Saurer, Erich

Tsunami, Landslide, Geotechnics, Measuring

Tsunami waves are a major hazard. Some of them may be generated as a result of submerged landslides. Conventional geotechnical methods to model and calculate the wave height tend to underestimate the real height of the tsunami wave. A mechanism based on the phenomenon of shear band propagation along the failure surface of the landslide has been proposed to overcome this limitation. This mechanism is based on the energy balance (FMEB) approach from fracture mechanics and provides an opportunity to include an initial landslide velocity which could explain larger tsunami waves.