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Poseidon POS472

NORGEotech cruise to study slope stability off Norway

The campaign NORGEotech is related to the investigation of slope stability and sediment derformation in MARUM project SD3. We study landslide processes in two different physiographic settings along the Norwegian margin in close collaboration with several Norwegian institutions. These include coastal settings (Trondheimfjord, Finneidfjord) with intensive anthropogenic impact, and open ocean settings in intermediate water depths (Lofoten, Vesteralen).

The main goal of the NORGEotech study is to contribute to an ongoing Norwegian landslide study using static (GOST) and dynamic (free-fall) CPTu devices developed at MARUM for an efficient geotechnical in situ investigation. Particular focus is set on (i) the pore pressure characterisation in coastal areas, where the occurrence of free gas in the sediment and pressure transients due to groundwater discharge along the slope prevail, and on (ii) the geotechnical characterisation of the slip plane of the open ocean slope failure events (Lofoten, Vesteralen). Gravity core samples will be used for (i) geochemical analyses to identify a contribution of fresh water, and for (ii) deformation tests to describe the mechanical behavior in general as well the susceptibility to creep.

The findings will be incorporated into a multi-methodological landslide study in Norway (run by NGI, NGU and Univ. Bergen), which is of high societal relevance due to the threat of landslides for the populated coastal zones as well as offshore industry infrastructure. It will tie some tasks of MARUM’s Sediment Dynamics theme to hazard research carried out in other international projects.
Map of the study sites
CPT GOST
Deep water free-fall CPTU