A number of dredging projects have unknowingly and unfortunately encountered munitions and explosives of concern (MEC). MEC have been discovered on dredges (e.g., in dragheads, cutterheads, pump casings) and at the dredged material placement site. Detonations have occurred that have either damaged the dredge plant or have even sunk the dredging vessel. A number of recent dredging projects have proactively addressed MEC issues before the start of construction, thereby greatly reducing overall risk and MEC cleanup costs. This paper explains common dredging equipment, discusses techniques useful in reducing the inherent risks of dredging in sediments containing MEC, and discusses lessons learned during various dredging projects involving MEC.Application of MEC avoidance and exclusion techniques during dredging operations is minor compared to the enormous cost of post-dredging MEC cleanup. Most importantly, it is possible to avoid exposing the public to explosive safety hazards and minimize those to workers with proper planning and execution.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.