The Dynamics of Rock Block Slow Sliding

V. N. Rodionov and I. A. Sizov

Institute of Geosphere Dynamics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

Received January 16, 1999

Abstract—In this paper, a physical model of friction is proposed and the equation of motion for a surface layer
on the slope is obtained. A slow mass transfer along slopes induces local stresses in surface layers, and the value
of these stresses is sufficient for the destruction of rocks and the initiation of fast mass shifts along the slope.
The dependence of the friction force on the velocity is the key question of slow dynamics.