Ploughing Mechanism Research Articles

Quantitative evaluation of orientation effects in wear and friction characteristics of pure nickel using experiments and atomistic simulations

Nanoscale tribological behavior of Ni for its applications such as MEMS is an important area of study. The present study investigated the nanoscale friction and wear behavior of Ni on different crystallographic orientations using experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. Results showed an anisotropic friction response, with (100) [001] case showing high COF followed by (111) [1¯10] and (110) [1¯10] cases. Analysis showed that such a trend in COF is observed due to variation in activation of the number of slip systems in each case as determined by the Schmid factor calculations. Dislocation analysis showed that (100) [001] case developed the highest number of glissile dislocations which is attributed to high COF value. The wear volume followed an opposite trend of COF order, and the spatial distribution of displaced material is found to be different in each case, indicating an anisotropic ploughing mechanism. Such behavior is observed due to variations in the availability of the number of slip directions, their orientation on the scratch plane, and dislocation evolution during nanoscratch. Overall, this study provides insights into the complex deformation mechanism and wear behavior associated with scratch tests and has implications for the development of wear-resistant materials.

Application of mesh-free and finite element methods in modelling nano-scale material removal from copper substrates: A computational approach

This study explores the modelling methodology using mesh-free smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and finite element modelling (FE) techniques to simulate the AFM-based nano-scratching processes for advancing precision engineering in nanotechnology. Tip wear in nano machining substantially increases the tip radius, thereby influencing the material removal mechanism and subsequently affecting the quality of machined nanostructures. In this context, this study examines the effects of rake angle (the inclination of the main cutting edge to the plane perpendicular to the scratched surface), tip radius and scratching depth on cutting forces, groove dimensions, and deformed thickness. This was achieved by implementing an in-house SPH method based particle code employing a Lagrangian algorithm, and an FE model incorporating the dynamic explicit algorithm implemented (in ABAQUS) to carry out nano-scratching simulations. The investigation revealed that the cutting mechanism transitioned to ploughing when the scratching depth decreased to 30% of the tip radius for OFHC-Cu workpiece material machined with a diamond tip. The dominance of normal forces over cutting forces during scratching indicated the side flow of material in the vicinity of the tip radius under intense contact pressure. The ploughing mechanism exhibited more sensitivity at a higher negative rake angle of 60°. Increased scratching depth and tip radius led to more significant material deformation owing to the induction of higher cutting forces, with the maximum deformation thickness 3.6 times the tip radius. The simulated results demonstrated favourable concordance with the experimental data.

Plowing mechanism of rapid flow-like loess landslides: Insights from MPM modeling

Plowing refers to the phenomenon by which a landslide displaces and pushes the path material forward. Despite its importance in shaping the dynamics of many rapid flow-like loess landslides, the mechanism of plowing is not fully understood. Therefore, this paper presents an improved numerical model based on the material point method (MPM). This model takes into account the interactions between the landslide mass and the path material. The reliability of this model was validated by simulating two granular column collapse experiments involving interaction with an erodible mass. The model was then applied to analyze the plowing dynamics of the Ximiaodian loess landslide in Jingyang County, Shaanxi Province, China. A series of well-designed simulations were conducted to investigate this specific landslide event, contributing to a deeper understanding of the plowing phenomenon in loess landslides. The simulation results show that our model can satisfactorily simulate the plowing process of the Ximiaodian landslide. The plowing process of a rapid-flow loess landslide is proposed to consist of four distinct stages: 1) the collision stage, when the landslide strikes the terrace, resulting in the bending of its strata; 2) the shear failure stage, characterized by significant plastic shear deformation within the bent strata, resulting in the formation of multiple shear failure planes; 3) the steady plowing stage, during which the deformation structure in the affected terrace stabilizes and plowing continues in a steady pattern; and 4) the stopping stage, when the propagation of the disturbed terrace gradually stops. Furthermore, the disturbed terrace zone exhibits three distinct deformation structures. In the rear part, a stable zone develops where the terrace layers are compressed. However, due to the compressive forces exerted by the overlying loess, no significant shear deformation is observed. The middle part is the shear failure zone, characterized by the formation of multiple shear failure planes. The front part is the upheaval zone, where the terrace layers are slightly bent and tilted.

Effects of thickness ratio on phase structures, mechanical properties, and wear behaviors of CrN/ZrB2 bilayer films

CrN/ZrB2 bilayer films leveraging the wear resistance of CrN and the mechanical properties of ZrB2 were successfully produced and characterized. DC magnetron sputtering was used to deposit CrN/ZrB2 bilayer films with a thickness of approximately 1 μm and various ZrB2/CrN sublayer thickness ratios (TZrB2/TCrN = 10.85, 5.78, 4.50, 2.29, and 1.04). The thickness ratio was controlled by adjusting the deposition times of the individual sublayers. The effects of thickness ratio on the films' phase structures, mechanical properties, and wear resistance were investigated. The ZrB2 sublayer initially formed with a nanocrystalline structure; as its thickness increased, its texture became (001). As the thickness of the CrN sublayer increased, the CrN (111) reflection became more dominant, and the hardness of the CrN/ZrB2 bilayer films decreased from 19.8 to 11.6 GPa. In the CrN/ZrB2 bilayer films, the CrN sublayer was softer than the harder ZrB2 sublayer; specifically, the wear rate of the monolithic ZrB2 film was 6.45 × 10−5 mm3/N·m. This hardness enabled the bilayer films to exhibit excellent wear resistance with wear rates of 1.04–1.68 × 10−6 mm3/N·m. The wear behaviors of the CrN/ZrB2 bilayer films were classified into two tribological mechanisms in accordance with wear track observations. For the samples with high TZrB2/TCrN ratios, the shear mechanism dominated the wear behavior and resulted in the formation of a transfer layer on the worn surface. By contrast, the samples with low TZrB2/TCrN ratios had a ploughing mechanism in which a deformed track was generated on the surface.

Investigation of Nanoscale Scratching on Copper with Conical Tools Using Particle-Based Simulation

In this study, a modeling approach based on smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) was implemented to simulate the nanoscale scratching process using conical tools with different negative rake angles. The implemented model enables the study of the topography of groove profiles, scratching forces, and the residual plastic strain beneath the groove. An elastoplastic material model was employed for the workpiece, and the tool–workpiece interaction was defined by a contact model adopted from the Hertz theory. An in-house Lagrangian SPH code was implemented to perform nano-scratching simulations. The SPH simulation results were compared with nanoscale scratching experimental data available in the literature. The simulation results revealed that the normal force was more dominant compared to the cutting force, in agreement with experimental results reported for a conical tip tool with a 60° negative rake angle. In addition, the simulated groove profile was in good agreement with the groove profile produced in the aforementioned experiment. The numerical simulations also showed that the normal and cutting forces increased with the increase in the scratching depth and rake angle. Although the cutting and ploughing mechanisms were noticed in nano-scratching, the ploughing mechanism was more dominant for increased negative rake angles. It was also observed that residual plastic strain exists below the groove surface, and that the plastically deformed layer thickness beneath a scratched groove is larger for more negative values of the tool rake angle and higher scratching depths.

5-in-1 Automatic Agriculture Machine

Abstract— Goal of this project is to complete five important tasks in the world of agriculture, including 1 – seed planting automation, 2 – weed plucking mechanism building, 3 – plough mechanism control, 4 – providing water where seed is sown, and 5 – soil leveling. All of these mechanisms are connected to a single moving mechanism, and the tasks listed above will be carried out in order. The entire apparatus is meant to be automated and controlled by a remote. The moving mechanism is controlled by a remote control unit that uses RF modules to move in all directions. Initially, this device must be positioned from the row's beginning point, where seeds will be sown one after the other with a predetermined spread. After placing the mechanism, the start button must be pressed, causing the mechanism to travel a short distance ahead before stopping to drop the seeds. After completing this task, the mechanism will be moved farther to supply the water. The mechanism will be halted for a short time while supplying water again, however the mechanism will continue to drop seeds and give water until the stop button is pressed. Keywords—Control keys, DC Motor, Ploughing mechanism, RF Module, Seed planting mechanism, Soil leveling mechanism, Solenoid coil, Vibrating Motor, Water delivering mechanism, Weed plucking mechanism.

Image Processing Approach for Estimating the Degree of Surface Eroded by Slurry at Different Impact Velocities

Abstract In this research, we utilize image processing to analyze surfaces acquired from slurry-erosion tests carried out on AISI 5117 steel at various velocities and impact angles of 30 deg and 90 deg. The fractal and wavelet decomposition transform are two analysis tools that are particularly promising in this regard. These can be used to extract metrics that characterize slurry erosion in the same way that erosion rate is characterized. The study found that for a higher velocity of 15 m/s and a 30-deg impact angle, the fractal value was larger, irrespective of magnification. The fractal value is also in a positive linear regression with magnification. The extracted features of wavelet analysis were not distinctive for slurry-erosion behavior. The role of impact velocity in creating erosion damage is related to the variety of erosion mechanisms that are dependent on the particles’ kinetic energy. Microscopic examinations of damaged surfaces revealed that extruded lips indentation was the major mechanism of erosion, which occurred at 5 m/s speed and 30-deg impingement angle. Ploughing was proved that it was the predominant erosion mechanism at high velocity. Hence, the impact velocity determines the length of the wear tracks created by the ploughing mechanism.

Material removal mechanism and deformation characteristics of GaN surface at the nanoscale

Using atomistic modelling, this paper examines the removal behaviours and wear mechanism of GaN at the nanoscale. The diamond tooltip could slide or roll on the crystalline GaN or amorphous/crystalline GaN surfaces at various machining depths. The results indicate that if the machining depth is lower than 4.0 ​Å, the deformation type of the crystalline GaN is elastic. Machining deeper than this depth, the crystalline GaN started to deform plastically. Moreover, increasing the depth results in improving the structure change, stress, and temperature rates. The stress, deformation, and dislocation occur simultaneously. Notably, the wear mechanisms of the crystalline GaN surface strongly depend on the machining depth. The adhering, ploughing, and cutting mechanisms could happen when the tooltip slides over the crystalline GaN surface. In rolling motion, the adhering and ploughing mechanisms could appear during the machining process. Due to the padding function of the amorphous GaN layer, the amorphous GaN layer reduces rates of induced force, stress, structure change, and temperature when compared to the crystalline GaN surface. At the nanoscale, the removal ability of the amorphous GaN layer is higher than the crystalline GaN.

Assessment of the tribolological behavior of a metallic tribopair: LM25 alloy-Si3N4 composites against EN 31 steel

In the present research work, tribological behavior of hard ceramic silicon nitride (Si3N4) reinforced aluminium alloy LM 25 based composites against EN 31 steel in ambient conditions at various loads (19.60–58.86 N) and sliding distances (1200–2400 m) on pin-on-disk test rig was investigated for commercial purpose of machine components. Three sets of composites were fabricated with 4–12 % of silicon nitride by stir casting technique. SEM Micrographs revealed formation of a homogeneous α-aluminum dendrites network structure developed due to the super-cooling of casting during solidification. EDS showed increased content of hard silicon and nitrogen from 29.04 to 73.96 % and 6.68–14.54 % respectively with 4–12 % reinforcement addition which led to high hardness. Increase in hardness from 58.02 to 63.70 BHN is observed with increase in reinforcement which led to reduction in wear by reducing the actual contact area during sliding whereas strength is reduced on addition of Si3N4. The wear resistance of composite is found greater with 12 % Si3N4 reinforced composite with reduced wear at low sliding distance. Due to continuous sliding, wear debris embedded with the surface forming a layer which resulted in variation in coefficient of friction (COF). COF increased at a high rate up to 1800 m followed at a slow rate up to 2400 m sliding distance with increase of normal load. SEM analysis of worn surfaces revealed removal of surface layer with generation of micro cracks with subsequent sliding in composites reinforced with 4 % and 8 % silicon nitride whereas ploughing mechanism is observed in composite with addition of 12 % Si3N4. The linear increasing trend was observed in wear loss against the dissipated energy for the investigated composites.

Asperity level characterization of abrasive wear using atomic force microscopy.

Using an atomic force microscope, a nanoscale wear characterization method has been applied to a commercial steel substrate AISI 52100, a common bearing material. Two wear mechanisms were observed by the presented method: atom attrition and elastoplastic ploughing. It is shown that not only friction can be used to classify the difference between these two mechanisms, but also the ‘degree of wear’. Archard's Law of adhesion shows good conformity to experimental data at the nanoscale for the elastoplastic ploughing mechanism. However, there is a distinct discontinuity between the two identified mechanisms of wear and their relation to the load and the removed volume. The length-scale effect of the material's hardness property plays an integral role in the relationship between the ‘degree of wear’ and load. The transition between wear mechanisms is hardness-dependent, as below a load threshold limited plastic deformation in the form of pile up is exhibited. It is revealed that the presented method can be used as a rapid wear characterization technique, but additional work is necessary to project individual asperity interaction observations to macroscale contacts.

Transformations of the Microstructure and Phase Compositions of Titanium Alloys during Ultrasonic Impact Treatment. Part I. Commercially Pure Titanium

Experimental and theoretical studies helped to reveal patterns of surface roughening and the microstructure refinement in the surface layer of commercial pure titanium during ultrasonic impact treatment. Applying transmission electron microscopy technique, a gradient microstructure in the surface layer of the ultrasonically treated sample, where the grain size is varied from nano- to micrometers was revealed. It was shown that the surface plastic strains of the titanium sample proceeded according to the plastic ploughing mechanism, which was accompanied by dislocation sliding, twinning, and the transformations of the microstructure and phase composition. The molecular dynamics method was applied to demonstrate the mechanism of the phase transformations associated with the formation of stacking faults, as well as the reversible displacement of atoms from their sites in the hcp lattice, causing a change in coordination numbers. The role of the electronic subsystem in the development of the strain-induced phase transformations during ultrasonic impact treatment was discussed.

Influence of B4C on microstructural, mechanical and wear properties of Mg-based composite by two-step stir casting

This paper has been focused on the porosity, hardness, tensile and abrasion wear of Mg-based B 4 C composites developed by squeezed vacuum-based stir casting (SVSC) process by adding 3, 5, 7, 9 wt. % of B 4 C. Also, an electromagnetic stir casting has been used to synthesize similar composition specimens in comparison to the SVSC results. Additionally, electron microscopy has been used for analyzing the micro structural, fractographic and worn images of Mg-based B 4 C composites and to validate appropriate fabrication method. A tribo-test has been carried out by two-body abrasion condition at 20N and 30N load for as sliding distance of 100m and 5m/s of speed. The results reveal that the SVSC process produces homogeneously distributed B 4 C particles in Mg-matrix as compared to the electromagnetic stirring. The mechanical properties of Mg/B 4 C composites show their significant enhancement with the addition of B 4 C content in Mg-matrix. B 4 C composites show an increment of 33-48% of hardness as compared to Mg-matrix. Mg-matrix having 9 wt. % of B 4 C composite reveals the least tensile strength and fractured images show the cleavage planes, micro voids as well as micro cracks. Although, worn images shows oxidation and ploughing mechanism with the increase in load and depth of penetration in Mg-matrix B 4 C composites.

Modified Taylor’s equation including the effects of fiber characteristics on tool wear when machining natural fiber composites

This study aims to give an understanding on the effects of diverse natural fibers on the mechanical properties and wear behavior of high-speed steel tool when machining polypropylene (PP) based natural fiber-reinforced composites (NFRCs). Rice husk (RH), jute and kenaf of 30 wt% each with notable differences in silicon content, hardness and aspect ratio values are used as reinforcements. The influence of worn-out tool on surface finish, machining force and work-tool interface temperature has also been elucidated. The microscopic analysis has enabled us to identify the distinct tool lives and wear mechanisms for the machined NFRCs demonstrating: (i) rigorous mechanical abrasion with strip chipping, cracks, galling and large nose deformation for RH/PP; (ii) less severe abrasion combined with adhesion and attrition wears for jute/PP; and (iii) mild abrasion/scratch marks with attrition wear and formation of protective/transfer layer for kenaf/PP composites. A remarkable difference has been observed in the flank wear values, such as VB = 0.25 mm after 55 min of machining for kenaf/PP composites whereas VB = 0.3 mm within 6 min for RH/PP. The machined surface textures generated by the worn tools reveal a plowing mechanism for RH/PP and jute/PP composites while shearing type for kenaf/PP composites. Overall, kenaf/PP composites prove to have superior mechanical and machinability characteristics in comparison to RH/PP composites, which reveal inferior outcomes. For the first time, a modified Taylor’s tool life equation, including silicon content and reinforcement aspect ratio has been derived with an error <18%.

RF Controlled Solar Seed Sowing Machine

Radio Frequency based solar controller is designed for seed sowing machine. Recently, farmers facing many economical issues, so they move in search of some other jobs. This reduces skilled labours in agriculture field. But agriculture is the back bone of our country, so we need to introduce some efficient methods to improve farming. In this Seed sowing machine, based on the instruction given the machine will operate in three modes like slow, medium and speed. Arduino is used to control the machine. Sowing, Spreading and Ploughing mechanisms can be done by using this machine. Using solar panels can improve the efficiency. The controller is designed to make the machine to drive in slant surface of 45 degree and also sense obstacles situated front and back of the machine. The distance between the two seeds will be adjusted using the motor in the machine. This type of machine will be more useful in agriculture field. Further improvements like watering based on the soil moisture will be made in future.

Mechanical, tribological and electrical properties of ZrB2 reinforced Cu processed via milling and high-pressure hot pressing

The present work investigates the effect of (0–10 wt%) ZrB2 reinforcement on densification, mechanical, tribological and electrical properties of Cu. The consolidation of Cu–ZrB2 samples was carried out using a hot press (temperature: 500 °C, pressure: 500 MPa, time: 30 min, vacuum pressure: 1.3 × 10-2 mbar). The bulk density of the hot-pressed Cu composites decreased from 8.84 g/cc to 8.16 g/cc and the relative density of samples lowered from 98.6% to 92.1% with the addition of ZrB2. The incorporation of hard ZrB2 (up to 10 wt%) improved the hardness of Cu (1.32–2.55 GPa). However, the yield strength and compressive strength of Cu composites increased up to 5 wt% ZrB2, and further addition of ZrB2 lowered its strength. The yield strength of Cu samples varied from 602 to 672 MPa and the compressive strength between ~834 and 971 MPa. On the other hand, the coefficient of friction (COF) (from 0.49 to 0.18) and wear rate (from 49.3 × 10-3 mm3/Nm to 9.1 × 10-3 mm3/Nm) of Cu–ZrB2 samples considerably decreased with the addition of ZrB2. Significantly low wear was observed with Cu-10 wt% ZrB2 (Cu-10Z) samples, which is 5.41 times less than pure Cu. As far as the wear mechanisms are concerned, in pure Cu, continuous chips (wear debris) were formed during sliding wear by plowing. Whereas the major amount of material loss was occurred due to the plowing mechanism with discontinuous and short chip formation for Cu–ZrB2 composites. The electrical conductivity of Cu–ZrB2 samples decreased from 75.7% IACS to 44.1% IACS. In particular, Cu with ZrB2 (up to 3 wt%) could retain the conductivity of 66.8% IACS. This study reveals that the addition of ZrB2 (up to 3 wt%) is advantageous to have a good combination of properties for Cu.

Tribological Properties of Friction Pair between 316L Stainless Steel and CF/PEEK with Nonsmooth Surface under Seawater Lubrication

This work improves the tribological behavior via innovative surface designs for slipper pairs in seawater axial piston pumps. 316L stainless steel and carbon fiber/polyether ether ketone (CF/PEEK) were selected as friction pair matching materials due to their good corrosion resistance, self-lubrication, and wear resistance. One type of smooth surface and five different types of pit nonsmooth surfaces were created on CF/PEEK specimens. Rotational sliding tests were performed on a friction and wear tester at a load of 200 N at five different sliding speeds (0.79, 1.18, 1.57, 1.96, and 2.36 m/s) under seawater lubrication. The experimental results indicate that the friction process of the smooth surface friction pair is mainly based on abrasive wear and adhesive wear. The friction coefficient range is 0.05–0.08, the specimen contact temperature is 38–75 °C, and the wear rates of 316L and CF/PEEK are 2.3 × 10−5 to 1.2 × 10−4 mm3/(MPa·m) and 5.6 × 10−4 to 7.6 × 10−3 mm3/(MPa·m), respectively. Pits on the specimen surface produce a hydrodynamic effect and store wear debris. The friction process of the nonsmooth surface friction pair is mainly controlled by a ploughing mechanism with only a slight amount of adhesive wear. The friction coefficient range is decreased to 0.03–0.07, the specimen contact temperature is decreased to 28–54 °C, and the wear rates of 316L and CF/PEEK are decreased to 1.2 × 10−5 to 9.1 × 10−5 mm3/(MPa·m) and 2.6 × 10−3 to 7.1 × 10−3 mm3/(MPa·m), respectively. The geometrical arrangement of the elliptical and tri-prism pits increases the convergence gap range and produces a higher bearing capacity. As the sliding speed increases, the friction coefficient first decreases and subsequently slightly increases, the specimen contact temperature increases, and the wear rate decreases.

Effect of Tool Rake Angle and Crystal Orientation on Ductile Mode Cutting of Hard/Brittle Materials

The effects of negative rake angles on the ductile mode cutting of soda glass and sapphire were studied. In addition, the machining mechanism was studied using a groove-cutting model based on the orthogonal cutting theory. It was found that the specific cutting forces in ductile mode cutting increase on both the soda glass specimen and on the sapphire specimen when the rake angle of the tool becomes negative. The difference between the experimental data and theoretical data of the specific cutting forces becomes large when the tool has a high rake angle on the negative side. This is attributed to effects of the roundness of the edge, the effects of the roundness of the nose, and the plowing mechanism, which causes plastic flow of the work material to both sides of the groove. The specific cutting force of sapphire depends on the cutting direction against the crystal orientation. The specific cutting force of sapphire depends on the cutting direction in terms of the crystal orientation. The anisotropy of the cutting force of sapphire also depends on the rake angle of the tool.

A micromechanical study of shale rock-proppant composite interface

The micromechanical properties of shale rock-sand type of composite interface were investigated by performing laboratory tests with a custom-built loading apparatus. This type of interface is of significant interest in petroleum engineering in the process of hydraulic fracturing using proppants. Two different types of quartz sands of different particle shapes were used as proppant simulants and they were sheared against rough and smooth surfaces of shale. It was shown that sand grain type and surface roughness of shale affected the contact stiffness in the normal and tangential directions because of their influence on the induced contact stresses. Based on the micromechanical shearing tests, it was found that the coefficient of friction, the initial tangential stiffness and the microslip displacement were positively correlated with the magnitude of normal load. Although clear surface damage/plowing of the shale surface caused by shearing was observed and captured by interferometry images, the effect of loading history was found to be small. Shearing tests on wet and dry shale surfaces did not show that much difference in results, but immersion of shale in water prior to shearing affected the initial tangential stiffness and coefficient of friction at certain normal loads. Smoothening of the surface had an influence on friction as long as limited plowing was triggered in the low range of normal loads, so that the influence of surface roughness of the shale would diminish at higher normal loads where plowing mechanism dominated the interface response.

A unified process damping model considering the varying stiffness of the milling system

Existing process damping models only consider the effect of a single factor, i.e. either the velocity variation or the ploughing indentation, and thus cannot be used to reveal the dynamic behaviour of the milling process with varying stiffness. This article presents a unified process damping model by comprehensively considering multi-factors such as the cutting velocity, the ploughing indentation and the stiffness of the milling system. First, the actual cutting velocity is used to theoretically detect the effects of both shearing and ploughing mechanisms on process damping. Second, different from the previous relevant works that only used the boundaries of the nominal indented zone to calculate the indented volume, this model includes the deflections of the tool and workpiece to calculate the actual indented volume, and thus realizes characterizing the influence of the milling system’s stiffness on the ploughing force for the first time. Third, the weighting of the ploughing indentation and velocity change on process damping is analysed by introducing a concept of proportion factor, which is subsequently determined by theoretically formulating a calibration algorithm. Besides, an efficient approach to predict the vibration displacements and velocities of the tool-workpiece system, which are needed in solving the established process damping model, is developed. Finally, a series of milling tests with different stiffness proves the correctness of the proposed unified process damping model together with the embedded calibration and prediction algorithms.

Kinematic energy balance approach to submarine landslide evolution

The paper applies the energy balance kinematic method of plasticity theory to the large deformation problem of initiation and propagation of the spreading and ploughing failure outside a failed slab in submarine sediments. The models account for the phenomenon of the progressive propagation of a slope parallel slip surface, which is also quantified using the energy balance approach. In contrast to existing approximate analytical and numerical solutions, the proposed approach provides a theoretical basis for spreading and ploughing criteria as well as the comprehensive dynamic solution of the problem of post-failure landslide evolution. Incremental integration of the derived analytical expressions for kinetic energy in time allows for modelling recurrent initiation of new kinematic failure mechanisms with their subsequent large-scale deformation. Treating the failed slab as well as the spreading and ploughing mechanisms as one composite dynamically evolving mass movement allows for the final post-failure geomorphology of the failed slope to be predicted using basic mechanical principles.