Silt curtains are impermeable vertical barriers that serve to contain and control sediment dispersal in marine environments. They consist of a carrier float at the top, a curtain weight at the bottom, and a tension cable to withstand currents. Anchored to the seabed, these curtains extend downwards to a specific depth.
It’s crucial that silt curtains don’t reach the seabed. If they do, the bottom segment can become trapped in accumulating sediment, causing the entire curtain to sink. Recovering sunken curtains is challenging and costly. Additionally, tidal and current reversals can induce movement in the lower section, disturbing settled suspensions and increasing turbidity.
Therefore, the optimal design of silt curtains involves carefully considering the depth to which they extend. This ensures effective containment without hindering their functionality or complicating retrieval.