The Earth’s near-surface resembles a free boundary which changes its form in response to tectonics as well as processes driven by atmospheric circulation, biologic activity and solar radiation. The patterns of erosion can be modulated by stress fields and in turn, landscape change modifies these stress fields. Two general classes of stress fields affecting this boundary can be distinguished: (i) internal stress fields, which are embodied in the geomaterial shape and properties, resembling stress history as well as gravitational or topographic forcing; (ii) external stress fields, which is imposed by geomorphic processes and tectonics. Both internal and external stress fields have been argued to provide dominant controls on landscape change and evolution.
In this session, we want to discuss the various expressions of this on the landscape forms, near-surface processes as well as the geomaterials. We want to invite all geoscientists who are interested in the feedback between stress fields and geomorphic evolution. Topics include the relations between fracture mechanics of earth materials or brittle rheology with erosion and weathering processes, and the effects of stress fields on process rates, locations, and therefore on geomorphic shape evolution.
We encourage contributions over all scales and methods, from laboratory tests to long term landscape evolution experiments, geophysical quantification of processes and stress states, conceptual and numerical modelling of stress-driven mechanics and processes, and the history of stress fields that affect and are affected by the dynamic nature of geomorphic systems.