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Project Number 491
Date of Summary

February 8, 2006
Subject Risk Assessment for Submarine Slope Stability
Performing Activity OTRC 
Principal Investigator Wright
Contracting Agency Minerals Management Service
Estimated Completion Completed
Description The objective of this project was the risk assessment of submarine slope failures, including the prediction of the subsequent extent of sliding once a slope failure is initiated. Submarine slides are known to often travel much larger distances than typical subaerial slides. These large potential travel distances pose some of the greatest uncertainty and, thus risk, in assessing submarine slope stability. This project was focused on slide movements where the slide mass "hydroplanes" by moving along a layer of water. The phenomenon of hydroplaning can explain why many subaqueous slides travel large distances while their counterparts on land do not. The research currently underway was focused on the interaction between the moving slide debris and the surrounding water when hydroplaning occurs. The project concentrated on the mechanisms that cause submarine slides to travel large distances. Project contains the assessment of the risk of submarine slope failures, including predicting the subsequent extent of sliding once a slope failure occurs.
Progress Completed
Report
AA (20 pages)  File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF)

Final Report  (53 pages)  File in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF)

Risk Assessment for Submarine Slope Stability: Preliminary Studies and Numerical Modeling Hydroplaning of Submarine Slides

Final Report: “Risk Assessment for Submarine Slope Stability: Preliminary Studies and Numerical Modeling Hydroplaning of Submarine Slides” by Dr. Stephen Wright, OTRC, University of Austin, TX, February, 2006.


 

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