Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for JMSE Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Published Papers

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Ocean Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 7380

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Lele Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Shandong Engineering Research Center of Marine Exploration and Conservation, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Interests: soil mechanics; porous fluid flow; fractal theory; soil-structure interactions; natural gas hydrate
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Qingbing Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Badong National Observation and Research Station of Geohazards, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: soil-pile interactions; prevention and mitigation of landslides; engineering behavior of swelling clays
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Dengfeng Fu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, 238 Songling Road, Tsingtao 266100, China
Interests: soil characteristics; soil–structure interaction; numerical modelling; centrifuge modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Energy has always been one of the most fundamental resources that promote the progress, evolution, and prosperity of human societies. In the ocean, there are many kinds of energy resources such as wind energy, solar energy, tidal energy, thermal energy, oil and gas energy, natural gas hydrates, and so on. The exploitation of marine energy resources is a complex task that requires correctly identifying and properly dealing with various geological and geotechnical hazards such as submarine landslides, offshore foundation failure, wellbore instability, and others. Identify hazards and understanding the risks necessitate the characterization of marine soil properties. Key parameters for engineering design could be quantified via in situ testing and laboratory experiments. In recent years, an increasing number of offshore, coastal, and geotechnical engineering projects have been performed all over the world and impressive advances have been made. In order to introduce these advances and further scientific understanding, we have organized this Special Issue, to be published in JMSE, to provide a knowledge carrier for wide academic exchanges among scientists and engineers. Thus, we sincerely invite you to submit your research papers to this Special Issue. All your contributions are welcomed and will be highly appreciated.

Prof. Dr. Lele Liu
Prof. Dr. Qingbing Liu
Prof. Dr. Dengfeng Fu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

submarine landslide
marine soil properties
offshore foundation stability
in situ testing
soil/structure interactions
natural gas hydrates
geological engineering
offshore engineering
coastal engineering
geotechnical engineering
footings/foundations

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (9 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

22 pages, 21962 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on the Reinforcement of Calcareous Sand Using Combined Microbial-Induced Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) and Festuca arundinacea Techniques

by Xiuqiong Deng, Ziyu Wang, Yuchun Qin, Liang Cao, Peng Cao, Yu Xie and Yingqi Xie

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(5), 883; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13050883 (registering DOI) - 29 Apr 2025

Abstract

Combining the Microbial-Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) technique with plants to reinforce calcareous sand slopes on reef islands is expected to achieve both reinforcement and economic benefits. In this study, MICP was combined with Festuca arundinacea (MICP-FA) for calcareous sand reinforcement. Based on water retention and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests, the water retention performance and mechanism of MICP-reinforced calcareous sand under different cementation solution concentrations and cementation cycles were analyzed. The growth adaptability of Festuca arundinacea was evaluated under different bacteria solution concentrations, cementation solution concentrations and cementation cycles. The engineering applicability of MICP-FA-reinforced calcareous sand was evaluated by wind erosion tests, and the synergistic reinforcement mechanism was analyzed. The results show that with the increase in the cementation solution concentration and cementation cycles, more calcium carbonate filled and adhered to the calcareous sand particles, significantly improving the water retention performance. MICP-FA can enhance the wind erosion resistance of calcareous sand. This synergistic mechanism lies in the surface cementation effect of MICP and the deep anchoring effect of plant roots. This study provides theoretical basis and technical guidance for engineering applications in calcareous sand areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 7275 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Deformation Patterns and Control of Existing Tunnels Induced by Coastal Foundation Pit Excavation

by Tao Liu, Yunlong Liang, Huadong Peng, Liucheng Yu, Tongju Xing, Yuanzhe Zhan and Jianguo Zheng

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(4), 773; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13040773 - 13 Apr 2025

Viewed by 173

Abstract

The rapid development of coastal cities has intensified land resource constraints and is leading to an increasing number of foundation pit projects near existing operational tunnels. This necessitates careful consideration of coastal excavation impacts on adjacent tunnels. Taking a foundation pit project in Qingdao as a case study, this paper investigates tunnel deformation through statistical analysis, numerical simulation, and field monitoring. By adjusting numerical model parameters, the research examines the influence of horizontal clearance distances, existing structure burial depths, and different retaining structure configurations on tunnel deformation, providing guidance for deformation control. Key findings include the following: (1) Statistical analysis reveals that tunnels in silty clay strata experience more significant excavation-induced deformation compared to those in silt strata, with relative positional relationships between pits and tunnels playing a critical role. (2) Numerical and monitoring results demonstrate that pit excavation induces tunnel displacement towards the excavation zone. Maximum lateral displacement reached 3.57 mm (simulated) and 4.79 mm (measured), while maximum vertical displacement was 3.11 mm (simulated) and 3.85 mm (measured), all within safety thresholds. (3) Sensitivity analysis shows that shallower tunnels exhibit more pronounced deformations. Increasing horizontal separation distance from 10 m to 25 m reduces deformation by one-third. However, adjusting diaphragm wall thickness and retaining structure embedment depth proves limited in deformation control, necessitating reinforcement measures on the tunnel side. These findings provide valuable references for protecting coastal silty clay stratum tunnels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 16778 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Mechanical Behavior of Fine-Grained Gassy Soil Under Different Stress Conditions

by Tao Liu, Chengrong Qing, Jianguo Zheng, Xiufen Ma, Jiawang Chen and Xiaolei Liu

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(2), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13020373 - 17 Feb 2025

Viewed by 457

Abstract

Gassy soil is prevalent in coastal regions, and the presence of gas bubbles can significantly alter the mechanical properties of soil, potentially leading to various marine engineering geological hazards. In this study, a series of triaxial tests were conducted on fine-grained gassy soils under different consolidation pressures (p_c’), stress paths, and initial pore water pressures (u_w0). These tests were also used to verify the applicability of a newly proposed constitutive model. According to the test results, the response to excess pore pressure and the stress–strain relationship of fine-grained gassy soils strongly depend on the initial pore water pressure (u_w0), with the degree of variation being influenced by the consolidation pressure (p_c’) and stress path. As u_w0 decreases, the undrained shear strength (c_u) of fine-grained gassy soils gradually increases, and this is lower under the reduced triaxial compression (RTC) path compared to the conventional triaxial compression (CTC) path, which can be attributed to the destruction of the pore structure due to an increase in gas volume. The newly proposed model accurately predicts the pore pressure and stress–strain relationship of fine-grained gassy soils at low consolidation pressures (p_c’), but it falls short in predicting the mechanical behavior during shear progression under high p_c’ or the RTC path. Although the model effectively predicts the excess pore pressure and deviator stress at the shear failure point (axial strain = 15%), further improvement is still required. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 9204 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effective Stress-Based Numerical Method for Predicting Large-Diameter Monopile Response to Various Lateral Cyclic Loadings

by Jichao Lei, Kehua Leng, Wei Xu, Lixian Wang, Yu Hu and Zhen Liu

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(12), 2260; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12122260 - 9 Dec 2024

Viewed by 682

Abstract

Extreme marine environmental cyclic loading significantly affects the serviceability of monopiles applied for the foundation of offshore wind turbines (OWTs). Existing research has primarily used p-y methods or total stress-based models to investigate the behavior of monopile–marine clay systems, overlooking the pore pressure development in subsea clay. Studies on the effective stress-based behavior of clay under various lateral cyclic loading conditions are limited. This paper presents an effective stress-based 3D finite element numerical method developed to predict key behaviors of pile–clay systems, including permanent pile rotation under cyclic loading, pile bending moment, and the evolution of pore pressure in subsea clay. The model is verified by contrasting the simulations results to centrifuge experimental results. Cyclic lateral loading is divided into average cyclic load and amplitude of cyclic load to investigate their impacts on the pile–clay system response. The research findings offer insights for the design of large-diameter monopiles under complex cyclic loading conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 3400 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Vertical Dynamic Response of SDCM Piles in Coastal Areas

by Yeyu Yan, Hongbo Liu, Guoliang Dai, Yufan Xiang and Chenhu Xu

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(11), 1950; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12111950 - 31 Oct 2024

Viewed by 812

Abstract

The stiffened deep cement mixing (SDCM) pile, as a new type of rigid–flexible composite pile, significantly enhances the vertical bearing capacity of traditional precast piles, thus holding broad application prospects in the substructure construction of nearshore bridges and marine energy structures. This paper investigates the vertical dynamic response of SDCM piles through theoretical derivation and parameter analysis. Firstly, based on elastic dynamics theory and the three-phase porous media model, vertical vibration control equations for both SDCM piles and fractional-order viscoelastic unsaturated soils are established. Secondly, theoretical derivations yield exact analytical solutions for the surrounding dynamic impedance, top dynamic stiffness, and dynamic damping of the SDCM pile. Finally, through numerical examples and parameter studies, the impact mechanisms of physical parameters in the SDCM pile–unsaturated soil dynamic coupling system on the top dynamic stiffness and dynamic damping of the SDCM pile are analyzed. The research results presented in this paper indicate that reducing the radius of the rigid core pile while increasing the thickness of the exterior pile has a positive effect on enhancing its vibration resistance. Additionally, increasing the length of SDCM piles contributes to improved vibration performance. However, an increase in the elastic modulus of the cement–soil exterior pile is detrimental to the vibration resistance of the rigid composite pile. On the other hand, an increase in the elastic modulus of the concrete core pile only enhances its ability to resist vibration under low-frequency load excitation. Furthermore, enlarging the soil saturation, decreasing the intrinsic permeability, and enlarging the soil relaxation shear modulus have a significant positive impact on improving the vibration resistance of SDCM piles. In contrast, changes in porosity have a negligible effect on the ability to resist vertical vibrations of SDCM piles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 6755 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Theoretical Model for the Hydraulic Permeability of Clayey Sediments Considering the Impact of Pore Fluid Chemistry

by Lixue Cao, Hang Zhao, Baokai Yang, Jian Zhang, Hongzhi Song, Xiaomin Fu and Lele Liu

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(11), 1937; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12111937 - 29 Oct 2024

Viewed by 919

Abstract

The chemistry of the pore fluid within clayey sediments frequently changes in various processes. However, the impacts of pore fluid chemistry have not been well included in the hydraulic permeability model, and the physical bases behind the salinity sensitivity of the hydraulic permeability remains elusive. In this study, a theoretical model for the hydraulic permeability of clayey sediments is proposed, and impacts of the pore fluid chemistry are quantitatively considered by introducing electrokinetic flow theory. Available experimental data were used to verify the theoretical model, and the verified model was further applied as a sensitivity analysis tool to explore more deeply how hydraulic permeability depends on pore fluid chemistry under different conditions. Coupling effects of pore water desalination and the effective stress enhancement on the hydraulic permeability of marine sediments surrounding a depressurization wellbore during hydrate production are discussed. Results and discussion show that the hydraulic permeability reduction is significant only when the electric double layer thickness is comparable to the characteristic pore size, and the reduction becomes more obvious when the ion mobility of the saline solution is smaller and the surface dielectric potential of clay minerals is lower. During gas hydrate production in the ocean, the salinity sensitivity of the hydraulic permeability could become either stronger and weaker, depending on whether the original characteristic pore size of marine sediments is relatively large or small. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 6619 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Large-Scale Triaxial Test on Mechanical Behavior of Coral Sand Gravel Layered Samples

by Xinyue Tang, Dongfeng Xin, Xuewen Lei, Ting Yao, Qingshan Meng and Qingbing Liu

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(10), 1784; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12101784 - 8 Oct 2024

Viewed by 1311

Abstract

Layered structures comprising coral sand and gravel have been observed in hydraulic filled foundations in the coral reefs in the South China Sea, leading to anisotropy in their physical and mechanical properties. However, the effect of a layered structure on the strength and deformation of the coral soil foundation remains unclear. In this study, a series of large-scale triaxial compression tests and step-loading tests were carried out on four types of samples, i.e., clean coral sand, clean coral gravel, sand-over-gravel layered sample, and gravel-over-sand layered sample, to investigate the impact of confining pressure and the layered structure on the strength and failure modes of these soils. The results indicate that the stress–strain relationships of all samples predominantly exhibit strain hardening under drained conditions. Under identical confining pressures, the peak strength of clean coral sand is the lowest, while that of coral gravel is the highest. The peak strengths of the two layered samples fall between these extremes, with the gravel-over-sand layered sample exhibiting higher strength. All four samples have similar peak friction angles, slightly exceeding 40°. The difference in peak strength among the four types of samples is attributed to the variations in cohesion, with the cohesion of clean coral gravel being up to four times that of clean sand, and the cohesion of layered samples falling between these two. Both clean sand and clean gravel samples exhibit a bulging phenomenon in the middle, while the layered samples primarily exhibit bulging near the coral gravel layer. In the step-loading tests, the bearing capacity of the layered samples falls between those of clean coral sand and coral gravel, with the gravel-over-sand layered samples demonstrating higher strength. Moreover, the p-s curve of the gravel-over-sand layered samples obtained from the large-scale triaxial apparatus under a confining pressure of 400 kPa resembles that from the plate load tests on the same samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 21052 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response of a Coral Reef Sand Foundation Densified through the Dynamic Compaction Method

by Linlin Gu, Weihao Yang, Zhen Wang, Jianping Wang and Guanlin Ye

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(9), 1479; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12091479 - 26 Aug 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 962

Abstract

Dynamic compaction is a method of ground reinforcement that uses the huge impact energy of a free-falling hammer to compact the soil. This study presents a DC method for strengthening coral reef foundations in the reclamation area of remote sea islands. Pilot tests were performed to obtain the design parameters before official DC operation. The standard penetration test (SPT), shallow plate-load test (PLT), and deformation investigation were conducted in two improvement regions (A₁ and A₂) with varying tamping energies. During the deformation test, the depth of the tamping crater for the first two points’ tamping and the third full tamping was observed at two distinct sites. The allowable ground bearing capacity at two disparate field sites was at least 360 kPa. The reinforcement depths were 3.5 and 3.2 m in the A₁ and A₂ zones, respectively. The DC process was numerically analyzed by the two-dimensional particle flow code, PFC2D. It indicated that the reinforcement effect and effective reinforcement depth were consistent with the field data. The coral sand particles at the bottom of the crater were primarily broken down in the initial stage, and the particle-crushing zone gradually developed toward both sides of the crater. The force chain developed similarly at the three tamping energies (800, 1500, and 2000 kJ), and the impact stress wave propagated along the sand particles primarily in the vertical direction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 5958 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Simulation of Vertical Cyclic Responses of a Bucket in Over-Consolidated Clay

by Jun Jiang, Chengxi Luo and Dong Wang

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(8), 1319; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12081319 - 4 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1031

Abstract

Multi-bucket foundations have become an alternative for large offshore wind turbines, with the expansion of offshore wind energy into deeper waters. The vertical cyclic loading–displacement responses of the individual bucket of the tripod foundation are relevant to the deflection of multi-bucket foundations and crucial for serviceability design. Finite element analyses are used to investigate the responses of a bucket subjected to symmetric vertical cyclic loading in over-consolidated clay. The Undrained Cyclic Accumulation Model (UDCAM) is adopted to characterize the stress–strain properties of clay, the parameters of which are calibrated through monotonic and cyclic direct simple shear tests. The performance of the finite element (FE) model combined with UDCAM in simulating vertical displacement amplitudes is evaluated by comparison with existing centrifuge tests. Moreover, the impact of the bucket’s aspect ratio on vertical displacement amplitude is investigated through a parametric study. A predictive equation is proposed to estimate the vertical displacement amplitudes of bucket foundations with various aspect ratios, based on the cyclic displacement amplitude of a bucket with an aspect ratio of unity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Advances in Marine Geological and Geotechnical Hazards

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (9 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI