ABSTRACT
Seafloor slope instability is the main geohazard threat offshore (Kvalstad et al., 2001; Puzrin et al., 2004; Puzrin and Germanovich, 2005). Slides can range in size, as measured by material involved, from relatively small (<1 km3) to massive (103 km3). A schematic defining the various elements of an idealized marine slide is shown in Figure 11.1. Using these definitions the upper limit of both submarine and quick clay slide volume as a function of runout ratio (L/H) is presented in Figure 11.2. The run-out ratio (L/H) is defined as the failure mass run-out distance divided by the height of the source area above the redeposited soil after its transport. A review of Figure 11.2 shows that the submarine slides typically involve a greater slide volume for a given run out as compared to subaerial quick clay slides.
