The shift in the design and construction of reclamation projects

In the winter issue of the Terra et Aqua journal, IADC (International Association of Dredging Companies) presented an article titled “Unsuitable to suitable: a change in the reclamation design paradigm” that investigates the shift in the design and construction of reclamation projects.

The availability of suitable sand has become a limiting factor in the development of many ambitious reclamation projects, making the reuse of existing, less suitable materials a critical solution.

This subject has been given broader international attention in the past years driven by the shortage of sand resources and by the desire for a more circular society where waste does not exist.

So far, only a few examples exist of islands that have been constructed with fine silty or even clayey sediment. In this context, the reclamation with sediments must evolve from an exceptional case requiring special considerations, to a common practice.

To favor this practice, an integrated framework is needed where the concepts of suitable and unsuitable are redefined.

Read the new article!