Soil Properties Paper Wins Award

10/12/2009

An IADC Best Paper Award for a young author was presented to Jelmer Braaksma for his paper entitled, “Estimating the immeasurable: Soil properties” at CEDA Dredging Days 2009 in Rotterdam. After obtaining his M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands in 2003 at the control laboratory, Jelmer Braaksmareceived his PhD from the same university in 2008. His PhD research was focused on the model-based optimisation of hopper dredgers.

Prize handing of the IADC award for best paper
Since September 2007, he is employed at IHC systems, where he continues the research on the model-based optimisation of hopper dredgers within the research project called "smart dredgers".
The basis of Dr. Braaksma's paper is that the dredging process is characterised by the strong influence of soil properties, which vary with changing excavation locations. For optimising the dredging production and energy consumption, knowledge of these properties is absolutely necessary. The problem is that many of these soil properties are not measured or are very difficult to measure. By taking soil samples, a raw indication can be reached, but this does not cover the total dredging area. Equipment for measuring the properties online are complex and, if available at all, too expensive to use. In his paper, a novel approach is presented: a less expensive, alternative using estimation methods based on knowledge obtained with the development of training simulators.

The entire article is available at www.terra-et-aqua.com.

Each year at selected conferences, the International Association of Dredging Companies grants awards for the best papers written by younger authors. In each case the Conference Paper Committee is asked to recommend a prizewinner whose paper makes a significant contribution to the literature on dredging and related fields. The purpose of the IADC Award is "to stimulate the promotion of new ideas and encourage younger men and women in the dredging industry". The winner of an IADC Award receives EUR1000 and a certificate of recognition and the paper may then be published in Terra et Aqua.

Image: IADC Secretary General Constantijn Dolmans (right) congratulates Jelmer Braaksma upon receiving the IADC Award for the Best Paper by a Young Author (photo courtesy of Tony Slinn).