Dispersal of dredged material - Tees field study September 1986

To improve the knowledge of the physics involved in dredged material disposal, a field study was undertaken in September 1986 in co-operation with the Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority. The objectives were: 1. To characterise the dredged material within the hopper of the dredger prior to it being disposed of at the disposal site in respect of the density profile with depth, silt content and heavy metal concentrations. 2. To measure the extent of the near surface dispersion cloud released as the material plunged through the water column in the decent phase. 3. To determine the nature and velocity of the bed wave during the diffusive phase and to measure the effect on the propagation of this wave of the bed slope and current velocity. 4. To quantify the magnitude of bed level changes resulting from the repeated disposal of dredged material at the same location. 5. To examine the silt content and heavy metal concentrations on the bed material before and after the disposal exercise