Study of Sedimentation Problem and Selection of Barge Size Regarding to the Cost Efficiency to Support the Coal Mining Transportation on Segah River, East Kalimantan

Abstract

Sedimentation is a problem with unique characteristic to solve and its complex mechanism requires the specific method to analyze the transportation process. In this paper, the one dimensional implicit model based on finite difference method is used to simulate the hydrodynamic characteristic of Segah River along 33 km, simultaneously with its sediment transport. Sediment samples are taken every 1 km include suspended and bed sediment and used as calibration. The analysis of the barge size selection is also performed to know the most efficient one related to the operational and dredging cost. The existing condition of Segah River does not meet the minimum criteria for 3000 DWT (180 ft) barge to sail, therefore the capital dredging must be performed. The hydrodynamic modeling results show that for the minimum discharge, the minimum depth of the river is less than 4 m. The analysis of maintenance dredging is performed by the combination of hydrodynamic and sediment transport model with the dredging activity is scheduled as monthly and annually dredging. The model shows that after capital dredging is performed, some segments of Segah River are eroded and deposited by sediment which must be dredged to ensure the continuity of the barge transportation.