Indagini Marini
Via Della Campana, 34
57122 Livorno
ITALIA
Techniques for Marine Sediment Coring
+39 3385288229
b.aiello@polarispro.it
aiellobenedetto@pec.it
Marine sediment coring is a fundamental specialized methodology used to collect continuous vertical samples of sediments from the seabed. These stratigraphic samples, known as "cores," appear as intact cylinders of material that can reveal, depending on the water depth, the type, and the compactness of the marine substrate, various extraction technologies are employed. These geotechnical investigations are essential for calculating the stability of the seabed before anchoring an underwater modular structure or research platforms.
P.IVA 02056430495
REA LI - 230728
Vibrocorer
Rotary Corer
Poiston Core
Gravity Corer
Equipped with diamond or carbide cutting heads, it is used for drilling and coring hard rock formations or cemented substrates.
Uses high-frequency vibrations to reduce friction with the ground during penetration, allowing for the recovery of longer cores with an extremely low level of substrate disturbance.
Exclusively utilizes the force of gravity and its own high weight in controlled free fall to penetrate vertically into the softer surface sediments of the seabed.
Uses a sophisticated internal piston mechanism that drastically reduces friction during penetration, allowing for the recovery of significantly longer and minimally disturbed cores.
Application
Geology and Geotechnics:
Detailed study of underwater rock formations, tectonic evolution, and assessment of soil mechanical properties for the design of marine infrastructures (such as cables, pipelines, and platforms)..
Paleoclimatology and Environment:
Stratigraphic analysis of sediments and microfossils to reconstruct the trends of global climate changes and the evolution of oceanic ecosystems over time.
Marine Biology:
Study of benthic organisms and microorganisms that inhabit the upper layers of sediment, essential for monitoring the health of our seas.
Natural Resources:
Exploration and mapping of mineral resources, deposits, and hydrocarbons present in the marine subsoil.
📋 Guide to Choosing the Coring System
To optimize costs and ensure the highest quality of the sample, the selection of technology mainly depends on the nature of the seabed and the research objectives:
Very soft and shallow sediments (up to 2-3 meters)
👉 Ideal solution: Gravity corer. It is the fastest and most economical method to analyze the most recent layer of the seabed.
Sands, soft clays, and long samples (up to 10-15 meters)
👉 Ideal solution: Vibrocore or Piston corer. The Vibrocore eliminates friction in loose sediments, while the piston prevents partial sampling, ensuring undisturbed cores.
Hard substrates, solid rock, or cemented sediments
👉 Ideal solution: Rotary corer. The action of the diamond head is the only one capable of coring solid formations without damaging the instrumentation.