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Landslides from massive rock slope failure (MRSF) are a major geological hazard in many parts of the world. Hazard assessment is made difficult by a variety of complex initial failure processes and unpredictable post-failure behaviour, which includes transformation of movement mechanism, substantial changes in volume, and changes in the characteristics of the moving mass. Initial failure mechanisms are strongly influenced by geology and topography. Massive rock slope failure includes rockslides, rock avalanches, catastrophic spreads and rockfalls. Catastrophic debris flows can also be triggered by massive rock slope failure. Volcanoes are particularly prone to massive rock slope failure and can experience very large scale sector collapse or much smaller partial collapse. Both these types of failures may be transformed into lahars which can travel over 100 km from their source. MRSF deposits give insight into fragmentation and emplacement processes. Slow mountain slope deformation presents problems in interpretation of origin and movement mechanism. The identification of thresholds for the catastrophic failure of a slow moving rock slope is a key question in hazard assessment. Advances have been made in the analysis and modeling of initial failure and post-failure behaviour. However, these studies have been retrodictive in nature and their true predictive potential for hazard assessment remains uncertain yet promising. These processes, which can be instantaneous or delayed, include the formation and failure of landslide dams and the generation of landslide tsunamis. Both these processes extend potential damage beyond the limits of landslide debris. The occurrence of MRSF forms orderly magnitude and frequency relations which can be characterized by robust power law relationships. MRSF is increasingly recognized as being an important process in landscape evolution which provides an essential context for enhanced hazard assessment. Secondary processes associated with MRSF are an important component of hazard.

Landslides from massive rock slope failure (MRSF) are a major geological hazard in many parts of the world. Hazard assessment is made difficult by a variety of complex initial failure processes and unpredictable post-failure behaviour, which includes transformation of movement mechanism, substantial changes in volume, and changes in the characteristics of the moving mass. Initial failure mechanisms are strongly influenced by geology and topography. Massive rock slope failure includes rockslides, rock avalanches, catastrophic spreads and rockfalls. Catastrophic debris flows can also be triggered by massive rock slope failure. Volcanoes are particularly prone to massive rock slope failure and can experience very large scale sector collapse or much smaller partial collapse. Both these types of failures may be transformed into lahars which can travel over 100 km from their source. MRSF deposits give insight into fragmentation and emplacement processes. Slow mountain slope deformation presents problems in interpretation of origin and movement mechanism. The identification of thresholds for the catastrophic failure of a slow moving rock slope is a key question in hazard assessment. Advances have been made in the analysis and modeling of initial failure and post-failure behaviour. However, these studies have been retrodictive in nature and their true predictive potential for hazard assessment remains uncertain yet promising. These processes, which can be instantaneous or delayed, include the formation and failure of landslide dams and the generation of landslide tsunamis. Both these processes extend potential damage beyond the limits of landslide debris. The occurrence of MRSF forms orderly magnitude and frequency relations which can be characterized by robust power law relationships. MRSF is increasingly recognized as being an important process in landscape evolution which provides an essential context for enhanced hazard assessment. Secondary processes associated with MRSF are an important component of hazard.