Limiting equilibrium and liquefaction potential in infinite submarine slopes

Stability evaluation of submarine slopes is hampered by the difficulty of making field measurements. Owing to the scarcity of detailed field data, stability is commonly assessed by assuming homogenous infinite slopes with steady seepage. For these conditions, it is necessary to measure only the slope angle, friction angle, cohesion, and pore pressure at some distance into the sediment to evaluate stability. Examination of available data shows that conditions close to those required for liquefaction are necessary for Coulomb failure in many continental shelf areas. This favors long landslide runouts and flow of sediment subsequent to failure. -from Authors