Submarine landslides: advances and challenges

Canadian Geotechnical Journal
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Abstract

Due to the recent development of well-integrated surveying techniques of the sea floor, significant improvements were achieved in mapping and describing the morphology and architecture of submarine mass movements. Except for the occurrence of turbidity currents, the aquatic environment (marine and fresh water) experiences the same type of mass failure as that found on land. Submarine mass movements, however, can have run-out distances in excess of 100 km, so their impact on any offshore activity needs to be integrated over a wide area. This great mobility of submarinemass movements is still not very well understood, particularly for cases like the far-reaching debris flows mapped on the Mississippi Fan and the large submarine rock avalanches found around many volcanic islands. A major challenge ahead is the integration of mass movement mechanics in an appropriate evaluation of the hazard so that proper risk assessment methodologies can be developed and implemented for various human activities offshore, including the development of natural resources and the establishment of reliable communication corridors. Key words : submarine slides, hazards, risk assessment, morphology, mobility, tsunami.
Le dveloppement rcent de techniques de levs hydrograhiques pour les fonds marins nous a permis d'atteindre une qualit ingale dans la cartographie et la description des glissements sous marins. l'exception des courants de turbidit, on retrouve dans le domaine aquatique les mmes types de mouvements de terrain que sur terre. Par contre, les glissements sous-marins peuvent atteindre des distances excdant 100 km de telle sorte que leur impact sur les activits offshore doit tre pris en compte sur degrandes tendues. La grande mobilit des glissements sous-marins n'est pas encore bien comprise, comme pour le cas des coules dedbris cartographies sur le cne du Mississippi ainsi que pour les grandes avalanches rocheuses sous-marines retrouves au pourtour des les volcaniques. Un dfi majeur auquel nous faisons face est celui de dterminer les alas associs aux divers types demouvements sous-marins ainsi que les risques associs l'activit humaine, telle que l'exploitation des ressources naturelles et l'tablissement de routes de communications fiables. Mots cls : glissements sous-marins, morphologie, ala, risque, mobilit, tsunami.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Submarine landslides: advances and challenges
Series title Canadian Geotechnical Journal
DOI 10.1139/t01-089
Volume 39
Issue 1
Year Published 2002
Language English, French
Publisher NRC Research Press
Description 16 p.
First page 193
Last page 212
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