Andrés Rodriguez
PhD Candidate Civil Engineering

Erosional Properties of the Petitcodiac River Sediments

In 1968, a causeway was built across the Petitcodiac River at Moncton, NB to provide a highway link and protect the upstream farming lands from flooding caused by high tides. The causeway blocked the natural flow of the river, affecting the erosion and sedimentation regime of the estuary.  In order to address some of the sediment related issues associated with the current proposed changes to the causeway, it is essential to characterize the sediment properties.  A Malvern Mastersizer 2000, which utilizes a light scattering technique, was used to determine the particle size distribution of the sediments. Some methods were developed for the correct determination of particle sizes.  Test facilities have been fabricated to evaluate erosion parameters with depth using relatively undisturbed large cores from the field (0.08 m x 0.38 m). The main purpose is to relate erosion rates with sediment and flow parameters as a function of depth.