UTILISATION OF DREDGED SEDIMENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION - POSSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES: A STATE-OF-THE-ART REVIEW

Population increase and rapid urbanisation have increased demand for construction materials, exerting pressure on natural resources and the environment. Conventional building materials are known to have a substantial carbon footprint, consume excessive energy, and deplete valuable resources. Sustainable construction practices demand the use of environment-friendly and energy-efficient materials. The utilisation of dredged sediments from ports, harbours, reservoirs, and rivers for construction purposes could provide a solution to the unscientific disposal of these materials, which often leads to environmental degradation. Desilting reservoirs and lakes are essential to improve water collection and maintain quality, resulting in health and economic benefits to local communities. The utilisation of dredged sediments in the manufacture of building materials offers a greener option through the management of waste and energy saving in the production of construction materials. Dredged sediments can be utilised in the production of bricks, blocks, and other building materials with performance comparable to their conventional counterparts. The characterisation and mix design and needs to be researched so as to utilise the dredged sediments in the building industry. The present study explores case studies on the utilisation of dredged sediments in the manufacture of masonry materials by conducting state of the art review of published research. This study attempts to summarise the available data to highlight the benefits and issues associated with the use of dredged sediments in construction applications and demonstrate the multiple advantages of efficient waste disposal as well as the development of energy-efficient building materials with comparable or better properties than standard building materials for future use. The review indicates the need for experimental investigation to characterise and develop mix design specifications for masonry blocks. Being a new material, its application needs to be popularised through its promotion in social housing and public schemes.