Landslides
Landslide is a natural phenomenon that disrupts the stability of large land masses and creates conditions for their movement. Landslides are associated with heavily rugged terrain and other specific causes such as:
- excessive tilting of the base of the slope, such as through natural erosion or excavation;
- excessive loading of the slope, such as water inflow, rising groundwater levels or accumulation of debris on the slope surface.
- short-term loads, such as earthquakes and heavy rainstorms, can also contribute to landslide activation.
Landslides can also be activated by processes that weaken the strength of the materials that make up the slope. For example, an increase in water content, as a result of natural processes or human activity, usually weakens sand materials by reducing friction between particles, as well as weakens clay materials due to the dissolution of binder particles.
Measures to prevent the activation of landslides include:
- knowing of the geological features and the level of groundwater in the terrain at risk of landslides;
- preventing of high density of construction without built infrastructure - water supply, sewerage system, drainage system;
- ensuring reliable drainage of rainwater;
- undertaking consultations and emergency measures in case of suspicion of the beginning of landslide processes. Signs of this may be jamming of doors, windows or other deformations in the building or the relevant facility.
Emergency measures in case of landslide activation include:
- Dangerous areas are marked and signaled.
- The traffic of motor vehicles near the activated landslides is stopped.
- Reliable protection and monitoring of the landslide is provided.
- The power supply and the water supply network in the area of the landslide are switched off.
- An assessment is made of the condition of the building stock and the engineering infrastructure in the region. If necessary, the removal of the population from the endangered territory is organized.
- Some types of urgent fortification works are being carried out urgently – construction of retaining walls and drainage systems, scaling of sections.
- It is forbidden for people to stay in the area of the landslide.
- When processes acquire landslide character, partial collapse is caused – controlled in time, volume and location, in order to prevent the landslide sudden activation and the occurrence of accidents.
