Forces that Are Present In Landslides
In a landslide, there are two main type of forces, the driving and the resisting forces. The driving force is composed of gravity which is a pulling force in this natural disaster. Gravity drives the rock, topsoil, loose dirt, and the earth down the steep hill which creates the major component of the landslide. The resisting forces are the forces that cause the landslide materials to resist the downward pull of gravity. The two primary resisting forces landslides are frictional forces (friction) and the force applied by the weight of the material (stress).
In general, the driving force within the landslide is most heavily influenced by the weight of the potential landslide objects and the angle of the hill, mountain, or volcano. The higher the inclination angle, the more dominant or powerful gravity becomes in pulling the material down the slope. If the driving and the resisting forces are equal in strength, the land will not move. Landslides begin to occur when the resisting forces reach a limit from the strength of the gravity overpowers the frictional forces between the slide material and the bedrock, or both. Triggering events such as earthquakes, heavy rain, or volcanoes can help to start a landslide, but gravity is always the primary force that causes any landslide to occur, regardless of how that landslide was triggered.
In general, the driving force within the landslide is most heavily influenced by the weight of the potential landslide objects and the angle of the hill, mountain, or volcano. The higher the inclination angle, the more dominant or powerful gravity becomes in pulling the material down the slope. If the driving and the resisting forces are equal in strength, the land will not move. Landslides begin to occur when the resisting forces reach a limit from the strength of the gravity overpowers the frictional forces between the slide material and the bedrock, or both. Triggering events such as earthquakes, heavy rain, or volcanoes can help to start a landslide, but gravity is always the primary force that causes any landslide to occur, regardless of how that landslide was triggered.