Abstract
Peat landslides form a distinct suite of slope failures that are characteristic of landscapes where organic soils dominate. Six main types of peat mass movement are recognized: bog burst, bog flow, bog slide, peat slide, peaty-debris slide, and peat flow. Such failures have been prevalent in the British Isles, but their occurrence globally is far more widespread than hitherto reported. Peat has distinct geotechnical properties that influence its stability and govern the range of impacts of landslide events. Geotechnically, peat is a low density, organic-rich, nonmineral soil, which has a high water content, significant fiber content, high voids ratio, high compressibility, and low shear strength. Peat landslides cause significant environmental impacts at-a-site, and their runout is far traveled causing considerable downstream devastation to infrastructure and stream ecology. Peat landslides triggered by construction in upland areas demonstrate the importance of surface/subsurface drainage and surface loading in contributing to failure. Although the general mechanisms of peat failure are now well understood, considerable uncertainties associated with determining geotechnical properties of peat, and adequately assessing the hydrological conditions relating to peat instability remain.
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