IADC Award Winner Announced

Rudy Helmons, a PhD-Candidate in Dredging Engineering at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), has won the IADC Young Author Award in 2015.

The award was presented by René Kolman, secretary-general of IADC during the CEDA Dredging Days 2015 conference in Rotterdam (November 6th 2015).

Helmons won the prestigious award for his research paper “Modeling the effect of water depth on rock cutting processes with the use of discrete element method”.

The paper focuses on the effect that the water depth can have on (rock) cutting process. “My research concerns the modelling of rock cutting processes. Initially the research is driven by the question how rock behaves at deep sea locations (>2km) when you want to cut/mine it,Helmons explains.

Currently we are looking for the opportunities to continue this line of research with a new PhD-candidate. If all goes well, the new candidate could start in about a year.

He adds that currently, the simulations have been set up in 2D, and it will be extended towards 3D, next year. “When that’s done (end of 2016), it can be used to further support the design of equipment.

The annual Young Author Award is given to stimulate the promotion of new ideas and to encourage young people working in the dredging industry and related fields.