Types of impact

Landslides can damage buildings in different ways. In the first case, the building is affected by the striking landslide. The damage in this instance depends on the kinetic energy which is a function of the speed of the landslide and the sliding mass.

 In the second case, the entire building is located on the sliding mass. The consequences are less serious if the building stands on a large, steadily moving mass. However, if the building stands on ground that moves at different speeds, the differential movements have a destabilising effect on the structure of the building.

In the final case, the building stands directly above the release zone. There is an acute risk that the building will collapse in this case due to  the sinking of the ground underneath it.