Chapter 15: Weathering, Soil, and unstable slopes (11/10/2020)

Weathering & Soils

Brandon Lutz, Visiting Assistant Professor, NMSU

Exam 2 results
Announcements (11/11/2020)

Remember to get any makeup work Do you course evaluations! Will post exam questions from each topic
complete by thanksgiving. ahead of time.
I need your feedback on the teaching.
None will be accepted after.
Take home today (11/11/2020)

Soil horizons What is karst? Where and why does it
form?
What controls soil development?
How do climate, slope, and vegetation, and
time influence weathering?
Types of slope failure
What controls slope stability
Where is the landslide risk in the USA?
Making Soil & Soil
Horizons
What is soil and how is it formed?
Physical and chemical weathering of
rocks
Increase surface area = increase
chemical weathering
Different Rocks respond differently to weathering

Calcite/limestone Quartz/sandstone
Different Rocks respond differently to weathering

Calcite/limestone Quartz/sandstone
Different Rocks respond differently to weathering

Marble Granite
 What are the different soil horizons?

Quartz/sandstone

O = Organic

A = Organic & grains (topsoil)

Not every horizon always
E = Leached zone present
B = clay; iron-oxide, & calcite

(dry climate) What controls the

horizons?
C = weathered bedrock
Climate is primary control on soil formation
Climate is primary control on soil formation

Egypt NYC
Climate is primary control on soil formation

O
A

Swamps, rain forests, dense plant

B growth

Intense chemical weathering

C
chemical leaching
 O
Climate is primary control on soil formation
Very red, iron-rich soil is A
called laterite
Swamps, rain forests, dense plant
growth
B

Intense chemical weathering

chemical leaching

Latin for brick. C

Climate is primary control on soil formation

O O
A
A
E

B B

C C

Temperate Tropical
Climate is primary control on soil formation

O
A
E

B Savannah, grassland, farm, deciduous

forest

Temperate
Climate is primary control on soil formation
O
A E
O
A
E
B
C
B

Temperate Pedalfer soil

Climate is primary control on soil formation

O O
A A (thin)
A
E

B
B B

C
C C

Tropical Temperate Arid

 Climate is primary control on soil formation

O
A A (thin)
E
You know what a desert
soil is like! You know what a B
B
desert soil is like!
C
C

Temperate Arid
Remember these three suites of soil horizons

O O
A A (thin)
A
E

B
B B

C
C C

Tropical Temperate Arid

Why is soil important to society?
What activities threaten soil health

Overgrazing
Mining
Deforestation
Pesticides and over-
irrigation
Slope Stablity
What is slope stability? Why is it important?
What controls slope stability?

1) Angle of repose Coarse scoria cone has

steep AOR

Finer material
Smaller angle
What controls slope stability?

1) Angle of repose
What controls slope stability?

2) water Slump
What controls slope stability?

3) fractures/cleavage
types of slope failure

Rock avalanche &

debris flow
rockfall
types of slope failure landslide

Rock avalanche &

debris flow
Rock slides
Rotational slide or slump
Soil creep
Debris flow
Rock avalanche
For a summary, check our
fig. 15.13.a12 in book
Slope failures can be very
destructive
Cordillera de la Costa, Venezuela

Alluvial fans
Cordillera de la Costa, Venezuela

19,000 deaths

Alluvial fans

$30 billion in damages

Slope failure hazard in
USA
Potential for landslides in USA
Karst and Caves
What is karst?
What is karst?
Where is karst?