Valley thrust

A valley push is the slow or episodic pushing of an alpine valley through slope movements above it . As a result, a reservoir often forms at the constricted point , the dam of which can be breached again during one of the next floods .

Mountain slopes with unstable valley flanks are susceptible to valley thrusts, but not only steep slopes are affected. Whether and how quickly the slope material moves down depends not only on the slope of the terrain, but also on the vegetation on the slope, the type of soil and the loosening zone below, its porosity and local weather conditions.

If the mountain flank consists essentially of solid rock , new fissures can open up or existing ones can widen even with the slightest slope movement . They are called valley thrust joints or slope rupture joints .

A slow valley thrust is often related to soil tiling or a susceptibility to plaiken formation . The former can also occur in hilly terrain with the appropriate rock. Episodically (in several phases) a valley surge occurs e.g. B. when a local heavy rain brings large amounts of loose rock into a flowable state.

swell

• Hans Murawski, Geological Dictionary. Ferdinand Emke-Verlag, Stuttgart 1977
• Landform studies and geological excursion, Geology Department, Vienna University of Technology