Improvement of Operations and Maintenance Techniques Research Program. Field Studies of Sediment Resuspension Characteristics of Selected Dredges
1989
McLellan, Thomas N. | Havis, Robert N. | Hayes, Donald F. | Raymond, Gene L.
This study describes the operation and potential sediment resuspension points of selected dredges with the objective of identifying sediment resuspension characteristics at the point of dredging. Field studies were conducted to describe and compare the characteristics of resuspended sediment plumes from dredging with conventional equipment such as cutterhead, clamshell, hopper dredges, and special equipment such as the enclosed clamshell dredge and the matchbox dredge. Characteristics of resuspended sediment plumes (far field) and, in selected studies, sediment concentrations at the dredgehead were measured (near field) during the field studies. To depict the dispersion of sediment from the point of dredging, data are presented which show the areal extent of sediment plumes at various depths in the water column. Results showed that the cutterhead dredge resuspends sediment chiefly in the lower portion of the water column. The initial effects of overflow from hopper dredges were seen in the upperportion of the water column. Clamshell dredges impacted water quality near the bottom and may distribute sediment through out the water column. Resuspended sediment concentrations within a few feet of a cutterhead dredge were used to develop and calibrate an empirical mathematical model to predict sediment resuspension as a function of dredge operation variables. Keywords: Contaminated sediments; Dredging techniques; Hydraulic dredge.
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