Research progress on consolidated silt in estuarine and coastal areas

Consolidated silt is a special depositional landform. The properties,formation and evolution of consolidated silt,which relate to the fields of marine sediment dynamics and marine engineering geology,are of crucial importance for shore protection,navigation safety,and marine construction. This paper introduces the concept,characteristics and distribution of consolidated silt and focuses on mechanisms of formation and evolution. Recent research progress on consolidated silt is reviewed according to the three modes formation and evolution (i.e. primary deposition mode,coarsening and sorting mode,and liquefaction and seepage mode). New research ideas and methods with regards to consolidated silt are considered after analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of emphasizing the three modes. It is proposed that future research directions should:combine basic approaches of marine soil mechanics and sediment dynamics;carry out simultaneous observations of multiple-factors characterizing the water,seabed surface,and internal seabed;build an integrated conceptual model to describe the physical process;establish corresponding mathematical models to evaluate the formation and evolution of consolidated silt.