A Combined Analysis Procedure for Submarine Landslide Evolution

Abstract

Submarine landslides can be regarded as evolving processes, ranging from the deposition of sediments to the initiation and propagation of shear bands to the post-failure evolution of the unstable soil masses. To simulate this process as a whole, a combined analysis approach was developed within the ABAQUS computing environment, which is presented in this study. The deposition of sediments on slopes, the seismic triggering of slides and the failure evolution of the unstable soil masses are simulated in a sequence of steps using different finite element analysis techniques. The results are transferred between steps, facilitating the simulation of the landslide evolution as a continuous process within a consistent framework. An example case is analysed to illustrate the developed procedure and the different stages of the landslide evolution. The procedure can be generally applied to assess the hazard imposed by submarine slopes and the potential impact of landslides on offshore structures as well as on the generation of tsunamis.