An Analytical Solution for the Run-Out of Submarine Debris Flows

Submarine debris flows have a significant impact on offshore and coastal facilities. The unique characteristics of submarine debris flows involve large mass movements and long travel distances over very gentle slopes. To improve our insight and knowledge of the basic mechanism behind submarine debris flows, an analytical model was derived for the mobility of submarine debris flows. This model takes into account the mass change of debris flows induced by deposition, stagnation pressure, and the topography of the depositional area. One case study on the Palos Verdes debris flow proves its ability to predict the run-out distance of a submarine debris flow to a reasonable level of accuracy. On the gentle slopes, the submarine debris flow progressively loses mass due to deposition, which in turn influences the flow velocity. In addition, the results show that the slope angle and spreading angle of the debris depositional zone play important roles in the sliding process.