Dredged Material Characterization Tests for Beneficial Use Suitability

Replaces Technical Note DOER-C2

February 1998 (May 1999)

Dredged Material Characterization Tests

for Beneficial Use Suitability

PURPOSE: The nature, magnitude, and distribution of contaminants in dredged material vary

within and between sites, making consideration of the potential beneficial uses of dredged material

more difficult. This technical note provides guidance on the nature and types of physical,

engineering, chemical, and biological characterization tests appropriate for determining the poten-

tial for beneficial uses of dredged material in aquatic, wetland, and upland environments.

BACKGROUND: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has the responsibility for

maintaining and improving navigation in waters of the United States. More than 300 million cubic

meters of sediment are dredged annually to accomplish this task. Most of the dredged material

(approximately 90 percent) is considered uncontaminated. However, some waterways are located

near areas that are highly industrialized or in urban settings, and the sediments have been

contaminated by point and nonpoint sources of metals and anthropogenic organic chemicals [e.g.,

petroleum aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and/or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)]. Agricultural

practices have also contributed to sediment contamination (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers) in

rural areas. Contaminated sediments, unacceptable for open-water placement, are usually placed

in confined disposal facilities (CDFs) or confined placement facilities (CPFs). Because many

existing CPFs are filled to capacity, finding additional suitable placement sites for dredged material

is a growing concern. The USACE/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) technical

framework describes the evaluation procedures established for the determination of beneficial uses

of dredged material (USACE/USEPA 1992). A beneficial use component is included in that

framework and is expanded in this technical note to give additional guidance on its implementation.

Alternatives must be developed that can provide beneficial uses for both the contaminated and

uncontaminated dredged material in CPFs so that these materials can be removed and used, resulting

in the creation of additional CPF storage capacity for future dredging activities.

INTRODUCTION: Dredged material, like soil, is a complex matrix with many dynamic interact-

ing components that can affect more than one property. Adequate assessments of the geotechnical,

engineering, chemical, and biological properties must be considered in determining the potential

beneficial uses of a dredged material. The properties of a dredged material must be matched to a

particular beneficial use. Conditioning dredged material may also be required to produce a material

that can perform a beneficial function. A number of physical, engineering, chemical, and biological

tests are available to characterize and aid in making decisions about the potential beneficial uses of

the dredged material. Appropriate characterization tests are listed in Tables 1-3 of this technical

note. Even though most of these analyses were initially designed for soils, they can be applied to

dredged material because of its soil-like nature. The terms "soil" and "dredged material" will be

used interchangeably throughout this technical note.

Characterization of the dredged material is initiated by an evaluation of its physical properties

including (a) grain-size distribution, (b) particle shape, (c) texture, (d) water content, (e) permeability,