Dredging

Dredging operations are normally conducted to remove solid material from the bottom of a water body. The reasons for removal can range from: environmental cleanup, channel maintenance, mineral extraction, aggregate mining, berthing maintenance, land reclamation and to meet bottom design criteria for marine construction. Dredges can be classified as "mechanical" or "hydraulic". Clam shells, drag lines and agitator pumps are mechanical type dredges where a bucket-type device or pump is raised and lowered by a cable assembly from a crane. Hydraulic dredges include: cutter suction, hopper, chain ladder and excavators. When conducting dredging it is advantageous for the operator to dredge as: precisely, accurately, efficiently and accountably, as possible. Time spent removing unwanted material and re-dredging areas lowers production. Additionally, the client may assess penalties to the dredger for exceeding over-dredge or under-dredge limits. Precision and accuracy can be achieved by, tracking the location of the digging tool (horizontally and vertically) in relation to the existing or designed bottom conditions, and displaying this information in a plan view, profile view and text view to the operator. Accountability is obtained by logging the locations of the dig tool and being able to create a 3D as-dredged surface. Finally, the capability to create and/or display: user defined centerlines, targets, events, 3D channels, background charts, 3D surfaces; and provide visually intuitive guidance to these items; allows the operator to be systematic in his/her approach and as a result more efficient.