Towards the integration of new geophysical methodologies into offshore site investigation practice

The marine environment can be a particularly challenging one for the geotechnical engineer. Seafloor sediments tend to be highly variable, both vertically and laterally, and given this variability plus the obvious technological and logistical constraints, there remains considerable scope for improvement and development in site investigation practice. Over recent years the role of geophysics as a quantitative measuring tool in engineering site investigation has began to be recognised. In the marine environment, the geophysical approach should have particular appeal as it is essentially a `remote sensing technique´ and undoubtedly represents the most economic means of obtaining in situ seafloor properties with a fine spatial resolution