Semester of Graduation

Summer 2024

Degree

Master of Civil Engineering (MCE)

Department

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Louisiana is losing its coastal wetlands at an alarming rate. These wetlands serve as the first line of defense against phenomena such as hurricane storm surge and sea level rise. Marsh creation projects have been designated as the state’s primary resource to mitigate land loss. More efficient marsh creation processes are, therefore, a necessity. This study analyzed the relationship between different factors affecting the efficiency of marsh creation projects. Through a historical analysis of completed marsh creation projects in different basins around Louisiana, it was demonstrated that there is a direct relationship between the percentage of fines in the dredge material and the volume of marsh that can be created with it. A recently completed marsh creation cell, Increment 1 of the Caminada Headlands Back Barrier Marsh Creation Project (BA-171), was also studied to better comprehend the dredge material’s behavior after placement. A combination of Cone Penetrometer Tests (CPT), vibracores, and Multi-Sensor Core Loggers (MSCL-S) was performed in carefully selected sites across the cell. The results from these tests were compared to monitoring data, such as Instrumented Settlement Plates (ISP) readings and topographic surveys, collected during the project’s construction phase. The combination of the pre-existing and newly collected data allowed for spatial and temporal comparison throughout the cell. It is known that shear strength is the primary driver of the marshes’ structural resilience. The restored marsh shows a significant increase in shear strength compared to the site immediately after dredging, and it is expected to increase due to consolidation. It was also observed that spatial variabilities in shear strength throughout the cell were minimal in the layer of dredge material.

Date

7-5-2024

Committee Chair

Jafari, Navid H.

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Available for download on Thursday, July 24, 2031

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