Seismic Stability of the Duwamish River Delta, Seattle, Washington

Kayen, Robert E.; Barnhardt, Walter A.

Abstract:

The delta front of the Duwamish River valley near Elliott Bay and Harbor Island is founded on young Holocene deposits shaped by sea-level rise, episodic volcanism, and seismicity. These river-mouth deposits are highly susceptible to seismic soil liquefaction and are potentially prone to submarine landsliding and disintegrative flow failure. A highly developed commercial-industrial corridor, extending from the City of Kent to the Elliott Bay/Harbor Island marine terminal facilities, is founded on the young Holocene deposits of the Duwamish River valley. The deposits of this Holocene delta have been shaped not only by relative sea-level rise but also by episodic volcanism and seismicity. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR), cores, in situ testing, and outcrops are being used to examine the delta stratigraphy and to infer how these deposits will respond to future volcanic eruptions and earthquakes in the region. A geotechnical investigation of these river-mouth deposits indicates high initial liquefaction susceptibility during earthquakes, and possibly the potential for unlimited-strain disintegrative flow failure of the delta front.

Genre:

USGS Numbered Series

ProdID:

80625

Citation Author:

Kayen, Robert E.; Barnhardt, Walter A.

Citation Contributing Office:

USGS Western Coastal and Marine Geology

Citation Datum:

Citation Day:

Citation Edition:

Version 1.0

Citation Editor:

Citation End Page:

Citation Issue:

Citation Keywords:

Citation Language:

ENGLISH

Citation Larger Work Title:

Earthquake Hazards of the Pacific Northwest Coastal and Marine Regions, USGS Professional Paper 1661

Citation LatN:

0483000

Citation LatS:

0463000

Citation LonE:

-1212400

Citation LonW:

-1230600

Citation Month:

Citation No Pagination:

Citation Number Of Pages:

Citation Online Only Flag:

Citation Phsyical Description:

iv, 11 p.

Citation Projection:

Citation Public Comments:

Citation Publisher:

Geological Survey (U.S.)

Citation Series:

Professional Paper

Citation Series Code:

Citation Series Number:

1661-E

Citation Search Results Text:

Seismic Stability of the Duwamish River Delta, Seattle, Washington; 2007; PP; 1661-E; Earthquake Hazards of the Pacific Northwest Coastal and Marine Regions, USGS Professional Paper 1661; Kayen, Robert E.; Barnhardt, Walter A.