Dredging: Innovative Technology

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research Report Summary, April 2000

Dredging Operations and Environmental Research Program

Dredging:

I n n o v a t i v e Te c h n o l o g y

Innovations in Dredging Technology: Equipment, Operations,

and Management (ERDC TR-DOER-5)

ISSUE: Historically, there has been no pro-

European applications. Several hundred docu-

ments and technologies were researched per-

grammatic or systematic approach to the dem-

taining to innovative dredging technologies and

onstration, evaluation, and reporting of new or

procedures. A series of site visits were made to

innovative applications of dredging technology

several institutions, dredge contractors, port

in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredging

authorities, and project sites in Belgium, the

program. Attempts to exploit innovations de-

United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Ger-

veloped within and outside the United States

many. Ninety-one technology fact sheets were

have also been random and less than ideal. To

prepared and each fact sheet contains the fol-

take advantage of advances in dredging technol-

lowing types of information about that technol-

ogy, a contract was awarded to survey and cata-

ogy: technology name, category, description,

logue innovative equipment, operations, and

company/organization, projects completed, in-

management techniques showing high potential

formation sources, and literature references.

for use in Corps dredging projects.

RESEARCH: The objective of the study was

The report provides detailed descriptions of 11

of the 91 technologies identified as having

to identify foreign and domestic commercial

promise. By investigating and documenting

technology that could help in reducing the over-

these solutions and reviewing them relative to

all cost of performing and managing dredging

the Corps dredging program, there is potential

products in the Corps. These technologies were

to identify and implement those procedures

to be identified as having a high potential for

showing high promise to reduce the cost of con-

increasing efficiency or productivity of the

ducting dredging operations performed or man-

dredging operations in order to be selected for

aged by the Corps.

evaluation using the following criteria: need in

Corps navigation dredging program, positive

AVAILABILITY OF REPORT: The report is

benefits versus costs, high probability of imple-

available in .pdf format on the World Wide Web

mentation, and availabliity of co-sponsor.

at http://www.wes.army.mil/el/dots/doer/ and

SUMMARY: Initially, a literature review was

through Interlibrary Loan Service from the U.S.

Army Engineer Research and Development

used to identify the vast array of technologies

Center (ERDC), Waterways Experiment Station

and categories of equipment and procedures per-

(WES) Library, telephone (601) 634-2355.

taining to dredging operations with emphasis on

About the Authors: Study Investigators were Messrs. T. Neil McLellan and Robert

J. Hopman, Hartman Consulting Corporation, A Subsidiary of Foster Wheeler Environ-

mental Cooperation.

Point of Contact: Norman R. Francingues, Principal Investigator, telephone (601)

634-3703 or email francin@wes.army.mil.

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