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