Mechanisms of Submarine Debris Flow Growth

Abstract Submarine debris flows are among the largest types of landslide on planet Earth. They occur under the cloak of the sea so little is known about how they reach such large volumes. Field evidence suggests that the entrainment from the sediment‐rich sea floor enables the growth of submarine debris flows. However, there is a dearth of understanding of the dynamic processes of entrainment. In this study, a new entrainment model is proposed for submarine debris flows with different clay contents. The entrainment model considers the relative contributions from basal grain friction and fluid viscous stresses that drive the entrainment process, and the effects of hydroplaning. To evaluate the new model, a new experimental setup is developed to simulate submarine debris flows, with clay contents from 4% to 12%, overriding and entraining a loose sand bed. The clay content is found to have profound effects on the entrainment dynamics. Flows with high clay contents (i.e., ≥10%) hydroplane, which enhances the mobility of the flow but reduces its entrainment potential. The predicted entrainment depths from the proposed model are consistent with the measured ones from the experiments. The proposed theoretical model and unique experimental evidence can be used as guiding tools to progress toward the inclusion of entrainment in vulnerability assessments of offshore infrastructure.