Mudflow
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Mudslide redirects here, which is also the name of a cocktail.
A mudflow or mudslide is the most rapid (up to 80 km/h / 50 mph) and fluid type of downhill mass wasting. Similar terms are debris flow (e.g. in high mountains), mudslide (not very liquid) lahars and mud stream (e.g. from volcanoes; see also lahar).
However, these terms show a broad variety
- in water content (from loamy mud up to almost liquid),
- in material (wet soil, sandy sediments and/or silt, dirt, rock debris, volcanic ash, small plants and even trees)
- and in length, total mass and velocity.
[edit] Mudflow control
A radical method of defending a city against mud or debris flows is by building a strong enough dam, with a large enough reservoir, upstream of the city in the valley from which the mud flows would come. An example is the Medeu Dam outside of Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Rapid movement of a large mass of mud formed from loose earth and water.
[edit] See also
- moisture content, solifluction, water saturation, torrent
- slope, failure, gully, alluvial plain
- lava eruption, lava flow, Lahar
- Glacial lake outburst flood
