Data Integration and Modeling to Estimate the Reference Seabed Level (RSBL) for Cable Burial
Data Integration and Modeling to Estimate the Reference Seabed Level (RSBL) for Cable Burial
The global demand for submarine cables is rapidly increasing worldwide. Subsea cables often cross shallow marine environments, which are a highly dynamic setting. The migration of erosional-depositional features can influence the bed-level design of a structure, increasing the risk of malfunction or damage. Sediment dynamics and the 'non-mobile' level beyond which the seabed will not fall within the lifetime of the cable shall be evaluated to avoid the risk for the cable to be overburied or to become exposed, to mitigate possible project cost overrun during installation, production and maintenance phases. An effective risk mitigation strategy shall include an assessment of local sediment mobility that provides an estimate of this Reference Seabed Level (RSBL). In this study, we will explore the importance of forecasting sediment mobility across the project development area and integrate first outcomes with geological site conditions. Finally, the RSBL is evaluated for a cable route in the Balearic Sea. The research results can be immediately used to evaluate the target burial depth in the Cable Burial Risk Assessment (CBRA) and the required trenching method.
Marilena Calarco; Maria Fruzzetti; Francesca Zolezzi; Eleonora Duchini
5th International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG2025)
1 - Site investigation strategies, geohazards and integrated studies
https://doi.org/10.53243/ISFOG2025-500
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- Secretary General - Dr A M McNamara
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +44 20 7040 8154
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