Abstract
Dredged sediment (DS) is generated worldwide in large volumes through routine port and waterway maintenance, yet its disposal presents environmental and economic challenges. Recently, calcined dredged sediment (CDS) has emerged as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM), offering a viable alternative to traditional SCMs, such as fly ash and slag cement. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics of raw DS and pretreatment strategies aimed at dewatering, organic matter removal, and contaminant stabilization. The effects of calcination on the production of reactive amorphous aluminosilicates are also discussed. Emphasis is placed on physicochemical changes revealed by experimental analysis and molecular dynamics simulations, which clarify the dihydroxylation and amorphization pathways of clay minerals, such as kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite. Reactivity assessments based on the strength activity index and isothermal calorimetry confirm that CDS can meet the ASTM requirements for Class N pozzolans under optimized calcination conditions. Research studies on its application in mortar, concrete, and geopolymer mixtures demonstrate promising performance. Finally, challenges with regard to feedstock variability, heavy metal management, process scalability, and standardization are discussed, alongside perspectives for the future integration of CDS into sustainable and circular cementitious systems.
Recommended Citation
S. Han et al., "Transforming Dredged Sediment into Reactive Clay: Critical Review of Calcination, Reactivity, and Sustainable Valorization as Supplementary Cementitious Material," Applied Clay Science, vol. 286, article no. 108160, Elsevier, Jun 2026.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2026.108160
Department(s)
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Publication Status
Full Text Access
Keywords and Phrases
calcined dredged sediment; Dredged sediment; physicochemical properties; pozzolanic reactivity; supplementary cementitious materials; thermal activation
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
0169-1317
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2026 Elsevier, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
15 Jun 2026
Included in
Architectural Engineering Commons, Civil Engineering Commons, Engineering Education Commons, Materials Science and Engineering Commons, Structural Engineering Commons, Transportation Engineering Commons
Comments
National Research Foundation of Korea, Grant RS-2025-02303674