An innovative approach for determining sea-floor sediment behaviour under the influence of cyclic loading

Documents the development of field and laboratory instrumentation as part of a continuing research program at the University of Wales, Bangor, to improve predictions of non-cohesive seafloor sediment behaviour under a variety of loading conditions. The two main instruments are discussed in detail: a towed seafloor geophysical sledge and a monotonic and cyclic triaxial apparatus, fitted with additional piezoelectric transducers. It is proposed that the potential advantages of using a combination of geophysical and geotechnical methodologies of the kind described could include improved behavioural predictions, reduced survey cost and increased data coverage.