Physical chemical analysis of marine sediment cementation from the Gulf of Guinea

This study aims at investigating the cementation of marine sediments from the Gulf of Guinea by using physicochemical analysis. In order to highlight the presence of cementation in the sediments, three conventional consolidation tests were conducted on intact and remoulded samples. Mercury intrusion porosimetry analyses were then carried out on the specimens taken from samples after consolidation tests. Several physicochemical experimental techniques were used to analyze these cementations, such as cation exchange capacity analysis, batch test, scanning electron microscope imaging coupled with EDS chemical analysis, and thermal analysis. The results seem to indicate that the cementation of these sediments is predominated by the presence of smectite gel between clay aggregates (clusters). Finally, a conceptual sediment microstructural model is proposed to describe the cementation.