In Situ Assessment of Sediment Erosion and Consolidation State Using a Free-Fall Penetrometer: Sydney Harbour, Nova Scotia
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 2
Abstract
Two in situ geotechnical surveys were undertaken in Sydney Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada, following the dredging and relocation of 4.2 million m3 of sediment from the shipping channel during the fall and winter of late 2011 and early 2012. The surveys were conducted 9 and 18 months after dredging using a portable, free-fall penetrometer. A new method for rapid assessment of the in situ state of sediment consolidation from free-fall penetrometer data was developed and applied to identify areas of sediment erosion and deposition. Results 9 months after dredging showed an initial accumulation of dredge-resuspended sediments. Eighteen months after dredging, stability, and evidence of consolidation or continued accumulation was found at more than 92% of the 39 sampled locations examined. Evidence of erosion was observed at only 3 locations. The general pattern of sediment stability observed is consistent with the historically low energy and sedimentation environment of the inner regions of Sydney Harbour.
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Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge funding from the Virginia Tech Charles E. Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. We thank Christian Zoellner (MARUM) for technical support and support with the Nimrod logistics as well as Alex E. Hay (Dalhousie University) for support with this study. The authors thank the two anonymous reviewers for the constructive comments that contributed to the quality of the article.
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Published In
Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 144 • Issue 2 • March 2018
Copyright
© 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 9, 2016
Accepted: Jun 27, 2017
Published online: Nov 28, 2017
Published in print: Mar 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Apr 28, 2018
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