Sediment resuspension during cutterhead dredging operations

Sediments suspended during dredging operations impair water quality and can transport hydrophobic contaminants downstream. Suspended sediment transpor t models are available, but require an estimate of the rate of sediment res uspension resulting from the dredging operations. in this study, data from cutterhead suction dodging operations, an assessment of sediment resuspensi on mechanics during cutterhead suction dredging operations, and dimensional analysis are combined to develop empirical models of suspended sediment ge neration. The usefulness of the models for making a priori estimates of sed iment resuspension rates associated with other cutterhead dredging operatio ns is discussed. The sensitivity of the empirical models to variations in p hysical and operational parameters is investigated.