The slope of a surface or wall is called slope.
The French word talus came to Spanish as talud . The term refers to the slope recorded by the facing of a wall or surface . The idea of facing, for its part, is linked to the faces of a wall.
For engineering and architecture , the slope is the difference that exists between the thickness of the lower sector of the wall and the thickness of the upper sector, creating a slope . This allows the wall to resist the pressure exerted by the earth behind it.
It should be noted that, for geology , a slope is a cluster of pieces of rock that forms in the basin of a valley or at the base of a cliff. They generally have a concave appearance, oriented upwards.
Protection of a slope
Analyzing the stability of the slope is essential for the development of an architectural or civil engineering project. An unevenness and the nature of the materials can threaten this stability .
To protect a slope, various techniques can be used depending on the type of work . Covering with stone or concrete and planting certain plant species are some of the possible measures.
A natural slope develops without human intervention.
The term in engineering
Broadly speaking, therefore, we can say that for engineering the concept of slope is defined as a surface that is inclined with respect to one that is considered horizontal, so that it adopts said position temporarily or permanently. In almost all cases, the slope is composed of the same material as that found in the ground, and this includes reinforced concrete and rock, among others.
It is important to mention that before starting the construction of an architectural project or a civil work, it is essential to study the slope in depth. At first glance, with respect to its structure we can point out that two essential parts can be seen: its foot and its crest, which are the lowest and highest part, respectively.
There are two types of slopes that are recognized in the field of engineering, although within each of them many particularities and variations can be studied. On the one hand there is the natural slope , which is formed without human intervention, but throughout the evolution of geology itself; This is called the slope . The artificial slope , on the other hand, is what human beings do manufacture, and they do so for the construction of dams, railways, roads and other works.
Slope failure
When a slope breaks and causes the soil to shift, it is called a landslide movement . There are several possible causes for this phenomenon to occur. For example, in soils that form a slope with the help of water, instability is common. This causes them to move downward, either by an external load or by the action of gravity, and if the resistance force decreases until it is below that which opposes it, failure occurs.
Among the types of failure that occur most frequently on a slope, we can mention the following: local; by the foot; sliding on previous faults; by movement; foundation or foot failure; rotation collapse; by translation; flow (in cementless forms); by erosion; slip on surface ; liquefaction.
underwater structure
The continental slope , finally, is the natural underwater structure that extends from the so-called continental shelf to a depth of about 2000 meters or more. It is a declining area where sediments from the continents accumulate.
The slope of the continental slope is usually between 5° and 7° . In any case, continental slopes with more than 50° inclination have been recorded.