This project developed contour maps of shear strength for the Central and Western Gulf of Mexico shallow sediments for depths of 0, 5 and 10 feet below mud-line and from shoreline to ~300 ft water depths. Present regulations require that offshore pipelines be buried to a depth of 3 ft. below the mud-line in water depths of 200 ft. or less. An alternative in soft sediments is to allow pipelines to self-bury by virtue of their mass. MMS has developed a criterion based on near-surface sediment shear strength to determine whether these pipelines will self-bury however available maps developed in the 1970's have become less reliable in areas due to erosion and deposition of shallow sediments by storms and currents. The purpose of this project is to develop new shear strength maps based on more recent soil boring information. The purpose of this project is to develop new shear strength maps based on the most recent soil boring data at that time.
Study completed in 2004.