Subsea Trenching in the Arctic

Environmental conditions are described for the continental shelf of the western Arctic, and for the shelf of Labrador and Newfoundland. Special emphasis is given to the gouging of bottom sediments by ice pressure ridges and icebergs, and an approach to systematic risk analysis is outlined. Protectio...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Mellor,Malcolm
Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1981
Subjects:
Physical and Dynamic Oceanography
Civil Engineering
Construction Equipment
Materials & Supplies
*TRENCHING
UNDERWATER VEHICLES
CONTINENTAL SHELVES
DREDGING
OCEAN BOTTOM
ARCTIC REGIONS
UNDERWATER EQUIPMENT
UNDERWATER CONSTRUCTION
Dredges
Trenching machines
Arctic
Newfoundland
Iceberg*
Sea ice
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA108341
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA108341
Description
Summary:Environmental conditions are described for the continental shelf of the western Arctic, and for the shelf of Labrador and Newfoundland. Special emphasis is given to the gouging of bottom sediments by ice pressure ridges and icebergs, and an approach to systematic risk analysis is outlined. Protection os subsea pipelines and cables by trenching and direct embedment is discussed, touching on burial depth, degree of protection, and environmental impact. Conventional land techniques can be adapted for trenching across the beach and through the shallows, but in deeper water special equipment is required. The devices discussed include hydraulic dredges, submarine dredges, plows, rippers, water jets, disc saws and wheel ditchers, ladder trenchers and chain saws, routers and slot millers, ladder dredges, vibratory and percussive machines, and blasting systems. Consideration is given to the relative merits of working with seabed vehicles, or alternatively with direct surface support from vessels or from the sea ice. (Author)

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