Mass movement

Abstract

Mass movements are largely episodic processes driven by gravity that can severely impact people, property, and the environment depending on their location, size, and rate of movement. These are largely triggered by rainfall, but devastating mass movements are sometimes caused by earthquakes and volcanic activity. Certain mass movement processes like soil creep can exacerbate other processes like large-scale landslides, and combination mass movements (e.g., debris slides-avalanches-flows) are common occurrences. Land use practices can exacerbate particularly shallower mass movements, with road and other excavations into hillsides being particularly problematic.