Salt marsh cliff stability in the oosterschelde

Abstract

Abstract Salt marsh cliff erosion in the Oosterschelde, due to basal scour and small‐scale failure, was monitored during a two‐year period using reference stakes. The composite marsh cliffs have a cantilever profile. Their stability is evaluated from beam failure analysis. A model is proposed, in which the cantilever weight is taken as the motive force; the major resistive force is the tensile strength. By substituting height, undermining width and soil mechanical properties of the cliff in the model, one can identify the cliffs that are likely to fail. Salt marsh cliffs, which combine a large tensile strength due to roots at the top of the profile with a large compressive stress at the cliff base due to the sandy texture of the subsoil, display the highest resistance to beam failure. The critical cliff dimensions, observed in the field, correspond with the values calculated from the proposed model of beam failure.