Laboratory feasibility study using Laem Chabang dredged soil, Thailand

Laem Chabang Port, located on Thailand’s eastern Gulf Coast within the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), is the country’s largest deep-sea port and serves as Thailand’s primary international trade gateway. To accommodate growing container volumes and larger vessels, the Port Authority of Thailand commenced the Laem Chabang Port Phase 3 Expansion Project, a major infrastructure program involving land reclamation, dredging, and construction of new container terminals.

Port expansion and maintenance generate marine sediments that need to be managed. Traditionally, dredged materials are disposed of offshore or in designated containment facilities, resulting in additional environmental impacts, disposal costs, and the loss of potentially valuable resources. University researchers have investigated opportunities to treat dredged materials as a reusable construction resource rather than waste. A 2026 laboratory study developed Controlled Low-Strength Material (CLSM) incorporating high-plasticity marine dredged soil sourced from Laem Chabang Port. The study found that the dredged soil could be used as a primary ingredient in CLSM, a potential alternative to conventional fill (Ratananikom and Yimsiri, 2026).

Reusing dredged sediments has the potential to reduce disposal and transport costs while lowering the embodied environmental impacts associated with sourcing and transporting conventional construction materials. Laboratory testing indicated that the dredged-soil-based CLSM met performance requirements for non-excavatable construction applications and exhibited favorable engineering characteristics, including high sulfate resistance and acceptable strength properties. These are study-specific laboratory findings. Field performance, leachate and environmental safety, adoption, and cost or carbon savings were not demonstrated in the sources reviewed.

The study points to a research pathway for reusing dredged sediments from port works. It does not show that the Laem Chabang Phase 3 project has adopted CLSM. Ports considering this approach would need site-specific testing, environmental assessment and field trials.