Classification of landslides and the scale of their distribution on the territory of Belarus

Abstract

Оn the basis of many years of research, including field instrumental observations of the development of landslide and other exogenous geological processes, as well as their mapping and photography, the classification of landslides in Belarus is carried out. The analysis of the manifestation of landslide processes within Belarus made it possible to identify their genetic types for the territory of the country: shearing landslides, squeezing landslides, landslides-streams and floating landslides. The main objects of impact of landslide processes are residential and non-residential buildings and communications in settlements, quarries for the extraction of nonmetallic raw materials and the republic’s roads.
It was found that the activation of the landslide process is due to the action of atmospheric and technogenic factors, the intensity of the impact of landslides in the spring and autumn periods is especially high, as a rule, the winter period is not process-hazardous, however, isolated cases of landslides can be observed in winter. In most cases, the manifestation of the landslide process is accompanied or is a consequence of the development of other geomorphological processes (river erosion, suffusion, etc.). In addition, the negative impact of landslide processes on housing and utility facilities is due to the absence or unsatisfactory condition of protective structures, as well as the failure to comply with the necessary protective measures. The studies carried out indicate the need for a comprehensive assessment of the hazard of landslide processes in order to ensure the safety of life of the population and the normal operation of structures, mainly housing facilities and transport communications.