Design considerations for in-situ capping of contaminated sediments

In-Situ Capping (ISC) is defined as the placement of a subaqueous covering or cap of clean or suitable isolating material over an in-situ deposit of contaminated sediment. ISC is a potentially economical and effective approach for remediation of contaminated sediment. A number of sites have been remediated by in-situ capping operations worldwide. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has developed detailed guidelines for planning, designing, constructing, and monitoring in-situ capping projects for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). This paper briefly describes the major aspects of in-situ capping as an option and provides a summary of recent case studies.