Dredging: Innovative Technology

Corps of Engineers Research Report Summary, October 2002

Dredging Operations and Environmental Research Program

Dredging:

Innovative Technology

Soil Separation Mobile Treatment Plant Demonstration, Bayport Confined Disposal

Facility, Green Bay, Wisconsin (ERDC/EL TR-02-38)

ISSUE: Confined disposal facilities (CDFs)

density separator was used to separate sand from

the bulk sediment. The target sand product

have historically been used for disposal of both

specifications were less than 10 percent fines by

clean and contaminated dredged material from

mass and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

navigational dredging projects. Many CDFs are

concentrations less than 1 mg/kg. The underflow

nearing capacity. Removal of uncomtaminated

fraction averaged over 92 percent sand, as

materials from the CDFs is a viable option for

measured by a Coulter Counter. PCBs were

extending the life of these facilities. This approach

reduced to 0.144 mg/kg PCB 1242 and

carries the additional benefit of producing a

0.0119 mg/kg PCB 1260 in the sand, from

marketable product for beneficial uses, which can

2.71 mg/kg and 0.145 mg/kg in the feed material,

potentially help to offset the cost of processing.

respectively. Based on statistical analysis of the

RESEARCH: The feasibility of physical

results, the contaminant concentrations predicted

separation as a volume reduction method has been

for the sand fraction by the bench-scale testing

demonstrated at several disposal facilities. A

were essentially equivalent to that achieved in the

guidance document addressing principles of

field operation. Distribution of metals was

physical separation as they apply to soils and

somewhat more variable than for PCBs, but

sediments, and identifying standard equipment,

metals were reduced by a factor of 2.6 to an order

selection criteria, and potential sources was

of magnitude in the sand fraction.

recently completed. Technical notes addressing

AVAILABILITY OF REPORT: The report is

recovery of materials from CDFs were also

available in .pdf format on the World Wide Web

published under the Dredging Operations and

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

Environmental Research (DOER) program. Work

through Interlibrary Loan Service from the U.S.

is ongoing at the U.S. Army Engineer Research

Army Engineer Research and Development

and Development Center, funded under the DOER

Center (ERDC) Research Library, telephone (601)

program, to develop bench-scale methods for

634-2355, or the following Web site:

economical preliminary feasibility evaluations.

http://libweb.wes.army.mil/ index.htm.

SUMMARY: Preprocessing and separation

equipment were tested in a one-day demonstration

at Green Bay, WI. A 24-in. (0.6-m) maximum

About the Authors: Study Investigators were Mmes. Trudy J. Olin-Estes, Research Civil Engineer, and

Susan E. Bailey, Environmental Engineer, Environmental Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Research and

Development Center; Mr. David W. Bowman, Physical Scientist, U.S. Army Engineer District, Detroit; and

Dr. Dennis L. Brandon, Statistician, Environmental Laboratory.

Point of Contact: Dr. Robert M. Engler, Program Manager of the Dredging Operations and Environmental

Research Program, (601) 634-3624, .

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