Since 1984, research and development activities have been undertaken in Belgium comprising in situ measurements and sea trials with TSHD 'Vlaanderen 18' in Zeebrugge. Towing tank experiments and sludge test tank experiments have also been performed in the laboratories of the Flanders Hydraulic Research. This work has enabled the authors to conclude that mud on the seabed consists of two different physical states occurring in the same configuration: fluid mud on top of consolidating mud. Fluid mud is navigable and mobile on the seafloor, consolidating mud is not navigable and immobile on the seafloor. The interface between both is characterized by a drastic increase of rheological parameters, in particular, the yield stress. The Rheocable sounding method is designed to detect the interface between fluid and consolidating mud. A towed object, when kept in a velocity window, is always positioned at this interface between fluid and consolidating mud. This method makes it possible to develop a new maintenance dredging strategy: leave/ignore the fluid mud and remove only the consolidating mud.
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