Bulk Density--Water Content Relationship in Marine Silts and Clays

Abstract

ABSTRACT Bulk density and water content are defined and then related to one another and to void ratio by 7 polynomial regression equations based on 1680 measured bulk density and water content values of water-saturated sediments from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and other areas. Theoretical relationships between bulk density, water content, and void ratio for specific gravities between 2.30 and 2.85 are demonstrated. The average specific gravity of 2.72 found for the data presented compares favorably to similar values reported in the literature. Use can be made of the regression equations to compute e log p sedimentation-compression curves entirely determined from the bulk density of water-saturated sediment measured nondestructively by laboratory or in situ nuclear transmission densitometers. In an example showing the consolidation of a fine-grained calcareous sediment from the Exuma Sound, Bahamas, the all-nuclear laboratory method compares favorably with the conventional, non-nuclear method of constructing e log p curves. The combination of suitable regression equations and the all-nuclear method is equally applicable to other fine-grained water-saturated sediments.