The angle of reach as a mobility index for small and large landslides

TLDR

The study aims to assess how scale influences landslide mobility by examining the relationship between the angle of reach and landslide volume. The authors analyzed the correlation between angle of reach and mobility indices such as vertical drop, horizontal reach, and volume using simplified plots and regression equations. Across 204 landslides, the angle of reach consistently decreases with increasing volume, small landslides (<0.5 × 10⁶ m³) travel distances comparable to large ones, and the angle of reach serves as a reliable mobility indicator independent of fall height. Keywords: mass wasting, landslides, reach angle, runout distance, rock avalanches, shallow landslides.

Abstract

The relations between the angle of reach (fahrböschung) and other indexes expressing the mobility of landslides and vertical drop, horizontal reach, and volume of landslide mass have been analyzed by means of simplified plots and regression equations. Results for 204 landslides of all sizes show that whatever the mechanism of motion, all kinds of landslides experience a continuous reduction of the angle of reach with volume increase. This reduction starts from the smallest sizes. Scattering in this relation is mostly due to mechanisms of motion and to both obstacles and topographic constraints on the path. This synthesis indicates that small landslides (less than 0.5 × 10 6 m 3 ), in relative terms, display excesses of travel distance similar to large landslides. Since most small landslides are not expected to develop any change in the mechanism of progression while moving, the decrease in the reach angle with volume suggests that scale effects should be taken into account. The angle of reach is found to be a proper indicator of the relative mobility of landslides and is not dependent on the height of fall. Key words: mass wasting, landslides, reach angle, runout distance, rock avalanches, shallow landslides.