Richard G. Craig (editor) - Applied Geomorphology: Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium 11

Volume 3

Edited by
RICHARD G. CRAIG AND JESSE L. CRAFT

First published in 1982 by George Allen & Unwin Ltd

This edition first published in 2020

by Routledge

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1982 R.G. Craig, J.L. Craft and the contributors

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ISBN: 978-0-367-18559-6 (Set)

ISBN: 978-0-429-19681-2 (Set) (ebk)

ISBN: 978-0-367-46178-2 (Volume 3) (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-00-302746-1 (Volume 3) (ebk)

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EDITED BY: RICHARD G. CRAIG

Kent State University

JESSE L. CRAFT

U.S. Bureau of Mines

A proceedings volume of the eleventh annual Binghamton geomorphology symposium held at Kent State University, Ohio, October 25, 1980

GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN

London Boston Sydney

First published in 1982

This book is copyright under the Berne Convention. All rights are reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, 1956, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, chemical, mechanical, optical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Enquiries should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned address:

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R. G. Craig, J. L. Craft, and the contributors

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Applied geomorphology. (The Binghamton symposia series in geomorphology. International series; no. 11)

1. GeomorphologyCongresses

I. Craig, Richard G. II. Craft, Jesse L.

III. Series

551.4 GB400.2

ISBN 0-04-551050-4

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium (11th: 1980: Kent State University)

Applied geomorphology.

(The Binghamton symposia; 11)

Includes index.

1. GeomorphologyCongresses. I. Craig, Richard G.

II. Craft, Jesse L. III. Title. IV. Series.

GB400.2.B56 1980 551.4 81-22791

ISBN 0-04-551050-4 AACR2

Printed and bound in Great Britain by

Mackays of Chatham Ltd

Geomorphologists tend to consider all geomorphologic research to be applied. In the sense that each advance in knowledge provides a clearer view of how the earth works, we must all be applied scientists. Yet too much of our work remains obscure and poorly understood by those who are most likely to benefit from it. Very important research remains unavailable theory only because it is difficult to interpret and many of us are too busy extending our own research to help others make use of it. Thus the purpose of this book is not to codify a distinct set of methods and data that represent a branch of knowledge called applied geomorphology. Rather it is designed to show geomorphology as it is (and can be) applied to current problems facing the people of the world.

We have tried to make this sampling a representative one. But that means weighting the possible contributions; and weights can be made in several ways. We chose to emphasize problems that are encountered where man lives on the one hand and where man interacts with the surface through important construction projects on the other.

A large part of the worlds population lives near the ocean. So processes shaping that environment must be of prime consideration for many of us. Accordingly, four chapters are devoted to various coastline phenomena. It is important to recognize that shore erosion is not the only problem facing us. Coastal subsidence can also have devastating effects. Thus our sampler covers erosion along oceans where emergence is occurring (Chapter 11), where submergence is occurring (Chapter 9), along large inland bodies of water where the processes have a special mix (Chapter 10), and finally we look at the case of subsidence accompanied by deposition (Chapter 12).

Another morphogenetic region with which man is constantly interacting is that area glaciated only recently. Here a number of problems exist, including: where to live, how to construct facilities where climate is extreme and glacial and periglacial processes still active, and how to dispose of our wastes. Fiksdal outlines methods to deal with the first (Chapter 3), Clague (Chapter 2) presents an excellent example of the second, and Hatheway and Bliss (Chapter 4) deal with the last.

Two other environments of immediate concern to man are more restricted but present uniquely exasperating problems. Carbonate terrains, which may have been avoided in the past, are now increasingly subject to development. Sheedy and coauthors (Chapter 13) describe some situations that the applied geomorphologist encounters in such terrain. A second area of growing importance is presented by the problems unique to certain areas in the midwest and south-central parts of the United States. The particular problem of expanding soils has grown acute because of the building boom occurring in states such as Texas. The lesson to be learned here is that the job of the geomorphologist requires that (s)he be both specialized and adaptable. As societies needs are redefined, so must be geomorphologists abilities.

We include a set of examples of specific applications of geomorphic knowledge and techniques. A number of these result from the increasing scale of construction projects: for example, the geotechnical problems associated with the MX missile problem (Chapter 7) and the giant natural gas pipeline project (Chapter 2). A third example arises when we contemplate the disposal of radioactive waste in salt domes. A necessary condition is that these domes must be demonstrably stable on the time scale of tens of thousands of years. This question is considered in Chapter 5.

Computer applications in geomorphic studies are becoming increasingly important. Vanderpool (Chapter 14) shows how the computer can be used to study the stability of landforms. Craig (Chapter 8) considers some geomorphic constraints that must apply in such models.