In its autumn issue of the Terra et Aqua magazine, International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC) presented a unique study on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during ripening of dredged marine sediment.
As increasing GHG emissions contribute to global warming, it is becoming more important to consider the carbon footprint of hydraulic engineering projects.
This carbon footprint is more complex than previously thought however, as it can also include the carbon dynamics of the sediments from which projects are built. The purpose of this study was to provide a first approximation from sediment-related GHG emissions of dredged sediments.
Using the case study of the clay ripening pilot project (‘Kleirijperij’) in Groningen, the Netherlands, one phase of sediment processing was examined: the ripening of dredged sediments for use as a clay material in dyke construction.
The pilot project monitored a range of physical and chemical characteristics over 2 years and assessed the suitability of the clay product for dyke construction.