Agitation dredging of silt and fine sand with Water Injection Dredging, Tiamat and Underwater Plough: a case study in the Port of Rotterdam

Purpose

Agitation dredging has gained popularity as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective method for port maintenance. One of the advantages of agitation dredging is the ability to transport sediments out of the port area using natural currents. The effect of the different agitation methods on sediment and water properties has rarely been investigated in a single pilot project. This research aims to study the effects of agitation methods in silt and sand-dominated areas that are frequently maintained.

Methods

The effects of water injection dredging, (WID) underwater ploughing (UWP) and Tiamat on sediment properties are investigated in the Port of Rotterdam. In-situ measurements and laboratory measurements are carried out to determine changes in the bed level, the particle size distribution of the bed, the turbidity in the water column and the dispersion distance of the sediment plume due to agitation dredging.

Results

The results of the in-situ monitoring of the agitation pilots allow a comparison of the changes in sediment and water properties before, during and after agitation dredging. The production, advantages and limitations of the tested agitation dredging methods are discussed.

Conclusion

The in-situ measurements show that WID, Tiamat and UWP can be successfully used for the agitation of sediments and their removal from the silt and sand-dominated areas. The production of the tested agitation methods is higher for silty than sandy sediments. In general, the selection of the agitation equipment can be made based on environmental regulations, sediment properties and hydrodynamic conditions.