Influence of the lithological and geotechnical properties of rocks upon morphology of glacial valleys

The long and cross sectional forms of glacial valleys and cirques are a reflection of relationship between the abrasive and plucking processes occuring at the base of a glacier and the resistance of the bedrock mass to these processes. Field work was carried out to examine the forms of glacially eroded slopes and bedrock forms with respect to the Rock Mass Strength classification of Selby (1980, 1982) and to correlate this data with petrological and laboratory geomechanical characterisitics of rocks sampled in the field. Samples and investigations took place in the Taylor, Wright, Upper and Victoria Valleys and the Asgaard and Olympus Ranges.