Evaluation of horizontal submarine slide impact force on pipeline via a modified hybrid geotechnical-fluid dynamics framework

There are situations in offshore energy development where potential impact forces between submarine slides and pipelines need to be estimated. The horizontal slide-pipeline impact force, parallel to the main travel direction of the sliding mass and normal to the pipeline axis, is generally dominant compared to other force components, and hence of particular concern. In practice, pipelines may be suspended at varying distances above the seabed (gap) and existing methods do not consider how this will affect the horizontal slide-pipeline forces. This paper investigates the effects of pipeline-seabed gap and pipeline diameter on the horizontal slide-pipeline impact force via 181 computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations at Reynolds numbers of 0.36 - 287. Results show that variation in the pipeline-seabed gap and pipeline diameter alters the slide mass flow behavior as it flows past the pipeline and hence the impact force when the pipeline-seabed gap is below a critical value. A modified hybrid geotechnical-fluid dynamics framework for estimating the horizontal impact force is proposed by considering the effects of the pipeline-seabed gap and pipeline diameter, which is validated with existing experimental datasets.

Numerical simulation of submarine landslide and generated tsunamis : Application to the Mayotte seismo-volcanic crisis

<p>Since May 2018, Mayotte island has experienced an important seismic activity linked to the on-going sismo-volcanic crisis. The epicenters of the seismic swarms are located between 5 and 15 km east of Petite Terre for the main swarm, and 25 km east of Petite Terre for the secondary swarm. Although variations in the number of earthquakes and their distribution have been observed since the start of the eruption in early July 2018 [Lemoine A.(2020), Cesca et al.(2020)], a continuous seismicity persists and could generate several earthquakes of magnitudes close to M4 widely felt by the population. This recurrent seismicity could weaken the steep submarine slopes of Mayotte, as highlighted by the high resolution bathymetry data collected during the MAYOBS cruise in May 2019 (Feuillet et al.,submitted) and trigger submarine landslides with associated tsunamis.</p><p>To address the hazards associated with such events, we analyzed morphological data to define 8 scenarios of potential submarine slides with volumes ranging from 11,25.10<sup>6</sup> to 800.10<sup>6</sup> m<sup>3</sup> and we simulate the landslide dynamics and generated waves. We use two complementary numerical models: (i) the code HYSEA to simulate the dynamic of the submarine granular flows and the water wave generation, and (ii) the Boussinesq FUNWAVE- TVD model simulate the waves propagation and the inundation on Mayotte. The effect of the time at which the models are coupled is investigated.</p><p>The most impacting submarine slide scenarios are located close to Petite Terre at a shallow depth. They can locally generate a sea surface elevation more than a meter in local areas especially at Petite Terre. The various simulations show that parts of the island are particularly sensitive to the risk of tsunamis. Indeed, some scenarios that does not cause significant coastal flooding still seems to cause significant hazards in these exposed areas. The barrier reef around Mayotte has a prominent role in controlling the wave propagation towards the island and therefore reducing the impact on land. It should be noted that the arrival of tsunamis on the coastline is not necessarily preceded by a retreat from the sea and the waves can reach the coasts of Mayotte very quicky (few minutes).</p><p> </p><p>Cesca, S., Letort, J., Razafindrakoto, H.N.T. et al. Drainage of a deep magma reservoir near Mayotte inferred from seismicity and deformation. Nat. Geosci. <strong>13, </strong>87–93 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-019-0505-5</p><p>Feuillet, N, Jorry, S. J., Crawford, W, Deplus, C. Thinon, I, Jacques, E. Saurel, J.M., Lemoine, A., Paquet, F., Daniel, R., Gaillot, A., Satriano, C., Peltier, A., Aiken, C., Foix, O., Kowalski, P., Laurent, A., Beauducel, F., Grandin, R., Ballu, V., Bernard, P., Donval, J.P., Geli, L., Gomez, J. Guyader, V., Pelleau, P., Rinnert, E., Bertil, D., Lemarchand, A., Van der Woerd, J.et al. (in rev). Birth of a large volcano offshore Mayotte through lithosphere-scale rifting, Nature.</p><p>Anne Lemoine, Pierre Briole, Didier Bertil, Agathe Roullé, Michael Foumelis, Isabelle Thinon, Daniel Raucoules, Marcello de Michele, Pierre Valty, Roser Hoste Colomer, The 2018–2019 seismo-volcanic crisis east of Mayotte, Comoros islands: seismicity and ground deformation markers of an exceptional submarine eruption, Geophysical Journal International, Volume 223, Issue 1, October 2020, Pages 22–44, https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaa273</p>

The Translatory Wave Model for Landslides

The Saint-Venant equations are usually the basis of numerical models for landslide flows. They are nonstationary and nonlinear. The theory for translatory waves in a prismatic channel and a funneling channel can be used for landslides using the assumption of either turbulent or laminar flow in the slide. The mathematics of translatory waves traveling over dry land or superimposed on another flow are developed. This results in a new slope factor controlling the flow velocity, together with the Chezy coefficient used in previous applications of the translatory wave theory. Flow times for the slide to reach a given destination, slide depth, and velocity can be calculated using the initial magnitude of the flow in the slide. The instabilities of the wave tail are discussed. Three case studies are presented: a submarine slide that started the Tohoku tsunami in Japan, the Morsárjökull rock avalanche in SE Iceland, and the Móafellshyrna slide in central N Iceland.

3D seismic imaging of the submarine slide blocks on the North Slope, Alaska

Submarine landslides are mass movements that transport sediment across the continental shelf to the deep ocean. This phenomenon happens when the shear stress exceeds the frictional resistance of the slope. We analyze a variety of seismic attributes to interpret large submarine slide blocks on the North Slope, Alaska. Results show that the slide blocks appear as mounds with scarps associated with them on the seismic section. The slide blocks vary in size, depending on their distance away from the shelf. The pattern of the slide blocks affects the overlying sedimentation. Geological feature: Submarine slide blocks Seismic appearance: Mound-like steep ramp and scarp characteristics on seismic sections; blocky and irregular features with sharp boundaries on the horizon slices and seismic attributes Features with similar appearance: Mass-transport deposits; Remnant blocks; Reef deposits; Submarine channels; Gullies Formation: Torok Formation Age: Cretaceous Location: North Slope, Alaska Seismic data: Obtained from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas, through the tax-credit program ( State of Alaska, 2017 , http://dggs.alaska.gov/gmc/seismic-well-data.php ) Analysis tools: Seismic attributes (such as coherent energy, Sobel-filter similarity, dip magnitude, and dip azimuth) and geobody extraction

Giant Submarine Landslide in the South China Sea: Evidence, Causes, and Implications

Submarine landslides can be tremendous in scale. They are one of the most important processes for global sediment fluxes and tsunami generation. However, studies of prodigious submarine landslides remain insufficient. In this review paper, we compile, summarize, and reanalyze the results of previous studies. Based on this reanalysis, we discover the giant Baiyun–Liwan submarine slide in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea. We describe three concurrent pieces of evidence from ~23 Ma to 24 Ma, the Oligocene–Miocene boundary, for this landslide: the shoreward shift of the shelf break in the Baiyun Sag, the slump deposition to the southeast, and the abrupt decrease in the accumulation rate on the lower continental slope. This landslide extends for over 250 km, and the total affected area of the slide is up to ~35,000–40,000 km2. The scale of the landslide is similar to that of the Storegga slide, which has long been considered to be the largest landslide on earth. We suggest that strike–slip movement along the Red River Fault and ridge jump of the South China Sea caused the coeval Baiyun–Liwan submarine slide. The identification of the giant landslide will promote the understanding of not only its associated geohazards but also the steep rise of the Himalayan orogeny and marine engineering. More attention needs to be paid to areas with repeated submarine landslides and offshore installations.