Physical Properties of Sediments on the Northern Continental Shelf of the South China Sea

Using physical (acoustical engineering mechanics and scanning electron microscope) and other technical methods, is study makes a comprehensive analysis of the structural characteristics and engineering mechanics properties of sediments, the sediment structure, microstructure and their classification characteristics and in the light of the physical-mechanical characteristic parameters, the relations between the grain contact, grain accumulation, and porosity with the physical-mechanical characteristics of sediment, and reports the relationship between the acoustic physical parameters and the stress-strain properties of sediment. Results show that there are six structural types in the shelf seabed sediment of the northern South China Sea, among which, the mixed contact structural type sediment has a higher compressive strength and a higher sound velocity than others, and that in the shallow seabed there exists a mesoscale structure with high and low velocity layers.     

南海北部大陆架海底沉积物物理性质研究

用物理(声学的、工程地质的、扫描电子显微镜)等技术方法,综合分析了沉积物结构特征和工程力学性质,研究了颗粒接触、堆垒、孔隙等现象与物理性质之间的关系,得出了沉积物声学物理参数和应力一应变性质之间的关系。结果表明,南海北部大陆架海底沉积物有6种结构类型,其中混合接触结构类型的沉积物具有较高的抗压强度和声速,浅层海底存在着高、低声速分层的中尺度结构。     

Sound Velocity of Seafloor Sediment and its Response under Axial Stress-Strain

The results of axial stress-strain measurements made from short columnar samples of seafloor shallow surface sediment in the southern South China Sea area indicate that there are three kinds of variations in the longitudinal wave sound velocity, which are related to such characteristics as physical-mechanical properties, grain contact status and grain structure and microstructure of the submarine shallow surface sediment. This study may make theoretical contributions to further understanding the reliability of various submarine sediments in the southern South China Sea as bearing interfaces and such scientific objectives as phonotelemetering and remote sensing of the engineering mechanical properties of seafloor sediment.     

在轴向应力-应变下海底沉积物声速及其变化

对南海南部海域海底浅表层沉积物短柱状样进行轴向应力-应变/声学测量,结果表明沉积物纵波声速有三种不同的变化结果:(1)声速从应变过程开始随应力-应变曲线变化,在最大应力时声速同时也是最大值,结束时可能高于或低于开始时的声速;(2)声速从应变过程开始逐渐减小,结束时是最小值;(3)声速从应变过程开始逐渐增大,最大值出现在结束时.这些结果与海底浅表层沉积物的物理力学性质、颗粒接触状态、颗粒的微结构等特征有关.研究结果可为深入认识南海南部各种海底沉积物作为承载界面的可靠性、声遥测遥感海底沉积物的工程力学性质等科学目的提供理论依据.     

含砂量变化影响海底沉积物压缩波速度的分析研究

本文通过对南海海底沉积物样品的声学物理参数和沉积粒度特征统计分析，发现了高、低含砂量沉积物的声学物理特征存在明显差异，建立了海底沉积物的含砂量与压缩波速度、孔隙度、含水量和密度等经验公式，分析了含砂量变化与沉积物的体积压缩模量和密度变化的关系，从声速理论基础上阐明了含砂量变化引起沉积物压缩波速度变化的内在原因是含砂量变化引起了体积压缩模量和密度发生了变化，说明了含砂量增大引起沉积物压缩波速度增大的内在原因是含砂量增大引起了体积压缩模量变化量大于密度变化量，从而在数据统计和理论分析结合基础上，论证了含砂量是影响海底沉积物压缩波速度的重要因素之一。这一研究对声学方法反演海底沉积物粒度参数和沉积物类型、地声参数转换模型的建立，以及对水声反演海底和海底资源勘探等方面都具有重要理论意义和应用价值。     

珠江口外海沉积物(原状样)微结构特征及其物理性质

以第四纪地质土质学的显微结构理论和技术方法,研究珠江口外海沉积物工程地质评价中存在的问题.利用电子探针等微区分析方法深入分析软土结构、微结构的组构和层理以及分类特征,结合原状样物理力学性质参数,研究颗粒接触、堆垒、孔隙等现象与物理性质之间的关系.分析研究表明,珠江口外海沉积物存在着6个微结构类型,其中混合接触结构的底质类具有较高的抗压强度.     

基于Chirp数据和Biot-Stoll模型反演南海北部陆坡海底表层沉积物物理性质

浅地层剖面是基于声学信号(频率在几百至几千赫兹)在沉积物中的传播得到可反映沉积地层结构的数据，海底反射系数与沉积物物理性质密切相关。Biot-Stoll声波传播理论模型可以预测海底沉积物的物理性质，构建反射系数等声学参数与物理参数之间的关系，但在不同的海域采用不同的参数所获得的效果不同。为此，本文基于南海北部陆坡海底表层沉积物的实测物理参数，利用Biot-Stoll模型建立研究区海底反射系数和沉积物物理性质之间的关系，结果表明模型计算值与样品实测值吻合度总体较好，偏差在0.1%～4.9%之间，并建立了频率3.5 kHz时海底反射系数与沉积物孔隙度、密度、平均粒径之间的关系方程，且方程拟合度较高，可决系数R2均大于0.99。在对典型Chirp剖面数据计算其海底反射系数的基础上，反演了海底表层沉积物的孔隙度、密度、颗粒平均粒径等物理性质，其中反演孔隙度、密度、平均粒径与实测孔隙度、密度、平均粒径相对误差均小于5%，结果与实测值基本相符，表明该反演方法在南海北部陆坡区的应用是可行的。     

基于浅地层剖面的海底浅表层沉积物物理性质参数反演技术研究

海底浅表层（小于1 m）沉积物的物理性质,如粒度、孔隙度、密度等是海洋沉积学研究和海洋工程地质分析的重要内容,目前主要基于有限的海底取样或原位测试获取这些沉积物的物理性质。浅地层剖面是基于声学信号（频率几千赫兹）在沉积物中的传播得到可反映沉积地层结构的数据,其中的一些声学参数,如海底反射系数、波阻抗等与沉积物物理性质密切相关。如何充分而有效地利用浅地层剖面资料,反演得到剖面覆盖区海底浅表层沉积物的物理性质参数,极具科学意义和应用价值,且基于声学属性反演沉积物物理性质是当前研究的热点。为此,本文基于渤海LD16-3CEPA至LD10-1PAPD路由段的浅地层剖面数据和海底表层沉积物的实测物理参数,利用Biot-Stoll模型建立研究区海底反射系数和沉积物物理性质之间的关系,并基于浅地层剖面数据计算得到的海底反射系数,反演了研究区海底浅表层沉积物的孔隙度、密度、平均粒径等物理性质参数。其中反演的孔隙度、密度、平均粒径与实测孔隙度、密度、平均粒径基本相符,偏差度基本都在20%的偏差范围内,表明该反演方法在该区的应用是可行的。     

Influences of Medium Structure of Three-Phase Seabed Deposit on Sound Velocity

Based on the former research, the mechanism of the influence of the medium structure on the sound velocity of the three- phase seabed deposit is discussed by theoretical method. Through analysis of several structure models of three- phase seabed deposit, an equation of sound velocity is presented, which can describe the effect of structure of three-phase deposit on its acoustic velocity. Seen form the derived equation, the equations of the sound velocity of the deposits with different medium structures are different, the influence of the medium structure on the sound velocity is apparent. The equation in the paper provides the theoretical basis to understand the mechanics properties through sound velocity test, and it can be easily adopted in engineering. The influences of the parameters of deposits, void ratio, gas concentration and modulus on sound velocity through the deposit are investigated by numerical analysis of the acoustic velocity. Numerical result shows that the sound velocity of three-phase     

Composition and properties of glacigenic sediments in the southwestern Barents Sea

Abstract

The composition and properties of glacigenic sediments in the southwestern Barents Sea are described based on data from 33 shallow boreholes (< 143 m below seabed) and 11 seabed cores (<4.2m below seabed). The cores are tied into a regional seismostratigraphic framework, illustrating the relationships between different boreholes.

A massive, muddy diamicton (silty, sandy clay with scattered gravel) is found in nearly all cores. Average clay content (<2 pm) of this lithology is about 38%, but varies between about 25% and 50%. Short intervals of finely laminated, waterlain sediments or gravelly sand are cored in a few occasions. A high content of sand and gravel in the cores from near the Norwegian coast shows an influence of sediment input from the mainland, while material eroded from sedimentary rocks dominates farther offshore.

The data presented on physical properties include undisturbed and remolded undrained shear strength, natural water content, bulk density, compressional sound velocity (P waves), Atterberg consistency limits, effective preconsolidation pressure, and consolidation coefficient.

Prediction of overconsolidation from seismic mapping of erosional surfaces is confirmed by the borehole cores. High compaction is found both in Weichselian and older deposits, with a general increase in compaction toward the east as well as toward shallower water. Cores that are “underconsolidated” at their present burial depth are also reported.

The average compressional sound velocity is about 1780 m/s for the borehole cores, 1550 m/s for the seabed cores, and increases with increasing shear strength and consolidation. Both horizontal and vertical sound velocities are measured in several cores, and although the data have a considerable scatter, a slightly aniso‐tropic sound velocity is indicated.     

Discrimination of Seafloor Sediment Properties by VWA

Analytical results of sound velocity and spectrum for seafloor sediment ore obtained by VWA (velocity-wave-amplitude) discrimination technique. Based on velocity-wave-amplitude, an understanding is gained of the physical condition and structural characteristics of seafloor sediment, which is combined with other geological information of the sedimentary layer to synthetically discriminate the properties of seafloor sediment. Experimental results show that, by using the relationship between sound velocity, wave form envelope, amplitude shape and size, and such parameters as sedimentary structure, microstructure, bedding, grain composition, mineral composition, and physical-mechanics, etc., the basic properties of the shallow surface seafloor sediment in the experimental sea area can be discriminated and the burial depth of traces of ancient marine transgression and regression events in the borehole cores of seafloor sediment can be divided, thus making an attempt of and contribution to the practice of acoustically remote-sensing and telemetering seafloor sediment.     

Discrimination of Seafloor Sediment Properties by VWA

Analytical results of sound velocity and spectrum for seafloor sediment ore obtained by VWA (velocity-wave-amplitude) discrimination technique. Based on velocity-wave-amplitude, an understanding is gained of the physical condition and structural characteristics of seafloor sediment, which is combined with other geological information of the sedimentary layer to synthetically discriminate the properties of seafloor sediment. Experimental results show that, by using the relationship between sound velocity, wave form envelope, amplitude shape and size, and such parameters as sedimentary structure, microstructure, bedding, grain composition, mineral composition, and physical-mechanics, etc., the basic properties of the shallow surface seafloor sediment in the experimental sea area can be discriminated and the burial depth of traces of ancient marine transgression and regression events in the borehole cores of seafloor sediment can be divided, thus making an attempt of and contribution to the practice of acoustically remote-sensing and telemetering seafloor sediment.     

履带式深海采矿车软底质行走性能分析

海底底质的物理力学参数不同于陆地土壤,其极低的抗剪强度和承压强度对深海采矿车的行走性能提出高要求。分析基于车辆地面力学理论,开展了底质土力学特性试验研究,建立了深海底质力学模型。根据深海重载作业采矿车样机结构参数,在大型动力学仿真软件Recurdyn中建立了仿真模型。通过直线行走多体动力学仿真与直线行走海试试验的对比,验证了仿真模型的准确性。在此基础上开展了采矿车样机在深海软底质上的多种行走工况动力学仿真,分析与评价其行走性能。结果表明,采矿车样机可以顺利完成转弯、爬坡、越障等基本功能。该研究成果可为深海采矿车海底行走性能评估提供理论参考,为深海采矿车和软底质的相互作用力学研究提供借鉴。     

Constitutive model for predicting stress-strain behavior of fine-grained sediments using shear-wave velocity

Abstract

The mechanical response of a sediment to an applied stress is significantly affected by variations of material properties, state conditions, and stress states. These stress state and conditions are utilized to infer input parameters for advanced soil constitutive models. Parameters such as void ratio and effective stresses have been readily inferred from shear-wave velocities under low-strain conditions. Thus, this research aimed to develop a shear-wave velocity-based constitutive model within a critical state soil mechanics framework to predict the undrained triaxial behavior of fine-grained sediments. Laboratory tests were performed for sediment samples ranging from silt-predominant to clay-predominant sediments. As result, a new two-term power function was developed that determined mean effective stress as a function of shear-wave velocity. By virtue of this new power function, the Original Cam Clay and Modified Cam Clay critical state models were adapted to estimate the stress-strain behavior and stress paths under undrained conditions, in terms of shear velocity. In addition, correlations were developed using the state and material properties to predict the input model parameters. The developed correlations allow broad application of the proposed framework to different sediment types in which clay and silt are the dominant deposits.     

Acoustic environment and physico‐mechanical properties of the shelf seabed off the pearl river mouth

Abstract

The vast shallow sea off the Pearl River mouth in the northern South China Sea is an important prospecting area for offshore oil development. In recent years, the authors have investigated acoustic and geotechnical characteristics of marine sediments in this area. An intercalated layer of low sound velocity and low compressive strength has been found within the seabed, in which the median diameter of sediment grains is fine and the sound velocity is 100–200 m/s lower than that of the overlying and underlying layers. The minimum unconfined compressive strength of this layer is 0.075 kg/cm², which is lower than that of the over‐ and underlying layers by an order of magnitude. Such an intercalation often constitutes a threat to the stability of shallow foundation soil. In case of overloading, the layer may be weakened, and seafloor sliding between different sediment layers may occur. The regional distribution of these kinds of weak intercalations of low sound velocity may be traced by a subbottom profiler and by means of sediment acoustical investigations.

Correlation between the gray level of a layer on subbottom profile records and physical properties of the layer (including sound velocity and reflectivity) suggests that the layer of sufficient bearing capacity must be searched by means of sediment acoustics at least to the depth of a high‐velocity substratum of stronger reflection.     

Sea Floor Sediment and Its Acouso-Physical Properties in the Southeast Open Sea Area of Hainan Island in China

Acouso-physical properties of sea floor sediments in the southeast offshore sea area of Hainan Island on the northern continental shelf of the South China Sea are analyzed. In many cruises, conductivity-temperature-depth measurements of seawater, measurements of shallow stratum and side-scan sonar have been made. Acoustic parameters, basic sedimentary parameters, physical-mechanical parameters and ¹⁴C age, etc., have been measured. The sediment elastic parameters, including Young's modulus, bulk modulus, constrained modulus, rigidity modulus, Poisson's ratio, Lames constant, etc., have been calculated. Results show that the compression wave velocity of the seafloor sediment in the sea area ranges from 1474–1700 m/s, and there are high and low sound velocity sediment types in the different sea areas; the shear wave velocity is 150–600 m/s; at 100 kHz the sediment sound attenuation is 35–260 dB/m, the sediment density is 1.4–2.0 g/cm³; the sediment porosity is 42–88%. Sound field parameters and describing sound reciprocity between sea and seafloor are described.     

Physical and Mechanical Characteristics of Seabed Sediment Microstructure in the Northern Shelf of the South China Sea

In the present work, the scanning electron-microscopic observations, electronprobing (energy spectrum) analyses and the analyses of physico-mechanical parmeters have been made for the sediments from two areas of the South China Sea Shelf (i.e., the sea area off the Pearl River mouth and the sea area to the south of Hainan Island); the relaion between the microstructures and the geotechnical (engineering) properties of the shelf seabed sediments has been investigated. Results of analyses reveal the diversity of the micro-structures of sediment and lead to a preliminary micro-structures classification. According to the packing and interconnecting (mutual cotacting) styles of sediment grains, the structure of pores and based on the physical and mechanical parameters, it is possible to comprehensively assess the engineering property of the microenvironments of marine sediments.     

江苏大丰海岸碱蓬滩潮沟及滩面的沉积动力特征

根据2002年7月在江苏大丰碱蓬滩潮沟观测的水文、悬沙、底质等资料,分析了潮沟的输水、输沙特征及悬沙和底质在粒径组成上的关系,结果表明,潮沟在流速、悬沙浓度、输水、悬沙输运、底质活动性等方面具有明显的涨落潮不对称.滩面归槽水占潮沟落潮输水量的33%,由此造成的悬沙输运量占潮沟落潮悬沙输运量的20%,这是导致潮沟涨落潮输水输沙不对称的主要因素.在一个潮周期中潮沟的净输水、净悬沙输运方向与滩面相反,指向落潮方向.悬沙和底质组成以粉砂和黏土为主,潮沟和滩面的悬沙粒径组成差别很小.悬沙是滩面底质的主要物质来源,两者在粒径组成上存在着必然联系,沉积物粒径与该粒级在底质中的含量与在悬沙中的含量之比具有明显的幂函数关系.     

The Three Results of Sound Velocity Variance in Sediments During Controlled Stress-strain Testing from the South China Sea

Sound velocity in each type of seafloor sediment from the South China Sea varies with the development of strain in the controlled stress-strain course. Experiments show that there may exist three cases for the maximum sound velocity: (1) it appears at the stress peak; (2) it appears in the phase of no load; and (3) it appears at the end of the strain course. These results are related to physical-mechanical properties and structure of sediments.     

The Three Results of Sound Velocity Variance in Sediments During Controlled Stress-strain Testing from the South China Sea

Sound velocity in each type of seafloor sediment from the South China Sea varies with the development of strain in the controlled stress-strain course. Experiments show that there may exist three cases for the maximum sound velocity: (1) it appears at the stress peak; (2) it appears in the phase of no load; and (3) it appears at the end of the strain course. These results are related to physical-mechanical properties and structure of sediments.