Research

The main topic of the ESR8 project in the context of Submarine Landslide and Their impact on the European continental margin (SLATE project) is to optimize the characterization of marine sediments through statistical analysis. Different statistical approaches will be adopted for this purpose starting from the Bayesian inference. Since the characterization of the marine sediments is a wide general topic, the following points provide a general guideline of my work:

• Bayesian techniques;
• Bayesian techniques for empirical correlation
• Bayesian techniques for stratigraphic delineation;
• Bayesian Back Analysis in slope stability studies;
• Bayesian techniques in slope hazard mapping

Therefore, the Bayesian method applied to the geotechnical field is the main goal of this project, nevertheless several different statistical approaches have to be employed and considered in the first point to better success in the project. Each point will be mainly carried out using data provide by IGEOTEST S.L., partner of the SLATE project and other partners (i.e. CSIC, NGI).
The first out of the four goals is aim to reduce the uncertainty in the prediction of geotechnical design parameters and soil properties starting from general empirical correlations. In particular this goal will be accomplished working on data obtained from a geotechnical campaign performed this year, by IGEOTEST S.L., at the Barcelona’s harbor in which the ESR8 student has taken part. During this campaign, tests such as CPTu, DTM, Boreholes, were performed at different location. The active attendance of the ESR student at this campaign is aim to learn the complete procedure of submarine tests and to understand how the Data are processed and converted for the design used. This work will be performed using software such as Matlab, R and Openbugs.
For what concern the Bayesian technique in slope hazard mapping instead, the ESR8 student during June and July 2018, will collaborate with CSIC (Barcelona) in order to develop a statistical slope stability hazard mapping of the gulf of Cadiz, subsequently integrated with tsumani risk generation. Such work will be carried out in collaboration with the students ESR6 and ESR12 using geophysical data and geological maps provide by CSIC.