Guide to Geologic Hazards in Alaska - Glossary

Glossary
Landslide
A general term covering a wide variety of mass-movement landforms and processes involving the down slope transport, under gravitational influence, of soil and rock material en masse. Usually the displaced material moves over a relatively confined zone or surface of shear. The wide range of sites and structures and material properties affecting resistance to shear result in a great range of landslide morphology, rates, patterns of movement, and scale. Landsliding is usually preceded, accompanied, and followed by perceptible creep along the surface of sliding and/or within the slide mass. Terminology designating landslide types generally refers to the landform as well as the process responsible for it, e.g. rockfall, translational slide, block glide, avalanche, mudflow, liquefaction slide, and slump. (Neuendorf, K.K.E. and others, 2005)
The steep cliffs that form the caldera walls, bedrock cliffs, volcanic cones, and steep lava flow fronts are prone to rockfalls and small landslides. The frequency and size of such events is likely to increase during eruptions and earthquakes. (RI 2004-3)