Introduction
The term ‘landslide’ includes all varieties of mass movements of hill slopes and can be defined as the downward and outward movement of slope forming materials composed of rocks, soils, artificial fills or combination of all these materials along surfaces of separation by falling, sliding and flowing, either slowly or quickly from one place to another. Although the landslides are primarily associated with mountainous terrains, these can also occur in areas where an activity such as surface excavations for highways, buildings and open pit mines takes place.
Landslide is a general term for a wide variety of down slope movements of earth materials that result in the perceptible downward and outward movement of soil, rock and vegetation under the influence if gravity. The materials may move by falling, toppling, sliding, spreading, or flowing. Some landslides are rapid, occurring in seconds, whereas others may take hours, weeks, or even longer to develop.
Causes of landslides
Many factors contribute to slides, including geology, gravity, weather, groundwater, wave action, and human actions. Although landslides usually occur on steep slopes, they also can occur in areas of low relief. Landslides can occur as ground failure of river bluffs, cur and fill failures that may accompany highway and building excavations, collapse of mine-waste piles, and slope failures associated with quarries and open-pit mines. Underwater landslides usually involve areas of low relief and small slope gradients in lakes and reservoirs or in offshore marine settings. Typically, a landslide occurs when several of these factors converge.
1. Natural Factors:-
(i) Gravity: - Gravity works more affectively on steeper slopes, but more gradual slopes may also vulnerable.
(ii) Geological Factors: - May slides occur in geological setting that places permeable sands and gravels above impermeable layers of silt and clay, or bedrock. Water seeps downward through