Near-Surface Geophysics
University of Freiburg
Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences
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Mass Movements

Summer Term 2021

Teachers and Tutors

Stefan Hergarten

lecture, assignments

Alexa Pietrek

assignments, students' support

Announcements

The lecture on Monday, 12.07. (9–10 a.m.) has to be canceled due to a committe meeting.

Appointments

According to the COVID-19 situation, we have to start in online mode and will proably have to proceed this way for the entire semester.

• Monday 9–10 a.m., via zoom
• Thursday 10–12 a.m., via zoom

Meeting link: https://uni-freiburg.zoom.us/j/64245285942, Password at ILIAS

Topics

1. Slope instability
   • Continuum mechanics approach
   • Classical methods of slices (Fellenius, Bishop)
2. Mass movements
   • Talweg and fahrboeschung concepts
   • Lumped-mass models
   • 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). As there is no official list of participants, you have to register before you can download assignment sheets. Registrations made for previous classes or for the fieldtrip registration system are valid here, too. If you want to register or if you are not sure whether you are already registered, please use the following form to test your registration or to register.

  Enrollment number

• If you are not yet registered and want to take a look at the assignments, you may use any 7 digit number for downloading. However, your submitted solution must be consistent with the assignment sheet of your real enrollment number. 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).
• You may either submit your solutions alone or in groups of 2 students. If you want to submit as a group, you must already fill in both enrollment numbers when downloading your assignment sheet.
• Beyond being allowed to submit your solution in a group of 2 students, are encouraged to solve the assignments together. You are even allowed to adopt significant ideas from your classmates. According to the general ethics of scientific work, collaboration must be acknowledged when submitting an assignment. Details are given during the submission procedure. Copying codes, figures or parts of the text from solutions of your classmates is, however, not allowed. 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 2 days at one assignment, 4 days at another, and 9 days by a third one. This tolerance also includes short periods of sickness or failure of your computer. If your submissions exceed this limit, you will lose some of your scores. Please keep in mind that the rule concerns individual assignments, not entire assignment sheets.
• The deadline for the two final assignments is Aug. 6, 2021.

Assignment sheets

Assignment sheet 1 (06.04.–07.05.)   enrollment number(s): 

Assignment sheet 2 (03.–17.05.)   enrollment number(s): 

Assignment sheet 3 (17.–31.05.)   enrollment number(s): 

Assignment sheet 4 (31.05.–18.06.)   enrollment number(s): 

Assignment sheet 5 (14.–25.06.)   enrollment number(s): 

Assignment sheet 6 (24.06.–06.07.)   enrollment number(s): 

Assignment sheet 7 (01.–13.07.)   enrollment number(s): 

Assignment sheet 8 (08.–25.07.)   enrollment number(s): 

Assignment sheet 9 (15.07.–06.08.)   enrollment number(s): 

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.

Enrollment number

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.

  Enrollment number

• 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.

Enrollment number

Downloads

No regular presentation file this semester, only some figures and the screenshots from the interactive whiteboard.

• Figures
• A Short Introduction to Continuum Mechanics
• Slope failure
• Screenshots and other files developed in the class

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.