A BRIEF SURVEY ON DREDGES

This paper is intended to familiarize the reader with the different types of dredges, their functions, and some design problems. Upon an initial investigation of dredges, one soon realizes the vast variety of craft, differing in construction and purpose. Also, it will be found that little useful information about them can be applied to design problems. Dredge building, like much of shipbuilding, is still an art. However, there is much that a naval architect can learn from a study of dredges. Unlike most ships, dredges are designed solely for function (especially the hull). As a result of this singleness in design considerations, almost all dredges have poor course-keeping characteristics and poor resistance unless devices such as twin screws, bow thrusters, and extra large skegs are added to correct these deficiencies. Ironically, with all our technological advances, it is still not possible to dig a hole in the channel floor economically and fast. An average suction dredge of 250-400 feet costs about $14 million to build. Dredge costs vary with purpose, size, capacity, and the distance to the location. In the first part of this paper the different types of dredges are introduced. In the second part, some specific new designs are elaborated on, notabl y the McFarland, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' newest and most versatile dredge.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at Canadian Maritime Section of SNAME, Jan 1971.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

  Department of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109
• Authors:
  • Posner, S
• Publication Date: 1971-1

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design; Dredges; Dredging
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00019635
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 25 1972 12:00AM