AMORAS sediment treatment: Estimate of sediment import through lock exchange at the right-bank port of Antwerp
De Maerschalck, B. (2025). AMORAS sediment treatment: Estimate of sediment import through lock exchange at the right-bank port of Antwerp, in: Oosterlee, L. et al. Book of abstracts - ECSA Focus Meeting 2025 Estuarine Restoration: From theory to practice, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium 19-23 May 2025. pp. 104
In: Oosterlee, L.; Schoelynck, J. (Ed.) (2025). Book of abstracts - ECSA Focus Meeting 2025 Estuarine Restoration: From theory to practice, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium 19-23 May 2025. University of Antwerp: Wilrijk. 106 pp., more
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Document type: Conference paper
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| Abstract |
Sediments that are dredged within the docks of the right-bank port of Antwerp suffer from historical contaminants and therefore cannot be disposed back into the system. Since 2011 AMORAS contributes to a sustainable treatment and storage of the dredged sediments. When dredged material is brought to the underwater cell, first the sand content is separated. The mud content is than pumped to the AMORAS dewatering installation and the dry material is stored on land for reuse as construction material in the future.
It is estimated that there is enough accommodation space for at least the next 15 years. Nevertheless, an accurate prediction of the future need for sediment treatment is required. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the different sediment sources within the port. Principal sources of dredged sediments are the removal of sediments of historical backlog of maintenance, local deepenings and construction works (limited), and through water exchange between the Lower-Sea Scheldt and docks through culverts. But the main source of sediment is the import of fresh sediment from the Lower-Sea Scheldt through lock exchange.
The exchange of water, salt and sediments is driven by the density difference due to the salinity difference between the port and the river. Every time the lock doors are open, either on the river side or on the dock side, the water starts exchanging resulting in a net import of fresh sediments into the port. Within the docks there is hardly any currents which allows the sediments to settle in the vicinity of the lock complexes. The import of fresh sediment through the lock complexes is estimated by combining and analysing different dredging registration databases of the past nine years. |
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