Causes/ Solutions Mass Wasting

CAUSES

Shocks: These can be major- like the sudden shock of an earthquake, or they can be minor, caused by the wind or simply by a vehicle driving down the road. Shocks can trigger the side of a slope to become unstable, unsafe, and possibly trigger avalanches, mudslides, etc.
Slope Modification: The steepness of the slope can vary, and can be modified by man or even natural causes. This can modify how much mass wasting actually occurs.
Undercutting: This is what happens when flowing water (like a stream of river) erodes away at a slope, thus causing it to become unstable.

Precipitation: It depends on the area and circumstances, precipitation can either cause much damage with heavy, long lasting rainfall, or minor damage- only moving soil and aiding future mass wasting.

Volcanic Eruptions: Volcanic eruptions cause a lot of damage. They can be a shock, thus causing an earthquake, and molten lava makes things move (and melts ice, triggering more disaster)- mudslides and landslides, possibly rock slides as well.


SOLUTIONS
-Building and maintaining screens and cables to stop/contain rock falls
-Constructing walls and barriers
-Keeping heavy weight off the top of a slope, not adding unnecessary weight
-Being careful with water saturation levels in soil
-Monitoring how much removal of vegetation and roots- this loosens soil
-Not undercutting at the base of slopes
-Planting more vegetation
-Drain pipes for excess water
-Terracing slopes to make them less steep