Analysis of submarine slumping in the continental slope off the southern coast of Israel

Abstract

The continental slope off the coast of Israel is riddled with numerous large slump scars at depths greater than 400 m. Recent scar slumps are situated in the steepest central portions of the continental slope (400–450 m depth, α=6°), frequently disfiguring older slump scars in its lower portions. The slumping materials were probably largely transported downslope in the form of density currents, and occasionally by sliding of large sediment chunks. Upslope retrogressive slumping phases progressively disfigure the shape of the slump scars until they totally disappear, causing net reduction of the thickness of the sedimentary column. To provide a basis for the quantitative analysis of slumping, laboratory vane tests, triaxial consolidated, undrained compression tests with pore‐pressure measurements, drained direct shear tests, and consolidation tests were performed oh undisturbed samples. Because the sediments consist of normally consolidated silty clays, the geotechnical properties measured on the core samples can be readily extrapolated for greater depths, assuming the sediments are homogeneous. Angles of internal friction measured by direct shearing under drained conditions are ?_d =24°‐25°, designating the maximum possible angle of a stable infinite slope. These angles are appreciably higher than the steepest slopes in the investigated area, and a drained slumping mechanism is therefore considered unlikely. The slopes of the slump scar walls are about 20°; therefore, in the absence of active erosional, sedimentological, or tectonic agents, these walls have long‐term stability (drained shear). Undrained shear failure resulting in slope instability may be attributable to rapid changes in slope geometry (undercutting or oversteepening of the slope), fluctuations in pore pressure, or accelerations associated with earthquakes. Undrained shear‐strength parameters were determined by both laboratory consolidated‐un‐drained triaxial tests and by miniature vane shear tests. The angles of internal friction that were measured are ?_cu =15°‐17°, and the c_u/p_o values range between 0.22 and 0.75. An analysis of the force equilibrium within the sediments leads to the conclusion that horizontal earthquake‐induced accelerations, as little as 5–6% of gravity, are sufficient to cause slope failure in the steepest slope zone (400–450 m depth, α = 6°, c_u /p_o =0.25). Collapse resulting from liquefaction is unlikely, as the sediments are normally consolidated silty clays with intermediate sensitivity, S_t =2–4.

The existence of slump scars in the lower portion of the continental slope, characterized by gentle slopes (α=1°‐3°) and sediments with high shear strength (c _u /p _o=0.30–0.50) is attributed to large horizontal accelerations(k=12–16% of gravity). Owing to the wide range of geotechnical properties of the sediments (c_u /p_o = 0.20–0.75) and the inclination of the continental slope (α=1°‐6°), the same earthquake may generate a wide range of horizontal accelerations in different portions of the continental slope, and slumping may occur wherever the stability equilibrium is disrupted.     

Analysis of submarine slumping in the continental slope off the southern coast of Israel

Abstract

The continental slope off the coast of Israel is riddled with numerous large slump scars at depths greater than 400 m. Recent scar slumps are situated in the steepest central portions of the continental slope (400–450 m depth, α = 6°), frequently disfiguring older slump scars in its lower portions. The slumping materials were probably largely transported downslope in the form of density currents, and occasionally by sliding of large sediment chunks. Upslope retrogressive slumping phases progressively disfigure the shape of the slump scars until they totally disappear, causing net reduction of the thickness of the sedimentary column. To provide a basis for the quantitative analysis of slumping, laboratory vane tests, triaxial consolidated, undrained compression tests with pore‐pressure measurements, drained direct shear tests, and consolidation tests were performed oh undisturbed samples. Because the sediments consist of normally consolidated silty clays, the geotechnical properties measured on the core samples can be readily extrapolated for greater depths, assuming the sediments are homogeneous. Angles of internal friction measured by direct shearing under drained conditions are ?_d =24°‐25°, designating the maximum possible angle of a stable infinite slope. These angles are appreciably higher than the steepest slopes in the investigated area, and a drained slumping mechanism is therefore considered unlikely. The slopes of the slump scar walls are about 20°; therefore, in the absence of active erosional, sedimentological, or tectonic agents, these walls have long‐term stability (drained shear). Undrained shear failure resulting in slope instability may be attributable to rapid changes in slope geometry (undercutting or oversteepening of the slope), fluctuations in pore pressure, or accelerations associated with earthquakes. Undrained shear‐strength parameters were determined by both laboratory consolidated‐un‐ drained triaxial tests and by miniature vane shear tests. The angles of internal friction that were measured are ?_cu =15°‐17°, and the c_u/p _o values range between 0.22 and 0.75. An analysis of the force equilibrium within the sediments leads to the conclusion that horizontal earthquake‐induced accelerations, as little as 5–6% of gravity, are sufficient to cause slope failure in the steepest slope zone (400–450 m depth, α=6°, c_u/p _o=0.25). Collapse resulting from liquefaction is unlikely, as the sediments are normally consolidated silty clays with intermediate sensitivity, S_t =2–4.

The existence of slump scars in the lower portion of the continental slope, characterized by gentle slopes (α=1°‐3°) and sediments with high shear strength (c_u/p _o=0.30–0.50) is attributed to large horizontal accelerations (k= 12–16% of gravity). Owing to the wide range of geotechnical properties of the sediments (c_u/p _o= 0.20–0.75) and the inclination of the continental slope (α=1°‐6°), the same earthquake may generate a wide range of horizontal accelerations in different portions of the continental slope, and slumping may occur wherever the stability equilibrium is disrupted.     

A quasi-three-dimensional numerical prediction model of salinity structure in Bohai Sea and Huanghai Sea

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Baroclinic Buoyancy-Inertia Joint Stability Parameter

At present, the barotropic buoyant stability parameter has been derived from a vertical virtual displacement of a water parcel. The barotropic inertial stability parameter in the eccentrically cyclogeostrophic, basic current field was derived in 2003 from a horizontal cross-stream virtual displacement of a parcel. By expressing acceleration of a parcel due to a virtual displacement, which is arbitrarily sloping within a vertical section across the basic current, in terms of natural coordinates, we derived the vertical component of baroclinic buoyant stability parameter B ₂ ², the horizontal component of baroclinic inertial stability parameter I ₂ ², the baroclinic joint stability parameter J ², its buoyant component B ² and its inertial component I ². B ² is far greater than I ₂ ², and when neglecting relative vorticity except for vertical shear, a downward convex curve of J ² plotted against the slope of a virtual displacement follows a trend of B ² curve. If a parcel displaces along a horizontal surface or an isopycnal surface, however, B ² vanishes, and J ² becomes equal to I ². Actual parcel is apt to displace not only along the bottom slope, but also along the sea surface and an isopycnal interfacial surface, which is approximately equivalent to an isentropic surface, preferred by lateral mixing and exchange of momentum. Such actual displacement makes B ² vanishing, and grants I ² an important role. The present analysis of I ² examining effects due to curvature and horizontal and vertical shear vorticities are useful in deepening our understanding of baroclinic instability in actual oceanic streams.     

Prediction model for occurrence of impact wave force

This study investigates the applicability of neural networks to predict whether impact wave force will act on the upright section of a composite breakwater. We employ a three-layered neural network whose units of input layer are h/L, H/h, d/h and B_M/h (h: the total water depth; L: the wavelength; H: the wave height; d: the water depth above the mound; B_M: the horizontal distance from the shoulder of mound to the caisson). Teach signals are 0.99 and 0.01 according to the cases of occurrence and absence of impact wave force, respectively. The neural network whose parameters are determined through self-learning can accurately predict whether impact wave force occurs.     

Mixed and mixing layer depths simulated by an OGCM

The global distributions of the mixed layer depth h _D , representing the depth of uniform density, and the mixing layer depth h _K , representing the depth of active turbulent mixing, were simulated using an ocean general circulation model (OGCM), and compared with each other, as well as with the mixed layer depth from the climatological data h _D *. The comparison between h _D and h _D * suggested that the threshold density difference Δ σ _θ should decrease from 0.09 kg m⁻³ to 0.02 kg m⁻³ with increasing latitude for consistent comparison between two mixed layer depths, due to the different nature of density profiles depending on latitude. The comparison between h _D and h _K revealed that h _K is deeper than h _D in the region where strong subsurface shear is present, such as the equatorial ocean and the region of the western boundary current. On the other hand, h _K is shallower than h _D in the high latitude ocean during convective cooling and early restratification.     

Stability of waterfront retaining wall subjected to pseudo-static earthquake forces

Waterfront retaining walls supporting dry backfill are subjected to hydrostatic pressure on upstream face and earth pressure on the downstream face. Under seismic conditions, if such a wall retains a submerged backfill, additional hydrodynamic pressures are generated. This paper pertains to a study in which the effect of earthquakes along with the hydrodynamic pressure including inertial forces on such a retaining wall is observed. The hydrodynamic pressure is calculated using Westergaard's approach, while the earth pressure is calculated using Mononobe-Okabe's pseudo-static analysis. It is observed that when the horizontal seismic acceleration coefficient is increased from 0 to 0.2, there is a 57% decrease in the factor of safety of the retaining wall in sliding mode. For investigating the effect of different parameters, a parametric study is also done. It is observed that if φ is increased from 30° to 35°, there is an increase in the factor of safety in the sliding mode by 20.4%. Similar observations were made for other parameters as well. Comparison of results obtained from the present approach with [Ebeling, R.M., Morrison Jr, E.E., 1992. The seismic design of waterfront retaining structures. US Army Technical Report ITL-92-11. Washington DC] reveal that the factor of safety for static condition (k_h=0), calculated by both the approaches, is 1.60 while for an earthquake with k_h=0.2, they differ by 22.5% due to the consideration of wall inertia in the present study.     

The effect of horizontal Coriolis force on internal wave-mean flow interaction

-In this paper, an improvement and revision of the theory of Miiller (1974, 1976), has been made under two conditions: (1) the horizontal component of the Coriolis force has been taken into account in the equations of motion for the internal wave field; and (2) the role of internal waves with frequencies close to the inertial frequency has been considered. The values of the viscosity coefficients and the diffusivity coefficients obtained in this paper are: Theappearance of the cross-diffusion (vc) of momentum is a natural result from the effect of the horizontal Coriolis force. Therefore the role of the horizontal shear of the mean flow cannot be absolutely separated from that of the vertical shear. So far in testing Muller's theory, the approximation of effective wave stress obtained by Ruddick and Joyce (1979) was extensively used, but it has to be revised under the conditions of this paper. The revised approximation shows that the internal waves with low frequencies close to the inertial frequency pl     

On the onset of the instability of a three-dimensional jet in a stratified fluid

The onset of a three-dimensional jet flow in a stratified fluid is studied with the aid of a direct numerical simulation. An initially cylindrical jet with a Gaussian velocity profile is considered in a fluid with stable linear density stratification. The results indicate that, if an initial small perturbation of the velocity field has a wide spectrum, an exponential growth of the isolated quasi-two-dimensional mode occurs and its spectral maximum is shifted toward smaller wave numbers in comparison with the maximum of the helical mode of the instability of a nonstratified jet. The growth rate is proportional to Ri^0.5, where Ri is the global Richardson number. The onset of the instability leads to the formation of the flow’s vortex structure, which consists of a collection of different-polarity quasi-two-dimensional vortices located in a horizontal plane near the longitudinal axis of the jet. At sufficiently long times (Nt > 100, where N is the buoyancy frequency and t is time), the growth of instability reaches the saturation stage and further fluctuations in velocity and density decay under the effect of viscous diffusion. At this stage, the flow becomes self-similar and the time dependences of the transverse and vertical widths of the jet are consistent with the asymptotic behaviors of integral parameters of the flow that are observed experimentally in the far stratified wake. The results suggest that the onset of the instability of a quasitwo-dimensional mode can play the determining role in the dynamics of flow in the far stratified wake.     

Sensitivity studies with the three-dimensional multi-level model for tidal motion

A three-dimensional multi-level hydrodynamic model has recently been developed and applied to tidal motion in Singapore’s coastal waters. This paper describes a series of numerical experiments to evaluate the sensitivity of the tidal currents and elevations to model parameters. The results show that the predicted tidal elevations are insensitive to three model parameters: horizontal eddy viscosity coefficient (Smagorinsky constant, c_h), bottom friction coefficient (c_b) and internal friction coefficient (c_v), whereas the effects of these parameters are quite different for tidal current velocities. The velocities are slightly reduced with an increase in c_h and c_b. The bottom friction effects on velocity profiles increase with water depth. The effect of c_v might be significant for the tidal velocities at all levels. The velocities at upper layers of the water column decrease with the increase in c_v, whereas the velocities at the bottom layer show the reverse trend. The effects of three model parameters on the magnitude and phase of the simulated currents are in the order (from strong to weak) of c_v, c_b and c_h.     

The effect of relative crest submergence on wave breaking over submerged slopes

Experiments were performed in a wave flume to measure the intensity, transmission and reflection of waves breaking over a submerged reef with an offshore gradient of 1:10. The results demonstrate that the relative water depth over the reef crest (h_c/H_o) is a dominant factor affecting the breaking characteristics. In particular it is found that as the relative crest submergence is reduced, there is a considerable increase in the intensity of wave breaking over the reef that can be quantified through measurements of the air cavity enclosed beneath the plunging jet. It is also shown that there is a corresponding decrease in wave transmission and reflection as the submergence is reduced.     

2000年夏季南海环流的改进逆方法计算

基于2000年8月航次在南海调查资料,采用改进逆方法,并结合TOPEX/ERS分析的SSH分布,获得以下的主要结果:(1)南海中部和西南部环流系统主要受反气旋环流所支配.主要有越南东南反气旋涡W₁,其水平尺度约为300km,垂向深度可达1000m以深,流速很强,其最大流速为79cm/s左右,还有暖涡W₂以及吕宋岛西南反气旋涡环流系统W₃.其次,在反气旋涡W₁与W₂之间还存在气旋式涡C₁.其水平尺度比暖涡W₁小得多,流速也较强.两涡W₁与C₁之间存在一支南向流,它们组成一个准偶极子.(2)在暖涡W₁的西侧存在西边界流,即北向射流,其流速很强,约在12°N流向转向东北.(3)南海北部环流系统主要受气旋环流所支配.在断面N2附近及以北存在一个气旋式环流系统.其次,在海南岛东南存在一个尺度不大的反气旋环流系统.(4)南海东南部环流系统主要受气旋环流所支配.主要有在巴拉望岛以西存在尺度较大的气旋环流系统,以及暖涡W₁东南存在一个气旋环流系统.其次,在加里曼丹岛西北还存在范围不大的反气旋环流.(5)比较1998年夏季航次与2000年夏季航次时计算结果,虽然它们在定量上有些变化与差别,但在定性上它们的环流结构有十分相似之处.这表明,南海环流具有明显的季节特性.(6)比较2000年夏季南海水文结构,流函数分布以及TOPEX/ERS的SSH分布,它们在定性上十分吻合.     

Hydrodynamics of the Semi-Immersed Cylinder by Forced Oscillation Model Testing

In this paper, the hydrodynamic coefficients of a horizontal semi-immersed cylinder in steady current and oscillatory flow combining with constant current are obtained via forced oscillation experiments in a towing tank. Three non-dimensional parameters (Re, KC and Fr) are introduced to investigate their effects on the hydrodynamic coefficients. The experimental results show that overtopping is evident and dominates when the Reynolds number exceeds 5×10⁵ in the experiment. Under steady current condition, overtopping increases the drag coefficient significantly at high Reynolds numbers. Under oscillatory flow with constant current condition, the added mass coefficient can even reach a maximum value about 3.5 due to overtopping while the influence of overtopping on the drag coefficient is minor.     

Centrifuge study on the runout distance of submarine debris flows

ABSTRACT

In this paper, a series of mini-drum centrifuge experiments on motion of submarine debris flow, which are able to correctly reproduce the self-weight stresses and gravity-dependent processes, are presented. These tests were performed using artificial submarine clay with high water content, from 93 to 149%. The extremely low shear strength made the debris material behave as idealistic lubricating material when it was deposited, resulting in a linear relationship between water content and runout distance of strongly coherent debris flow. On the other hand, the dilation of the flow body and hydroplaning was observed for weakly coherent debris flow, which further increased the mobility of flow body. A densimetric Froude number Fr_d was used to indicate the threshold of hydroplaning, which occurs if the Fr_d is greater than 0.2. Finally, two simple analytical models based on prototype debris flow under 1?g condition was used to validate the experiment results, which further prove the effects of soft marine clay on the high mobility of submarine debris flow. On the other hand, when the water content exceeded 120%, the experiment results deviated from the analytical solution due to the effects of hydroplaning.     

Wave set-up on coral reefs. 1. Set-up and wave-generated flow on an idealised two dimensional horizontal reef

Wave set-up may be significant in determining water levels on coral reefs particularly in microtidal environments and hence is an important factor for the design of reef-top structures and for the stability of reef-top islands. Laboratory experiments have been made on a two dimensional model of an idealised horizontal reef under two different conditions corresponding to a fringing reef (or closed lagoon) situation and a platform reef (or open lagoon) situation. Both wave set-up on the reef-top and the wave-generated flow across the reef were measured and related to wave and tide level conditions.All other factors being the same, wave set-up is greatest at low tide levels whereas wave-generated flow is greater at higher tide levels. The magnitude of the set-up on a platform reef with a wave-generated flow is less than on a fringing reef without any net flow by an amount equal to the velocity head of the flow across the reef. Dimensionless parameters and q/√gH_o³ are found to be functions of relative submergence parameters h_r/H_o or . For values of ( ) H_o > 1 waves break on the reef-top and radiation stress theory can be used to calculate set-up. For ( )H_o < 0.7 waves break on the reef-face and set-up is determined by broadcrested weir control at the reef-edge. (The symbols are defined as follows: g is gravitational acceleration; h_r is still water depth over horizontal reef-top; H_o is offreef wave height (equivalent deep water value); q is discharge per unit length of reef edge; T is wave period and is maximum wave set-up on reef-top.)     

Head-wave parametric rolling of a surface combatant

Complementary CFD, towing tank EFD, and nonlinear dynamics approach study of parametric roll for the ONR Tumblehome surface combatant both with and without bilge keels is presented. The investigations without bilge keels include a wide range of conditions. CFD closely agrees with EFD for resistance, sinkage, and trim except for Fr>0.5 which may be due to free surface and/or turbulence modeling. CFD shows fairly close agreement with EFD for forward-speed roll decay in calm water, although damping is over/under predicted for largest/smaller GM. Most importantly CFD shows remarkably close agreement with EFD for forward-speed parametric roll in head waves for GM=0.038 and 0.033 m, although CFD predicts larger instability zones at high and low Fr, respectively. The CFD and EFD results are analyzed with consideration ship motion theory and compared with Mathieu equation and nonlinear dynamics approaches. Nonlinear dynamics approaches are in qualitative agreement with CFD and EFD. The CFD and nonlinear dynamics approach results were blind in that the actual EFD radius of gyration k_xx was not known a priori.     

Use of the dilatometer test to estimate the maximum shear modulus of normally consolidated Busan clay

ABSTRACT

The aim of this experimental study is to estimate the maximum shear modulus (G_max) of normally consolidated clayey soils using the results of a dilatometer test (DMT). A series of DMTs was conducted at the Busan New Port and Noksan sites in South Korea. In addition, basic index tests, bender element tests (i.e., shear wave velocity (V_s) measurements), and standard 1-D consolidation tests were performed using the undisturbed specimens. The results demonstrate that the G_max of normally consolidated Busan clays cannot be adequately captured by the horizontal stress index (K_D)-based empirical formula. Therefore, a G_max estimating formula for normally consolidated clayey soils is newly suggested in this study using the dilatometer constrained modulus (M_DMT) and stress-normalized material index (I_D). Most notably, the estimated G_max values using the suggested formula are comparable with the measured G_max of both this study and the previous study on normally consolidated clayey soils.     

“12·14”山东暴雪过程降水相态的多源观测分析

基于毫米波云雷达、降水天气现象仪、风廓线雷达、双偏振雷达、自动气象站等多源观测资料及欧洲中期天气预报中心（European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts,ECMWF）第五代大气再分析（ECMWF Reanalysis v5,ERA5）资料,对2023年12月14日山东暴雪过程的环流背景和降水粒子微物理参数进行分析,探讨新型观测资料在降水相态监测与预报中的应用。结果表明：（1）此次过程受高空槽、低空西南急流和江淮气旋影响,伴随地面气温下降和中层暖层消退,出现雨、雨夹雪、冰粒和雪等相态。（2）降水天气现象仪探测发现,雪和雨的下落末速度均较小,雪粒子直径超过8 mm,雨粒子直径大多在4 mm以下。（3）毫米波云雷达观测到反射率因子、径向速度、谱宽和垂直液态水含量降低时,雨夹雪转为雪。（4）风廓线雷达显示雨夹雪和冰粒阶段对应强的低空西南急流和最大垂直速度（4~5 m·s^-1）,转雪时3 km以下垂直速度降低至2 m·s^-1左右。（5）相关系数（C_c）、差分反射率（Z_DR）和水平极化反射率因子（Z_h）等双偏振参量可判断融化层亮带,亮带的下降和消失可指示此次过程雨向雪的转换。     

粗糙海面L 和C 双波段的代价函数多参量遥感反演分析

利用代价函数(cost function)方法,通过分析粗糙海面L和C双波段多极化遥感亮温对海表盐度、温度、风速和有效波高等参数的敏感性以及L和C双波段多极化的代价函数收敛特性,建立了反演海表盐度、温度、风速和有效波高等多参数的L和C双波段多极化代价函数模式。双波段遥感模式分析结果表明:(1)对于双参数的联合反演,L和C双波段垂直极化代价函数联合反演海表盐度和温度可以获得较好的反演结果。(2)L波段垂直极化和C波段水平极化代价函数联合反演海表盐度和风速较好。(3)对于三参数联合反演,L波段垂直极化和C波段的双极化联合反演盐度、温度和风速的精度较高。(4)L波段亮温对有效波高的敏感性较低(C波段经验模式不含有效波高),使得有效波高反演误差较大,L和C波段经验模式不适合反演有效波高参数。另外,为了定量分析L和C双波段代价函数的多参量遥感反演结果,采用加性噪音模拟亮温方法,对上述L和C双波段多极化模式的盐度、温度和风速等多参数联合反演误差进行了分析,均得出较好的结果。结论表明L和C双波段代价函数联合反演多参量可以明显提高参量反演精度,为粗糙海表面多参量的反演提供了新的方法和途径。