Physical and geotechnical properties of Norwegian Sea sediments

Grain size and depth of burial have no significant influence. Vertical and lateral changes in geotechnical properties are associated with vertical and lateral composition changes in which biogenic silica is the most important variable.

Anomalous trends of decreasing density and increasing porosity and water content with depth are associated with increasing silica content downsection. Void ratios, inferred in-situ permeability, and change in void ratio during consolidation testing are relatively high in siliceous sediments and tend to increase as the biogenic silica content increases. Portions of the section are overconsolidated, probably as a result of changes in sediment accumulation rates.