Quantifying Holocene Cliff Retreat Rates at Technical Area 54, a Low- and Mixed-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Site, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico [Slides]
Cliff failure is occurring and threatens to expose pits and shafts. Steep slope angles = FoS < 1 = high probability of failure and retreat. EQ magnitude > 5.5 could initiate failure where FoS > 1. Fracture characterization (location, orientation, etc.) is essential for predictive analysis of at-risk cliff failure locations. Additional surface exposure dating would be helpful and further constrain the effect of fracture characteristics. Continued monitoring is essential for change detection and identification of areas with higher cliff retreat rates.