There is a demand to reestablish a healthy coastal ecosystem by rebuilding wetlands with river diversion or dredged sediments in coastal Louisiana. Land building projects using dredged sediments from adjacent canals and river beds, can be used to protect the coastal properties and infrastructure systems from flood and storm surges. To predict the sediment’s long term behavior, math models require input parameters based on sediment engineering properties and material characteristics. Proper characterization is critical for accurate design of coastal restoration projects. The dredge material sedimentation characteristics and their effects on the settlement rate of suspended solid particles and underlying foundation soil depend, among other factors, on the grain size distribution of the dredged material, salinity of the composite slurry, and slurry solid particles concentration. This research evaluated the effects of grain size distribution, salinity, and initial solids concentration on the sedimentation characteristics of fine grained dredged sediments in Coastal Louisiana.

To combat the rapid degradation of the Louisiana coast, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority has planned strategic land building initiatives throughout the Louisiana Gulf coast, including beach nourishment and marsh creation projects. It is commonly agreed that the state lacks sufficient renewable sediment resources to maintain the planned CPRA land building program. However, Louisiana, the state that commonly ranks last in state recycling percentage, recycles an estimated 0.6% of the waste glass consumed in the state. Glass is predominantly silica sand. This thesis evaluates laboratory‑determined characteristics of recycled crushed glass cullet to assess its suitability as a renewable aggregate for beach nourishment and marsh creation projects. Specifically, the research herein evaluates geotechnical and settling characteristics of recycled crushed glass cullet produced in Pearl River, Louisiana. Additionally, this research evaluates the effects on beach nourishment and marsh creation design parameters of blending this material with Gulf coastal sediments.