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A Numerical Investigation of Sediment Destructuring as a Potential Globally Widespread Trigger for Large Submarine Landslides on Low Gradients

A Numerical Investigation of Sediment Destructuring as a Potential Globally Widespread Trigger for Large Submarine Landslides on Low Gradients
A Numerical Investigation of Sediment Destructuring as a Potential Globally Widespread Trigger for Large Submarine Landslides on Low Gradients
Submarine landslides on open continental slopes can be far larger than any slope failure on land and occur in locations worldwide on gradients of <2°. Significantly elevated pore pressure is necessary to overcome the sediment’s shearing resistance on such remarkably low gradients, but the processes causing such overpressure generation are contentious, especially in areas with slow sedimentation rates. Here we propose that the progressive loss of interparticle bonding and fabric could cause such high excess pore pressure. Slow sedimentation may favour the formation of a structural framework in the sediment that is load-bearing until yield stress is reached. The bonds then break down, causing an abrupt porosity decrease and consequently overpressure as pore fluid cannot escape sufficiently rapidly. To test this hypothesis, we implement such a loss of structure into a 2D fully coupled stress-fluid flow Finite Element model of a submerged low angle slope, and simulate consolidation due to slow sedimentation. The results suggest that destructuring could indeed be a critical process for submarine slope stability.
978-3-319-00971-1
37
177-188
Springer
Urlaub, M.
7dd888d5-083c-490d-9fe5-1d13bd7f08e7
Talling, P.
1cbac5ec-a9f8-4868-94fe-6203f30b47cf
Zervos, A.
9e60164e-af2c-4776-af7d-dfc9a454c46e
Krastel, S.
Behrmann, J-H.
Volker, D.
Stipp, M.
Berndt, C.
Urgeles, R.
Chaytor, J.
Huhn, K.
Strasser, M.
Harbitz, C.B.
Urlaub, M.
7dd888d5-083c-490d-9fe5-1d13bd7f08e7
Talling, P.
1cbac5ec-a9f8-4868-94fe-6203f30b47cf
Zervos, A.
9e60164e-af2c-4776-af7d-dfc9a454c46e
Krastel, S.
Behrmann, J-H.
Volker, D.
Stipp, M.
Berndt, C.
Urgeles, R.
Chaytor, J.
Huhn, K.
Strasser, M.
Harbitz, C.B.

Urlaub, M., Talling, P. and Zervos, A. (2014) A Numerical Investigation of Sediment Destructuring as a Potential Globally Widespread Trigger for Large Submarine Landslides on Low Gradients. In, Krastel, S., Behrmann, J-H., Volker, D., Stipp, M., Berndt, C., Urgeles, R., Chaytor, J., Huhn, K., Strasser, M. and Harbitz, C.B. (eds.) Submarine Mass Movements and Their Consequences: 6th International Symposium. (Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, 37) Cham,Switzerland. Springer, pp. 177-188. (doi:10.1007/978-3-319-00972-8_16).

Record type: Book Section

Abstract

Submarine landslides on open continental slopes can be far larger than any slope failure on land and occur in locations worldwide on gradients of <2°. Significantly elevated pore pressure is necessary to overcome the sediment’s shearing resistance on such remarkably low gradients, but the processes causing such overpressure generation are contentious, especially in areas with slow sedimentation rates. Here we propose that the progressive loss of interparticle bonding and fabric could cause such high excess pore pressure. Slow sedimentation may favour the formation of a structural framework in the sediment that is load-bearing until yield stress is reached. The bonds then break down, causing an abrupt porosity decrease and consequently overpressure as pore fluid cannot escape sufficiently rapidly. To test this hypothesis, we implement such a loss of structure into a 2D fully coupled stress-fluid flow Finite Element model of a submerged low angle slope, and simulate consolidation due to slow sedimentation. The results suggest that destructuring could indeed be a critical process for submarine slope stability.

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More information

Published date: 2014
Organisations: Infrastructure Group, Marine Geoscience, Civil Maritime & Env. Eng & Sci Unit

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 362806
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/362806
ISBN: 978-3-319-00971-1
PURE UUID: 0ee25e1e-ee2c-40df-9241-8677bc3cdbc7
ORCID for A. Zervos: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2662-9320

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Date deposited: 06 Mar 2014 15:05
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:16

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Contributors

Author: M. Urlaub
Author: P. Talling
Author: A. Zervos ORCID iD
Editor: S. Krastel
Editor: J-H. Behrmann
Editor: D. Volker
Editor: M. Stipp
Editor: C. Berndt
Editor: R. Urgeles
Editor: J. Chaytor
Editor: K. Huhn
Editor: M. Strasser
Editor: C.B. Harbitz

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