Report on Session 2a

IntroductionThe papers in this session of the conference concentrate on some of the processes described by the Theme Lecturer, Professor Hutchinson, and the engineering properties of the materials. Engineering implications are referred to in the papers but are included in this session because the process/properties element is stressed. This report is intended to provide a brief introduction to the session papers and all references are to papers in this conference.The term “periglacial” is sometimes restricted to geomorphological processes where freeze-thaw is the dominant action but the definition generally is widened to include all those processes, and their landforms, taking place in cold climated outside the margins of an ice sheet and so encompasses everything that is not directly glacial. This conference has used this wider definition and thus deposits such as laminated glacial lake sediments (Bell and Coultard) are included in this session. Table 1 illustrated the range of features that could be considered, many of which are discussed to varying degress in the papers.TABLE 1: List of periglacial features/processes.LARGE-SCALE LANDSLIPSSOLIFLUCTION, MUDFLOWS, SHEARSASYMMETRIC VALLEYSFROST CREEPCAMBERS, VALLEY BULGESICE WEDGESPOLYGONSFROST HEAVE, INVOLUTIONSFROST MOUNDS, PINGOSFROST SHATTERINGLOESS DEPOSITIONLAMINATED LAKE DEPOSITSCHEMICAL OF CaCO3SLOPE PROCESSESThe various processes involved in the formation and modification of slopes, either in their natural condition, or if modified by some engineering works. Is is not surprising then, that the majority of papers submitted to this session concern periglacial slope processes.