Definition of landslide

A general term covering a wide variety of mass-movement landforms and processes involving the downslope transport, under gravitational influence, of soil and rock material en masse. Usually the displaced material moves over a relatively confined zone or surface of shear. The wide range of sites and structures, and of material properties affecting resistance to shear, result in a great range of landslide morphology, rates, patterns of movement, and scale. Landsliding is usually preceded, accompanied, and followed by perceptible creep along the surface of sliding and/or within the slide mass. Terminology designating landslide types generally refers to the landform as well as the process responsible for it; e.g., rockfall, translational slide, block glide, avalanche, mudflow, liquefaction slide, and slump.



Synonym of: landsliding, slide, landslip

Ref: AGI