ABSTRACT

In offshore soft sediments, where strengths are typically very low, and deposits are either still consolidating (due to high sedimentation rates) or normally consolidated, accurate measurement of the pore pressure profile is essential (Bruce & Bowers 2002). Excess in situ pore pressures (or overpressures) are believed to have been a major contributing factor to the massive Storegga submarine landslide (e.g., Solheim et al. 2005), and many other offshore regions of the world have excess pore water pressure caused by rapid sedimentation rates, mud volcano activity, and other mechanisms (e.g., Gulf of Mexico, Caspian Sea, offshore West Africa). Overpressured zones can cause major technical difficulties during site exploration investigations (e.g., Caspian Sea) and even more so during installation of offshore infrastructure, and can place the long-term stability of such structures at risk. There are many scientific, engineering and technical aspects of this issue that require a coordinated research effort.