The hydraulic engineering characteristics of estuarine muds - a working manual and literature review

The feasibility of many engineering works, both new developments and maintenance programmes, within a coastal or estuarine environment may significantly depend in economic and ecological terms on the ability to predict the movement of fine cohesive sediments. Mud may be considered to exist in four states, namely, a mobile suspended sediment, a near bed stationary suspension of high concentration, a partially consolidated bed and a settled bed. Up to now, the majority of work has considered these processes in isolation although there is an increasing awareness that it is necessary to more closely simulate the cyclic elements of estuarine conditions. An engineering guide is presented which gives practical advice on the approaches to be taken in predicting the behaviour of mud. It is recognised, however, that the emphasis must still be placed on empirical relationships.