Geotechnical characteristics of large slow, very slow, and extremely slow landslides

Abstract

Based on a study of 45 large slow-moving landslides, it is apparent that for a landslide to travel slowly after failure, the sliding is most likely to be active or reactivated, on a basal rupture surface at or close to residual strength. The likelihood of slow movement after failure is also increased when the inclination of the basal rupture surface is less than the residual friction angle. The slow-moving landslides are all of low rock-mass strength with varying degrees of disaggregation, or they possess soil strength. The influence of lateral margins on landslide restraint is generally small, with landslide movement typically controlled by fluctuations in piezometric pressure. The most commonly observed slow large landslides are mudslides and translational debris–rock slides, followed by particular forms of translational rock slides and internally sheared compound slides. Some mudslides display evidence of short periods of up to moderate velocities.