VAIONT DAM DISASTER (photo)

 1.  GEOLOGIC SETTING

      a.  Hill slopes are oversteepened by glacial erosion

      b.  Bedrock bedding planes dip down slope

      c.  Limestone bedrock weakened by weathering 

 

 2.  LANDSLIDE CAUSES

      a.  Reservoir construction raised water table in valley

      b.  Heavy, prolonged rainfall saturated upper slopes