Geologic Hazards

Things to remember:
- Geology
- Geologic Processes
- Geologic Hazards
o Types:
1. Earthquakes
 Hazards caused:
a) Ground shaking
b) Surface Faulting
c) Landslide
d) Liquefaction
e) Tsunami
2. Volcanic Eruption
 Hazards caused:
a) Tephra
b) Pyroclastic Flow
c) Lahar
d) Flood
e) Lava domes
 Geologic Hazards

- Geology
o Study of earth and history, materials , features, structures and processes
- Geologic Processes
o Naturally occurring events that impact earth’s geology
- Geologic Hazards
o An extreme natural event in the crust of the earth that poses a threat to life and
property
o Unpredictable making it hard to identify, evaluate and mitigate [ occurs
irregularly]
- Types:
1. Earthquakes
 one of the most violent natural phenomena
 Hazards caused:
a) Ground shaking
o Triggers liquefaction and landslides
b) Surface Faulting
o Displacement that reaches the earth’s surface during slip
along a fault
c) Landslide
o Movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope
that denotes any down-slope movement of soil and rock
under the influence of gravity
d) Liquefaction
o Soil liquefies during ground shaking and can undermine
the foundation and supports of buildings, bridges,
pipelines and roads causing them to sink into the ground,
collapse or dissolve
 Geologic Hazards

e.) Tsunami
o Giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions
under the sea
o Travel as fast as jet planes and only slows down in shallow
waters

2. Volcanic Eruptions

 Magma released from volcanoes

 Hazards caused:

a) Tephra
o Consists of pyroclastic fragments of any size and origin
o Ash to lapilli to blocks and bombs
b) Pyroclastic Flow
o Dense, fast-moving flow of solidified lava pieces, volcanic
ash and hot gases
c) Lahar
o Hot or cold mixture of water and rock fragments that flows
down the slopes of a volcano and into a river valley
 Geologic Hazards

o Bury and destroy man-made structures including roads

and bridges
d) Flood
o Overflow of water
e) Lava Domes
o Formed by viscous magma being erupted effusively onto
the surface and then piling up around the vent