The relationship between slope gradient and lateritic cobble orientation with respect to shape, northwestern Taiwan

Abstract

In situ investigations of lateritic cobble slopes have demonstrated that where the grain orientation is more uniform, the anisotropy is more obvious. Grain orientation will also affect the slope gradient and slope surface. The slope forms an escarpment when the intersection between the cobble orientation strike and the slope surface ranges between 90 and 180°. By contrast, there is a dip-slope geometry when the angle of intersection is 0°. The slope gradient increases and has an angle of 50 to 80° when the intersected angle ranges from 0 to 180°. The results indicate a positive relationship between these two factors. The slope grade will increase when the disk and bladed grain shape of the cobbles increase their percentage relative to the material composition. On the other hand, the slope gradient decreases when the proportion of equant and roller grain shapes of cobble increase in the composition.