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How does debris accumulating on a slope affect landslide risk?
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landslide
This 1995 landslide at La Conchita, a coastal town in California, swept away a hillside road and destroyed a number of houses.
The accumulation of debris on a slope increases the risk of a landslide by acting as a form of loading that builds up shear stresses within the slope.1
Landslides occur when these gravitational and other shear stresses exceed the shear strengthâthe internal resistance to shearingâof the materials forming the slope. By adding weight to the surface, the accumulation of debris contributes to the destabilization of the slope, making it more susceptible to movement. This process is one of several factors, including natural erosion, human excavation, and increased water content, that can compromise slope equilibrium and trigger mass movement.213