Measuring sediment plumes using an unmanned surface vehicle (USV)
Sand banks in the Eastern Scheldt started to erode after the Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier was built. A large-scale nourishment of the Roggeplaat is planned to mitigate this effect. During the dredging works the water column will temporarily become more turbid because of the increased sediment concentration. The potential negative impact of sediment plumes are the transport of sediment to locations with a valuable benthic flora and fauna including mussel plots.
During this internship you will, based on research carried out during this nourishment, gain more insight into the added value of unmanned surface vehicles (USV) equipped with sensors. A key aspect will be the determination of the water quality during the dredging activities resulting in an estimate of the impact of sediment plumes on mussel plots in the Eastern Scheldt.
Research type: Field research
Research level: Water management students or Civil engineering students; minor or internship.
Prerequisite: interest in technology, morphology, and fluid dynamics
Client: Robert Trouwborst (HZ)