Effects of recirculation dredging on density, strength, settling and oxygen concentration of fluid mud in the port of Emden

Abstract Purpose Recirculation dredging is a port maintenance concept developed in the Port of Emden, Germany to create a navigable fluid mud layer. This study investigates the effects of recirculation on key sediment properties, including density, yield stress, and oxygen concentration. Methods Six field monitoring surveys were carried out at two locations at different times of the year to assess changes before and after recirculation. Bathymetry, bulk density, yield stress, and oxygen concentration profiles were measured in situ. The settling properties and oxygen concentration levels on collected fluid mud samples were analyzed in the laboratory. Results The investigation reveals minimal changes in the density of recirculated fluid mud. However, the post-recirculation measurements showed a decrease in yield stress, ranging from 18 to 51% at Große Seeschleuse (GS) and 36% to 52% at Industriehafen (IH). The yield stress and density vary depending on the frequency of dredging. After structural density (1166 kg m −3 in GS and 1173 kg m −3 in IH), the yield stress of fluid mud increased exponentially. Therefore, monitoring of the yield stress is important for recirculation. A slight increase in oxygen concentration was observed post-recirculation, especially during winter. Yet, the rapid decline in oxygen levels post-mixing in the laboratory showed that sustaining long-term elevated oxygenation levels is not feasible by recirculation dredging alone. Conclusions The findings highlight the effectiveness of the recirculation on the yield stress, density, and oxygen concentration of fluid mud and illustrate the importance of considering both density and yield stress in sediment management practices. Future research should address the temporal evolution of density, yield stress, and oxygen levels following a dredging intervention and the influence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and organic matter decay on sediment behavior.