasting.

Volcanic Eruptions: Due to the fact that they both shock the Earth, and molten lava causes things to move. As well as it can melt ice causing a lot of water to flow, causing things like land or mud slides.

SOLUTIONS

- not undercutting at the base of slopes
- not adding heavy weight to the top of slope
- not removing vegetation and roots that keep soil in place
- trying not to saturate the soil with too much water
- building barriers and retaining walls
- drainage pipes for excess water
- terracing slopes so that they are not so steep
- planting more grass and other plants
- putting up rock cables and screens so that there can not be rock falls