Soil and slope development in the wet zone of Sri Lanka

Research on the geomorphology of Sigiriya Rock, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sri Lanka, reveals that its steep, convex rock slopes have remained largely unchanged for at least 2000 years. This longevity challenges expectations given their steepness and tropical weathering conditions, suggesting resilience in slope evolution under such environments. The study avoids detailed theoretical or measurement-based approaches due to the diversity of landforms in Sri Lanka, instead relying on field observations to draw tentative conclusions. Notably, overhung recesses housing ancient paintings (dating back to AD 485) show minimal weathering, indicating prolonged stability in these tropical rock formations.

Bremer, H. (2020). Soil and slope development in the wet zone of Sri Lanka. Environmental Change and Tropical Geomorphology, 295–301. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429263057-15