Biogenic Carbonate Sediments

The ocean contains massive seabed graveyards we know as carbonate sediments, deposited over millennia. These sediments are found throughout the world, but geotechnical engineers most commonly encounter them in Australia’s Northwest Shelf and parts of the Gulf of Mexico, India, the Middle East, Africa, and the Southeast coast of the U.S. – all areas of offshore energy development. Their presence at sites for offshore development pose several challenges for offshore construction that makes understanding their formation, prevalence, and engineering behavior key factors in the design, construction, and long-term performance of foundations in these sediments.