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Quantifying the role of sandy–silty sediments in generating slope failures during earthquakes: example from the Algerian margin

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Abstract

The Algerian margin is a seismically active region, where during the last century, several large magnitude earthquakes took place. This study combines geotechnical and sedimentological data with numerical modelling to quantitatively assess the present-day slope stability of the Algerian margin. Geotechnical laboratory tests, such as cyclic triaxial tests, oedometric tests and vane shear tests were carried out on sediment cores collected on the study area. The liquefaction potential of a sediment column located about 30 km from the Boumerdès earthquake epicentre of 21st May 2003 was evaluated theoretically for an earthquake of M w  = 6.8. We show that thin sand and silt beds such as those described on recovered sediment cores are the main cause of sediment deformation and liquefaction during earthquakes. Numerical calculations showed that the slope failure may occur during an earthquake characterised by a PGA in excess of 0.1g, and also that, under a PGA of 0.2g liquefaction could be triggered in shallow silty–sandy deposits. Moreover, comparison of the predicted slope failure with failure geometries inferred from seafloor morphology showed that earthquakes and subsequent mass movements could explain the present-day morphology of the study area.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been developed within the EURODOM European Project (contract RTN2-2001-00281). Financial support was provided by IFREMER and the Agence Nationale de Recherche (ISIS project). The support by officers and crew during MARADJA 2003, PRISMA (Marion Dufresne, IPEV) and MARADJA 2 cruises is greatly appreciated. The authors thank E. Gràcia, H. Lee and M. Canals for their comments and suggestions that significantly improved the paper. This paper is an homage to Bruno. His premature disappearance is an enormous loss for the marine geosciences but also for his family, friends, colleagues and students.

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  1. Gabriela Dan

    Present address: FUGRO France S.A.S, 92752, Nanterre, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IFREMER, Géosciences Marines, Laboratoire Environnements Sédimentaires, Plouzané, France

    Gabriela Dan, Nabil Sultan & Bruno Savoye

  2. Université de Brest, CNRS, UMR 6538 Domaines Océaniques, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Place Copernic, 29280, Plouzané, France

    Gabriela Dan & Jacques Deverchere

  3. Université Européenne de Bretagne, Brest, France

    Jacques Deverchere

  4. CRAAG, Centre de Recherche en Astronomie, Astrophysique et Géophysique, Bouzaréah, Algiers, Algeria

    Karim Yelles

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  1. Gabriela Dan
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Correspondence to Gabriela Dan.

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Dan, G., Sultan, N., Savoye, B. et al. Quantifying the role of sandy–silty sediments in generating slope failures during earthquakes: example from the Algerian margin. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 98, 769–789 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-008-0373-5

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