Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions

Conference Track:  Engineering & Public Service

Keywords:         dredging   capping  disposal   sizing   contaminant

Contact Title::    Dr.

Contact First Name: Paul

Contact Last Name:  Schroeder

University:       US Army Engineer Research & Development Center

Web:              www.wes.army.mil/el

Position:         Research Civil Engineer

Country:          USA

Email:            schroep@wes.army.mil

Fax:              601 634-3707

Paper Title: 

Sizing of Deep Subaqueous Pits for Dredged Material Disposal 

Abstract: 

Dredging of the navigational channel of the Piaçaguera Canal is required to maintain access to the Cubatao Harbor, situated in the inner area of the Santos estuary of Brazil, an area of intense sedimentation.  Biological and chemical testing of sediment from the berthing area clearly indicates that a portion of these sediments will require confined disposal when dredged.  The available sites for placement of unsuitable material in the Santos region are limited; therefore, confined aquatic disposal in excavated pits in the channel is being examined. 

Sizing of cells considering hydraulic placement is critical for the design due to the small width of the channel, constraints on side slopes limits restricting excavation depth, and capping requirements.  Therefore, accurate prediction of storage requirements is critical.  Precise physical, geotechnical, settling and consolidation characterization of the contaminated maintenance sediments is required for modeling sedimentation/consolidation.  Standard compression settling, self-weight and standard oedometer consolidation tests were run.  Standard compression settling tests and self-weight consolidation tests often predict significantly different storage requirements.  Therefore, a 5-m (incrementally loaded for 40 days) compression settling test was run to simulate the disposal process and verify the self-weight consolidation predictions.   

Mailing Address: 

CEERD-EP-E

3909 Halls Ferry Road

Vicksburg, MS  39180-6199 

Phone: 

601 634-3709 

Authors:

Paul R. Schroeder, schroep@wes.army.mil, USACE ERDC(P)

Stephen A. Pranger, pranges@wes.army.mil   USACE ERDC

Thomas D. Borrowman, Thomas.D.Borrowman@erdc.usace.army.mil  USACE ERDC

Lotufo, Guilherme, lotufog@wes.army.mil  USACE ERDC