PHYSICAL AND CONCEPTUAL SIMULATION OF EFFLUENTS FROM DREDGED MATERIAL CONFINEMENT FACILITIES

ABSTRACT: Environmental protection dictates that effluents of desired quality should be dischargd from dredged material confinement facilities. In general, this can be accomplished by supplementing the solid‐liquid separation obtained by simple sedimentation with appropriate filter systems which provide additional clarification. A methodology to estimate the sedimentation required in a disposal area was developed on the basis of classical sedimentation theories and compared favorably with field data. A procedure was then advanced and documented whereby effluents from dredged material confinement facilities can be successfully modeled for laboratory filtration tests. For these purposes inorganic suspended solids can be simulted reasonably well by adjusting the concentration of commercially available clays, and fresh or saline water environments can be simulated satisfactorily by tap water or sodium chloride solutions, respectively.