Quantification of physical properties of dredged sediments during physical ripening

The soil formation process ripening can be used as a bioremediation technique for dredged sediments that are polluted with organic chemicals. Currently, data are lacking that quantify the effects of physical ripening on parameters that affect aerobic bioremediation. We quantified the effects of physical ripening on shrinkage, swelling, moisture retention, hydraulic conductivity, and oxygen diffusion for three freshly dredged sediments using specially designed pressure chambers. We also quantified the effect of physical ripening on structure development by measuring aggregate size distributions for four half-ripe and four ripe sediment samples that were collected from field sediment disposal sites. The course of physical ripening and the aerobic bioremediation process for sediments at above ground (upland) disposal sites can be predicted using the data and information developed in this study when using a combination of existing water and oxygen transport and ripening models.