Mini-Landslide
Students explore how different materials (sand, gravel, lava rock) with different water contents on different slopes result in landslides of different severity. They measure the severity by how far the landslide debris extends into model houses placed in the flood plain. This activity is a small-scale model of a debris chute currently being used by engineers and scientists to study landslide characteristics. Much of this activity setup is the same as for the Survive That Tsunami activity in Lesson 5 of the Natural Disasters unit.
A 100-meter long debris chute used to simulate landslides.Copyright U.S. Geological Survey http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/ Projects/MassMovement/Publications/OFR92-483/OFR92-483_inlined.html.
To keep us safe from landslides, engineers first study these natural disasters in great detail. They experiment with a model debris chute in Oregon to simulate landslides, and design computer models to predict landslide behavior under various conditions. These engineers also develop measurement tools to gather data from real landslides and apply what they learn to real-world applications to mitigate landslide danger. This includes designing human-made structures (tunnels, roads, homes) that reduce the danger and destruction due to landslides and/or do not cause future landslides, and designing buildings and structures that keep us safe.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Define landslides as the result of gravity and friction acting on different types of earth (rock, soil, sand, gravel, etc.).
- Relate that different types of materials create different landslide dynamics.
- Explain that water adds weight to landslide materials and reduces friction, increasing landslide dangers.
- Describe that studying landslides allows engineers to determine where and how to construct buildings to protect people from landslides, and to develop structures for protecting buildings from landslides.