Mass Movements
Summer Term 2020
Announcements
-
Unfortunately we are still not allowed to meet at the regular schedule,
regardless of the small size of the group. However, it should not be
a fundamental problem to continue with homework and supporting material
for the next weeks.
-
Overall workload of the students will probably increase during the semester. So we
should take the chance to start reading and preparing right now, and you are also
free to start with the first homework. In particular in the beginning, we can
adjust submission dates etc. according to our need.
-
For reading, I suggest two documents.
-
Highland, L. M. & Bobrowsky, P. (2008):
The Landslide Handbook – A Guide to Understanding Landslides,
U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1325, Reston, Viginia, 129.
The topics covered by this book are explained much better than I could. Section 1
is particularly relevant for us, but the rest of the book is also interesting.
-
A Short Introduction to Continuum Mechanics.
For the considerations of slope stability in the first part we will need some knowledge
about continuum mechanics that will also be helpful if you attend the module
Rock Mechanics later. The file also inludes some MATLAB scripts for visualization and
for testing the theoretical concepts with examples.
-
I arranged a mailing list where all members can also send mails. This list will help
us to ensure the same level of information for all students in the beginning.
If you want to subscribe for the list (and did not already), please write a mail to me.
Teachers and Tutors
- Stefan Hergarten
-
lecture, assignments
- Alexa Pietrek
-
assignments, students' support
Mail addresses, office numbers and phone numbers are available at
Our Team in the navigation bar.
Appointments
- Monday 9–10 a.m., seminar room 03 037 (uppermost floor)
- Thursday 10–12 a.m., seminar room 03 037 (uppermost floor)
hopefully starting from June 15.
Topics
- Slope instability
- Continuum mechanics approach
- Classical methods of slices (Fellenius, Bishop)
-
Mass movements
- Sliding; talweg and fahrboeschung concepts
- Falling (bouncing)
- Rapid mass movements, granular flow
The module is somewhat complementary to the module "Engineering Geology" where
methods of measuring the relevant parameters and potential remedial actions
are considered.
Examination
Your marks will be derived according to the following scheme:
| Component |
Contribution |
| assignments |
5/6 |
| helping your classmates in solving the assignments or solving your assignments
on your own |
1/6* |
*
also depending on your own score, e.g., 20 % of your own score if you
solve all on your own
-
A total score of 50 % is required to pass the class. There are no further constaints,
i.e., no minimum scores required for any of the components.
-
In case anyone fails, there will be a second exam. However, this
would be not easy for you as you would have to solve new assignments
without or with little support by your classmates, and it would be a
considerable amount of additional work for me. So please do not try!
Assignments
-
The assignments are designed individually for each student
using the enrollment number (7 digits). Solutions not corresponding to
your assignment sheet will not be marked without the chance of resubmission.
-
Criteria of evaluation are the correctness of the solution, interpretations
being consistent and understandable, and the quality of the figures
(e.g., axis labels and units). At least the main components of the
MATLAB codes must be included in the solution.
-
You may either submit your solutions alone or in groups of two students.
If you want to submit as a group, you must already fill in both enrollment
numbers when downloading your assigment sheet.
-
Beyond being allowed to submit your solution in a group of two students,
you are encouraged to work together.
According to the general ethics of scientific work,
collaboration must be acknowledged when submitting an assignment.
You must declare in the respective fields of the submission form whether you
-
solved everything on your own,
-
worked together as a group and contributed equally to the solution, and/or
-
received helped from other classmates.
Any solutions violating this rule will not be considered without the chance of resubmission.
-
As the assignments accompany the progress of the class,
the deadlines announced on the assignment sheets must be obeyed. A tolerance
of 15 days is given for all assignments in sum. You may, e.g., be late by 3 days at one
assignment, 4 days at another, and 8 days by a third one. Late submissions exceeding
this limit will not be considered. Please keep in mind that
the rule concerns individual assignments, not entire assignment sheets.
Assignment Sheets
Assignment sheets
Submission of Solutions
Solutions can only be submitted as PDF files using the form below. A submission of printouts
or by e-mail is not possible. Details are given during the submission procedure.
Submission of Solutions
Solutions can only be submitted as PDF files using the form below. A submission of printouts
or by e-mail is not possible. Please pay attention to the following points:
-
As there is no official list of participants, you have to register before you
can upload any files. Registrations made for previous classes or for the
fieldtrip registration system are valid here, too.
If you are not sure whether you are already registered, please use the following
form to test your registration or to register.
-
PDF is the only accepted file format. Submissions must be either one file
per assignment sheet or one file per assignment (preferred).
-
The file size must not exceed 64 MB.
-
Special characters ("Umlaute" etc.) and white spaces in the
filename are not allowed.
-
Paper size must be similar to DIN A4 portrait (US letter or similar formats
are also acceptable, but not much larger), and the font size should be at least 11 pt.
-
If appropriate for the respective assignment, scanned hand-written solutions are also accepted,
provided that the technical quality is ok (no smartphone photos etc.).
The
photocopier close to the entrance of the CIP classroom offers scans of
good quality for free.
-
Short MATLAB code sequences that you executed step by step
in the command window should be included in your main PDF file.
Larger codes that you saved in a MATLAB file (.m) must be attached as
individual code attachments.
However, all relevant information (figures, interpretations)
must still be contained in your main PDF file.
-
If your solution requires data not included in your code (e.g., results
of previous assignments), you must upload them as data supplements (MATLAB workspace,
.mat).
-
If you use other programming languages, please ask for the details about uploading
your codes.
-
After uploading your file you receive a mail with page images (at
reduced resolution). Please check whether these page images are consistent with
the submitted document and whether you submited your file for the correct
class. Keep this mail as it is the proof of your submission.
-
If you receive an error message, your solution has not been submitted.
Downloads
No regular presentation file this semester, only some figures and
the screenshots from the interactive whiteboard.
Further Reading
Highland, L. M. & Bobrowsky, P. (2008):
The Landslide Handbook – A Guide to Understanding Landslides,
U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1325, Reston, Viginia, 129.
Bromhead, E. (1992): The Stability of Slopes. Taylor & Francis, London, 411.
de Blasio, F. V. (2011): Introduction to the Physics of Landslides. Springer, 408.
