Stability of Slopes in Frozen Soil, Mackenzie Valley, N.W.T.

A field study of landslides has shown that certain types of mass movement in the Mackenzie Valley, N.W.T. are associated with shear failure in frozen soil. These land-slides have been classified on a descriptive basis as being block and multiple retrogressive slides. A detailed description of the ch...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Geotechnical Journal
Main Authors: McRoberts, E. C., Morgenstern, N. R.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1974
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/t74-058
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/t74-058
Description
Summary:A field study of landslides has shown that certain types of mass movement in the Mackenzie Valley, N.W.T. are associated with shear failure in frozen soil. These land-slides have been classified on a descriptive basis as being block and multiple retrogressive slides. A detailed description of the characteristic morphology, and of the soil and permafrost conditions at these slides has been presented.Quantitative analysis of slides at a site on the Mountain River are consistent with the view that failure occurs through frozen soil with the base of the slide in unfrozen clay. It appears that high pore water pressures control the available shear strength in the unfrozen clay and that the long term strength of the permafrost soils is governed by a frictional resistance.