The role of pore fluid overpressure in the substrates of advancing salt sheets, ice glaciers, and critical‐state wedges

Abstract

AbstractCritical‐state wedges, ice glaciers, and salt sheets have many geometric and mechanical similarities. Each has a tapering geometry and moves along a basal detachment. Their motions result from the combined effects of internal deformation and basal sliding. Wedge deformation and geometry, basal conditions, and overpressure (pore fluid pressure less hydrostatic pore fluid pressure) development within the substrate interact with each other in this mechanically coupled system. However, the nature of this interaction is poorly understood. In order to investigate this coupled system, we have developed two‐dimensional poromechanical finite‐element models with porous fluid flow in sediments. We have simulated the advance of a salt sheet wedge across poroelastic sediments in this study. We emphasize that our results have applications beyond salt wedges to both critical‐state wedges and ice glaciers. Overpressure develops within the substrate over time during the advance of the wedge. The magnitude of the overpressure influences the wedge geometry and the wedge advance rate. Lower overpressure results in a thicker and steeper wedge geometry, and a slower advance rate, while higher overpressure favors a thinner, wider, and more flattened wedge geometry and a faster advance rate. This study provides key insights into the links between wedge geometry, basal shear stress, and overpressure in substrates.