Alcatraz Disposal Site Investigation. Report 2. North Zone Disposal of Oakland Outer Harbor and Richmond Inner Harbor Sediments
Abstract
A numerical model has been applied that computes the behavior of a dredged material disposal through three phases: convective descent, during which the disposal cloud falls under the influence of gravity; bottom collapse, occurring when the descending cloud impacts the bottom; and passive transport- diffusion, commencing when the material transport and spreading are determined more by ambient currents and turbulence than by the dynamics of the disposal operation. The model accounts for land boundaries, depth variations, ambient current variations in three dimensions and in time, several sediment classes within the dredged material, and variations of ambient density profiles in time. A major limitation of the model is that erosion and subsequent redeposition of material deposited on the bottom are not modeled. Therefore, results from the numerical model were used only to provide the initial amount and distribution of material deposited within the disposal site. Analytic techniques were subsequently employed to analyze the erosional characteristics of the bottom deposits within the site. Results of the study show that for both Richmond Inner Harbor and Oakland Outer Harbor sediments disposed of in the north zone of the Alcatraz disposal site, the majority of the material will initially deposit within the disposal site limits. Some reduction of within site deposition is achieved by ebb-tide-only disposal.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA174609
Entities
People
- Michael J. Trawle