Finite Element Study on Temperature Field of Underwater Dredging Devices via the Artificial Ground Freezing Method

Abstract

Increased urbanization has led to undesirable increases in the discharge of refuse waste and pollutants in urban and rural rivers. Blockages and river pollution adversely affect navigation and aquatic ecosystems and cause flooding during the flood season. Regular riverbed dredging is essential to protect local ecosystems and maintain waterways’ health. However, the current dredging methods cause secondary pollution during dredging. This study examined a new river dredging method with a parametric analysis of its reliability for different construction environments. ADINA software solved the temperature field model using the finite element method to build a three-dimensional transient heat conduction model. The analysis determined the distribution and development of the temperature field during the freezing process and the effective dredging range of the frozen device. We compared thermal conductivities, specific heat capacities, freezing device sizes, initial ground temperatures, and brine cooling plans to examine the effect of the soil’s thermophysical properties and construction environment on the dredging area of the freezing device.