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Why modular silt curtains are the future
Published on 29 Nov ‘21
Why modular silt curtains are the future
Why modular silt curtains are the future

WHY MODULAR SILT CURTAINS ARE THE FUTURE FOR OUR OFFERINGS WHEN IT COMES TO MARINE PROTECTION BARRIERS

Silt curtains, also known as floating turbidity barriers, are vertical barriers that are positioned within the water to contain the fine particles of silt that are discharged into the water during dredging, construction, or reclamation activities. They are often constructed for a variety of different purposes and can operate across several environmental conditions.

Silt curtains are relatively straightforward systems consisting of a floatation pocket, anchor and panel connection points, and a skirt that can come in different materials depending on the conditions in which the curtain will be installed. The most common option is woven PET geomembrane. We were the first manufacturer of the full range of silt curtains in the MENA region, with each system tailored to suit the specific conditions and project requirements likely to be encountered.

This is done via the use of Marineforce, which is a proprietary software that allows you to calculate the recommended anchor weight and spacing for marine barriers, taking into consideration the environmental conditions around the site.

Customisation is key

When it comes to silt curtains, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution does not cut it on the majority of marine projects. As the length of silt curtains deployed depends on the water depth, when you work in areas of fluctuating depths, the use of a consistent length of silt curtains can become a challenge.

Why modular silt curtains are the future

For example, on a recent project of ours, we had a client working in an area where the water depth changed from two metres to four metres quite suddenly. That meant that they would have to buy two sets of silt curtains, one suitable for a two-metre depth, and another for four-metres. This was a costly problem for them as they not only needed to buy two sets of curtains, but also all materials that come with it as well.

In order to provide a solution to this problem, we have developed what we call Modular Silt Curtains – which will allow for the attachment of a section of curtain to the skirt, without changing the top part of the curtain, which has the boom attached and is an expensive piece of equipment.

So, our solution is to have a set of booms where you can attach or detach sections of silt curtains underneath, making the entire system flexible enough to work in deeper or shallower waters, as per the environmental conditions.

These Modular Silt Curtains are as effective as standard silt curtains. We use clasp locker technology to attach the sections of silt curtain to each other, making them rigid, without any chance of failure. Thus, while they may have the same effectiveness, they are more practical than standard silt curtains.

Furthermore, silt curtains are usually made of degradable material – they will break apart in time due to the salinity of the seawater. Amongst our competition, it is not uncommon to see silt curtains that can only be used once before needing to be thrown away. However, the feedback that we have got from our clients is that our Ecobarrier Silt Curtains can be used multiple times on site while still maintaining their condition.

Making silt curtains modular makes our offering more suitable for the working environments of different projects, giving you flexibility and adaptability across the board.

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