Mudflow

Mudflow

:"Mudslide redirects here, it 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. It is a rapid movement of a large mass of mud formed from loose earth and water. 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.

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.

ee also

* moisture content, solifluction, water saturation, torrent
* slope, failure, gully, alluvial plain
* lava eruption, lava flow, Lahar
* Glacial lake outburst flood

External links

* [http://videos.howstuffworks.com/mudslide-video.htm How Mudslide works]
* [http://www.horizontaldrill.com Directed Technologies Drilling for mudslide prevention]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • mudflow — [mud′flō΄] n. a massive movement of wet soil, rocks, etc.: see LAHAR, MUDSLIDE …   English World dictionary

  • mudflow — /mud floh /, n. Geol. 1. a flow of mixed earth debris containing a large amount of water. 2. the dried out product of such a flow. Also called mud slide, mudspate. [1900 05; MUD + FLOW] * * * Flow of water that contains large amounts of suspended …   Universalium

  • mudflow —    The mass movement process, associated sediments (mudflow deposit), or resultant landform characterized by a very rapid type of earthflow dominated by a sudden, downslope movement of a saturated mass of rock, soil, and mud (more than 50 % of… …   Glossary of landform and geologic terms

  • mudflow — ALASKA VOLCANO OBSERVATORY GLOSSARY A flowage of water saturated earth material possessing a high degree of fluidity during movement. A less saturated flowing mass is often called a debris flow. A mudflow originating on the flank of a volcano is… …   Glossary of volcanic terms

  • mudflow — noun Date: circa 1900 a moving mass of soil made fluid by rain or melting snow; also lahar …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • mudflow — noun a) A type of landslide characterized by large flows of mud and water. b) The dried out product of such a flow. Also called mudslide, mudspate …   Wiktionary

  • mudflow —   a fairly rapid mass movement usually occurring after heavy rainfall …   Geography glossary

  • mudflow —    A flow of water saturated unconsolidated debris [16] …   Lexicon of Cave and Karst Terminology

  • mudflow — n. current of water and mud …   English contemporary dictionary

  • mudflow — noun a fluid or hardened stream of mud …   English new terms dictionary

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