THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA

LSE 3069: Fundamentals Topics Of Secondary School

Geography
MASS – WASTING
Compiled
By
Kasonde Mundende
(2020)
 Mass - Wasting

• Referred to as slope movement or mass movement

(Nsama, 2015: 103)
• Movement of layers of loose rock particles downhill
under the influence of gravity
• Movement of weathered rock particles, soil and other
loose materials down the slope under the influence of
the force of gravity without involving any transport
agents, such as water, moving ice and wind (Yogo,
2012)
Cont’d
 Cont’d

• Loose materials that move down the slope are

known as debris
• When loose materials move down the slope,
the place where they come from experiences
the loss of materials. This loss is known as
mass – wasting.
• Mass – wasting is an important part of the
erosional process as it moves material from
higher elevations to lower elevations
Environmental Factors Affecting The Rate of
Mass - Wasting
• Steepness of the slope:
 The steeper the slope, the higher the rate of
mass – wasting and movement and vice versa
• Nature of the surface:
 Slippery surfaces experience a higher rate of
mass movement than dry slopes
• Presence of lubricating agents:
 Water may saturate the soil and act as a
lubricant that fastens the rate of mass wasting
 Cont’d
• Bulk of the material:
 The heavier the materials wasted, the faster the rate of
the movement
• Vegetation Cover:
 Plants can reduce the rate of mass – wasting because they
may trap the materials as they move down the slope
• Presence of catalysing agents:
 Occurrence earth movements or earthquakes may trigger
the movement of materials down the slope (Yogo, 2012)
 Causes of Mass - Wasting

Nsama (2015) discusses the following causes:

• Climate:
 Areas most affected by mass – wasting have
wet and hot conditions
• Nature of the Slope:
 Movement increases with increase in the slope
angle. The steeper the slope, the faster the
movement of weathered rock materials
 Cont’d

• Removal of Vegetation Cover:

 When vegetation cover is removed through tree
cutting, land is exposed to soil erosion. Soil
particles become loose, unconsolidated and prone to
agents of mass – wasting
• Nature of weathered materials:
 Rocks that are highly weathered usually have thin
particle, unconsolidated, highly porous and
therefore unstable and experience a lot of mass
wasting
 Cont’d

• Earth Movements:
 Such as tremors/earthquakes which force a breakdown and
disintegration of rocks
• Action by Plants:
 Plant roots cause rock falls and landslides when they grow on
rocks
• Frost Action:
 Ice causes widening of rock joints through the freeze – thaw
process causing block disintegration and landslides
• Human Activities:
 Mining; quarrying; Road and Railway construction; wrong
farming practices; vibration of the earth’s surface by heavy trucks
 Classification of Mass - Movement

(a) Slow Mass Movement (SMM)

(b)Rapid Mass Movement (RMM)

SMM:
• Talus/Soil Creep
• Soil Flow
 Cont’d

RMM:

• Rock slide (Debris slide)

• Rock fall

• Mud – flows (Earth – flows)

• Avalanches
 Land Slide

• The term landslide or less frequently, landslip,

refers to several forms of mass wasting that include
a wide range of ground movements, such as rock
falls, deep –seated slope failures, mud flows and
debris.

• Land slide is triggered by a specific event (such as

heavy rainfall, an earthquake, a slope cut to build a
road, and many others), although this is not always
identifiable.
 Slump
• A slump is a form of mass wasting that occurs when a
coherent mass of loosely consolidated materials or a
rock layer moves a short distance down a slope.

• Movement is characterised by sliding along a

concave-upward or planar surface. Causes of
slumping include earthquake shocks, thorough
wetting, freezing and thawing, undercutting, and
loading of a slope.
 Rock Fall

• A rock fall or rock-fall refers to quantities of rock

falling freely from a cliff face.
• The term is also used for collapse of rock from roof or
walls of mine or quarry workings.
• A rock fall is a fragment of rock (a block) detached by
sliding, toppling or falling, that falls along a vertical
or sub-vertical, cliff, proceeds down slope by
bouncing and flying along ballistic trajectories or by
rolling on talus or debris slopes.
• The next slide gives a typical diagram of a rock fall.
Rock fall
 Soil Creep
• When mass wasting by flow occurs so slowly
that it cannot be observed, it is called creep.
• Most vegetated slopes in humid climates are
subject to soil creep, and there are many
indicators that it occurs.
• Poles and fence posts often tip away from a
slope a few years after they are emplaced.
• The next two slides are typical diagrams of soil
creeps.
Creep
Soil creep
Rock slide
 Avalanche
• An Avalanche is an event that occurs when a
cohesive slab or snow lying upon a weaker
layer of snow fractures and slides down a
steep slope.

• It is a rapid flow of snow down a hill or

mountain side.
Diagram
 Measures to Control Mass - Wasting
• Afforestation
• Reforestation
• Agro – forestry (management and integration of
trees, crops and/or livestock on the same plot of land
and can be an integral component of productive
agriculture. It may include existing native forests and
forests established by landholders)
• Mulching
• Planting of cover crops
 Cont’d

• Land and soil conservation measures to avoid

soil creep, for example, terracing
• Gazetting the fragile slopes and areas to avoid
human activities that may offset landslides
• Proper land – use
• Sensitising the masses on the proper utilisation
of the steep environments to avoid landslides
(Nsama, 2015)
 Effects Mass - Wasting

• Destruction of transport and communication

lines like roads, railways and telephone lines
• Engineering hazards especially in construction
along steep slopes affected by landslides
• Removal of top fertile soils on steep slopes
leading to soil exhaustion
• Formation of new landforms such as landslide
scars
 Cont’d
• Affects drainage of an area

• Bending of electricity poles, fences, and houses

and eventually they fall down

• Destruction of lives and property

• Destruction of agricultural land hence reducing

the land use for farming purposes
 NB
• You will do well to search more on mass-
wasting, even through videos on the same.

• Familiarise yourself with all diagrams

associated with mass-wasting.
 REFERENCES
• Nsama, G. (2015). Senior Secondary
Geography: Learner’s Book Grade 10. Lusaka:
MK Publishers

• Yogo, J. M. (2012). Ordinary Level Physical

Geography Form 3 and 4: Notes, Questions
with Answers and Discussion Questions. Dar
es salaam: Nyambari Nyangwine Publishers
 Motivation

“Be a Yardstick of Quality. Some People are

not used to and Environment where Excellence
is Expected”.
(Steve Jobs)