GEOTECHNICAL PROPERTIES OF THE CASSINO BEACH MUD

By Claudio R.R. Dias and Antonio M.L. Alves (Federal University of Rio Grande, September 2008)

CE 530 ADVANCED GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

Agenda

Introduction

Geotechnical Testing Procedures

2004 Characterization Campaign 2005 Characterization Campaign

Discussion and Conclusions

Introduction

Marine bottom, hydrodynamic characteristics and climatic effects determine dynamic behavior of coastal offshore soil deposits. The reasons are still open to discussion. However, mud suspension is usually attributed to the increase in shear stress and decrease of shear strength (liquefaction) occuring in the seafloor due to dynamic loading of the ocean waves. Cassino Project was conducted by research groups from many parts of the world. Sampling and geotechnical characterization of the seafloor at some stations offshore the beach were made. Atterberg limits, physical index, grain size distribution and shear resistance were determined by submission of some laboratory tests.

Where is Cassino Beach?

Mud Event in 1999

Geotechnical Testing Procedures

Sampling
Samples of the muddy bottom were manually taken by divers at some stations offshore Cassino Beach by means of plastic tubes of 10 cm in diameter.

Geotechnical Testing Procedures

Grain size distribution Water content (w) Unit weight of the grains (S) Unit weight of the soil () Void ratio (e) Degree of saturation (S) The plasticity index (IP) The liquidity index (IL)

Geotechnical Testing Procedures

Points above the A line characterize clayey soils; points below are typical of silty soils. Right of the B line shows soils with high plasticity and compressibility; left of it shows opposite properties.

2004 Characterization Campaign

Bathymetric map of the are under study with locations of the sampling points

2004 Characterization Campaign

The grain size distributions of the samples

2004 Characterization Campaign

2004 Characterization Campaign

It was observed that the extreme softness of the mud is located in the middle part of the sampling region, not covered by the sand. The other samples show higher water contents close to the base of the core and lower values in the region of the top.
This is probably is an evidence of a consolidation process taking place at the upper part of the mud, under the effect of the overburden pressure caused by weight of the sandy layer.

2004 Characterization Campaign

Atterberg Limits:

The natural water content of the mud is very high, causing a liquidity index of 1,7.
Soils with liquidity index higher than 1,0 have a mechanical behavior similar to viscous liquid.

2005 Characterization Campaign

In 2005 a complementary set of field experiments was carried out.

Grain size distributions and index properties were in agreement with the results of 2004 campaign.

2005 Characterization Campaign

A UU triaxial test was conducted with a sample taken at a depth of 18 cm. The estimated (SU) was equal to 4,0 kPa and (w) was equal to 85%.
The estimated (SU) for a sample taken from 31 cm depth was 1,5 kPa and measured (w) was 131%. The hypothesis of a consolidation process occuring in the regions where the mud is covered by sand was corrobarated by these shear tests.

Discussion and Conclusions

Geotechnical parameters of the Cassino Beach mud are typical of very soft soils, highly plastic and compressible, with extremely low shear strength. Some regions of the offshore deposits seem to be on a consolidation process, gaining shear strength on their upper parts due to the effects of the overburden pressure originated by the weight of a covering sandy layer.

Discussion and Conclusions

The very low values of shear strength of the mud samples with high values of liquidity index, indicate that the exposed mud may be re-suspended by the dynamic shear loading generated by oscillating waves during strong storms. Together with all the other available information regarding hydrodynamic and climatic behavior of the Cassino Beach region, it may contribute for a better understanding of the mud dynamics and behavior.