MARINE & COASTAL ENGINEERING

Land reclamation

Land reclamation works for coastal and waterfront development sites.

What is land reclamation?

Land reclamation is the process of creating new, usable land in an area previously covered by water, typically by placing fill material — often dredged sand — behind a retaining structure such as a revetment or bund, then compacting and preparing the surface for development.

Engineering application

Reclamation is used to create developable land in waterfront or coastal locations. Reclaimed ground is typically loose and requires ground improvement and/or deep foundations for subsequent construction, since the fill material and underlying seabed sediments are often weak and compressible.

Typical project types

  • Waterfront and coastal land development
  • Port and marine terminal expansion
  • Land creation ahead of subsequent building works

Considerations

  • Reclaimed ground typically requires ground improvement (e.g. vibro-compaction, preloading) before building
  • Settlement monitoring is important both during and after reclamation
  • Fill material source, quality and placement method affect reclaimed ground behaviour
  • Environmental and regulatory approval is required

Construction methodology

  1. Perimeter retaining structure (revetment/bund) constructed
  2. Fill material placed — often by hydraulic (dredge-pumped) or mechanical means
  3. Fill compacted and surface levels formed
  4. Ground improvement carried out where required
  5. Settlement monitoring through construction and post-completion

Quality control & safety

[REPLACE WITH VERIFIED QA/QC — FILL TESTING, COMPACTION VERIFICATION — AND HSE PROCEDURE.]

Project experience

[REPLACE WITH VERIFIED RECLAMATION PROJECT EXAMPLES.] See the project database.

Land reclamation FAQ

What is land reclamation? +
Land reclamation creates new usable land in a previously water-covered area by placing and compacting fill material behind a retaining structure.
What are the challenges of building on reclaimed land? +
Reclaimed land is often loose and compressible, requiring ground improvement and/or deep foundations, along with settlement monitoring, before and during construction. See our knowledge centre article on building on reclaimed land in Lagos.
How long does reclaimed land need to settle before building? +
This depends on fill type, thickness, any ground improvement carried out, and monitoring results. [REPLACE WITH VERIFIED TYPICAL GUIDANCE.]

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