Settling Analyses and Investigations of Clayey Sediments to Storage in Geotubes

Abstract

Understanding the sedimentation behaviour and chemical–physical properties of clay sediments is crucial in planning their storage in geotubes. Analysis of the sedimentation curves of the solids taken from the artificial reservoir of the Camastra reveal that a two-parameter curve identifies all the sedimentation profiles. One parameter depends on the type of settling material, and the other is the lifetime of the process. Using the solid concentration per unit area, the lifetime is converted into a true kinetic constant. These parameters uniquely identify the sedimentation profile to be used in the management of dredging using geotubes. Furthermore, the resulting particles after the decantation of the coarse-grained solids are dispersed according to a log-normal distribution with an average diameter between 250 and 500 nm. The low ζ-potential of the particles dispersed in the supernatant indicates that they can either aggregate or adsorb to the geotube tissue, slowing or blocking the dredging operations.