Characterization of Dredged Oyster Shell Deposits at Mobile Bay, Alabama Using Geophysical Methods
The need for disposing materials dredged from ship channels is a common problem in bays and lagoons. This study is aimed at investigating the suitability of scour features produced by dredging oyster shell deposits in Mobile Bay, Alabama, to dispose excavated channel material. A study area approxima...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AIMS Press
2016-12-01
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| Series: | AIMS Geosciences |
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| Online Access: | http://www.aimspress.com/geosciences/article/1151/fulltext.html |
| _version_ | 1818179809359953920 |
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| author | Stanley C. Nwokebuihe Evgeniy Torgashov Adel Elkrry Neil Anderson |
| author_facet | Stanley C. Nwokebuihe Evgeniy Torgashov Adel Elkrry Neil Anderson |
| author_sort | Stanley C. Nwokebuihe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The need for disposing materials dredged from ship channels is a common problem in bays and lagoons. This study is aimed at investigating the suitability of scour features produced by dredging oyster shell deposits in Mobile Bay, Alabama, to dispose excavated channel material. A study area approximately 740 by 280 m lying about 5 km east of Gaillard Island was surveyed using underwater electrical resistivity tomography (UWERT) and continuous electrical resistivity profiling (CERP) tools. The geophysical survey was conducted with the intent to map scour features created by oyster shell dredging activities in the bay between 1947 and 1982. The geoelectrical surveys show that oyster beds are characterized by high resistivity values greater than 1.1 ohm.m while infilled dredge cuts show lower resistivity, generally from 0.6 to 1.1 ohm.m. The difference in resistivity mainly reflects the lithology and the consolidation of the shallow sediments: consolidated silty clay and sandy sediments rich in oyster shell deposits (with less clay content) overlying unconsolidated clayey materials infilling the scours. Results show that most of the infilled dredge cuts are mostly distributed in the north-south direction. Considering that the scours are generally up to 6 m deep across the survey location, it is estimated that about 0.8 million cubic meters of oyster shells and overlying strata were dredged from the survey location. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:09:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5372a572fa1e436480742c29f1f0b783 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2471-2132 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:09:46Z |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | AIMS Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AIMS Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-5372a572fa1e436480742c29f1f0b7832022-12-22T00:50:45ZengAIMS PressAIMS Geosciences2471-21322016-12-012440141210.3934/geosci.2016.4.401geosci-02-00401Characterization of Dredged Oyster Shell Deposits at Mobile Bay, Alabama Using Geophysical MethodsStanley C. Nwokebuihe0Evgeniy Torgashov1Adel Elkrry2Neil Anderson3Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65401Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65401Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65401Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65401The need for disposing materials dredged from ship channels is a common problem in bays and lagoons. This study is aimed at investigating the suitability of scour features produced by dredging oyster shell deposits in Mobile Bay, Alabama, to dispose excavated channel material. A study area approximately 740 by 280 m lying about 5 km east of Gaillard Island was surveyed using underwater electrical resistivity tomography (UWERT) and continuous electrical resistivity profiling (CERP) tools. The geophysical survey was conducted with the intent to map scour features created by oyster shell dredging activities in the bay between 1947 and 1982. The geoelectrical surveys show that oyster beds are characterized by high resistivity values greater than 1.1 ohm.m while infilled dredge cuts show lower resistivity, generally from 0.6 to 1.1 ohm.m. The difference in resistivity mainly reflects the lithology and the consolidation of the shallow sediments: consolidated silty clay and sandy sediments rich in oyster shell deposits (with less clay content) overlying unconsolidated clayey materials infilling the scours. Results show that most of the infilled dredge cuts are mostly distributed in the north-south direction. Considering that the scours are generally up to 6 m deep across the survey location, it is estimated that about 0.8 million cubic meters of oyster shells and overlying strata were dredged from the survey location.http://www.aimspress.com/geosciences/article/1151/fulltext.htmlMobile Bay Alabamaelectrical resistivity tomographydredged oyster deposits |
| spellingShingle | Stanley C. Nwokebuihe Evgeniy Torgashov Adel Elkrry Neil Anderson Characterization of Dredged Oyster Shell Deposits at Mobile Bay, Alabama Using Geophysical Methods AIMS Geosciences Mobile Bay Alabama electrical resistivity tomography dredged oyster deposits |
| title | Characterization of Dredged Oyster Shell Deposits at Mobile Bay, Alabama Using Geophysical Methods |
| title_full | Characterization of Dredged Oyster Shell Deposits at Mobile Bay, Alabama Using Geophysical Methods |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of Dredged Oyster Shell Deposits at Mobile Bay, Alabama Using Geophysical Methods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of Dredged Oyster Shell Deposits at Mobile Bay, Alabama Using Geophysical Methods |
| title_short | Characterization of Dredged Oyster Shell Deposits at Mobile Bay, Alabama Using Geophysical Methods |
| title_sort | characterization of dredged oyster shell deposits at mobile bay alabama using geophysical methods |
| topic | Mobile Bay Alabama electrical resistivity tomography dredged oyster deposits |
| url | http://www.aimspress.com/geosciences/article/1151/fulltext.html |
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