Dr. ir. Rudy Helmons
Rudy is an associate professor in Offshore and
Dredging Engineering at the Department of
Maritime and Transport Technology, Delft
University of Technology. His research focuses
on physical processes related to dredging and
seabed mining, including mechanical and
hydraulic excavation, hydraulic transport and
sediment dynamics. He has been involved in
several deep-sea mining projects and has a
solid background in mechanical engineering
and fluid mechanics. Rudy served as the second
supervisor for the thesis work from Delft
University of Technology.
Articles By Dr. ir. Rudy Helmons
Laboratory setup to study cutting forces of blunt chisels
Dredging of rock using a cutter head as found on a cutter suction dredger will become increasingly more important as drilling and blasting is often prohibited. Understanding the cutting process and resulting forces on the chisels can lead to improved design and operational efficiency. The majority of experimental and numerical work performed considers rock cutting with an unworn or sharp chisel, often omitting the normal force. This article presents the linear rock cutting setup developed by Royal IHC to study the effect of a worn or blunt chisel geometry on the cutting forces, with the emphasis on the normal force.
Upscaling seagrass restoration with insights from seed-sediment dynamics
Seagrass restoration is increasingly recognised for its potential to enhance biodiversity and contribute to carbon sequestration. However, planting methods are largely based on manual techniques, posing challenges for upscaling and implementation as nature-based solutions (NbS) within the dredging industry. To address this, techniques to combine sediment nourishments with seed-based seagrass restoration are explored. Seed settlement behaviour is investigated via laboratory experiments, analysing seed settling velocities and distribution in various sediment concentrations, revealing the importance of grain size and sediment dynamics. These findings lay the groundwork for innovative, large-scale restoration techniques leveraging traditional dredging methods, with pilot projects planned for 2025.
Modelling the effect of water depth on rock cutting processes with the use of discrete element method
Efficient rock cutting is still a challenge in the dredging industry. A new method that takes into account the effect of water depth could refine rock cutting processes.