Determination of consolidation parameters of dredging and industrial waste sludge

The paper presents the laboratory setup and some preliminary results of large strain consolidation testing on several types of dredging and industrial waste sludge. The tests are performed in the framework of a larger research project – funded within the Flemish Environmental Technology Platform (MIP) - investigating the impact of additives, specifically coagulants and flocculants, on the consolidation behaviour of mineral sludges.. Large strain consolidation parameters are determined using an adapted version of the well-known seepage consolidation test setup (Imai 1979). Interpretation of the test results is based on an iterative calculation using large strain consolidation theory as presented by Abu-Heyleh (1992). This procedure should allow an optimisation of type, concentration and application method of additives for a specific material