The causes of rockfall can be broadly classified into the following two reasons:
(i) Freezing and thawing and the subsequent development of vegetation root pressure in slopes is one of the major causes of rockfall in some countries like Europe. Moreover, rockfall can also be triggered by heavy rainstorms which bring about surface erosion and generate water pressure in rock joints.
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(ii) Rockfall can also be induced by poor joint patterns and low strength and water pressure in joints.
This question is taken from book named – A Self Learning Manual – Mastering Different Fields of Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q-A-Method) by Vincent T. H. CHU.
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