A field survey of a dredging plume during gravel dredging
Breugem, W.A.; Bollen, M.; Sas, M.; Vandenbroeck, J. (2009). A field survey of a dredging plume during gravel dredging, in: CEDA Dredging Days 2009 - Dredging Tools for the Future. pp. 13
In: (2009). CEDA Dredging Days 2009 - Dredging Tools for the Future. Central Dredging Association: Delft. ISBN 978-90-809883-3-0. , more
Overflow during dredging with a Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) inevitably leads to the development of a dredging plume, which might impact the coastal ecosystem as well as the dredging operations themselves. A better insight into the behavior of such plumes allows proactive management of dredging operations so as to limit these impacts. Hence, accurate measurements of such plumes are, though quite rare, more than wanted. In this philosophy, DEME and IMDC have set up a survey in which a dredging plume is observed near a specialized gravel dredger from the DEME group. In order to measure this plume, a separate survey vessel was equipped with a series of sophisticated tools: an ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) to measure the suspended sediment concentrations and the flow velocity, an OBS3A (Optical Backscatter) turbidity meter to measure the sediment concentrations 1.5 m below the free surface, and the newly developed SiltProfiler to measure high-resolution vertical sediment concentration profiles. Simultaneously, samples in the overflow of the TSHD were taken using an airlift pump. All measurements are reported and the influence on the development of the dredging plume of different parameters like grain size and dredging direction (with regard to the prevailing current) is examined.
All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy
