Technology of air-transported stabilized dredged fill. Part 1: pilot study

Abstract

One major concern in highly developed urban coastal areas is to obtain quality soil for various construction purposes. In addition, the frequent maintenance of ports, lakes and navigation channels to facilitate navigation for ships importing and exporting goods has resulted in the production of a large volume of dredgings. This paper presents a technique in which the dredged material obtained from the seabed is transported and stabilized in a pipeline using compressed air. The technique aims for effective use of marine resources for various construction purposes in the coastal areas, while reducing the manufacturing cost of the geomaterial. A pilot study was launched for a trial construction to investigate the feasibility of the technique and to characterize the geomaterial through field tests, using a modified cone penetrometer, and conventional laboratory tests. Several application areas of the technology for infrastructure development or rehabilitation in coastal areas are presented.