D25 Final methodology and models for seismically and storm-induced slope failure – UCAM.DES

We have designed and validated a technique to solve 3-D anisotropic wave scattering problems by using an impedance operator which decomposes the wave field by direction of energy. The impedance operator recasts the boundary value problem of the classical wave equation as two initial value problems: a Riccati equation for the impedance operator and a one-way wave equation for the particle velocity, each of which can be solved to high precision. A curvilinear coordinate transform ensures that the method is formulated entirely in terms of continuous wave field variables and allows for a natural treatment of any form of topography. The technique has been demonstrated for both P-SV and SH problems and validated by comparison with a finite difference calculation. Two papers on this technique have been published in the Geophysical Journal International (Haines et al., 2004; Hulme et al., 2004).

Existing ground water flow and slope failure components will be added to this technique in order to have a full methodology for simulation of seismically and storm-induced slope failure. This methodology will be completed by the end of March 2005.