ladder dredge

device

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

A ladder dredge is a type of floating device used for underwater excavation. It operates using a continuous chain of buckets that rotate around an adjustable frame called a ladder. When the ladder is lowered, empty buckets dig into the material at the bottom, and then loaded buckets travel up the upper side of the ladder to dump their contents at the top.1

Dredging serves several purposes, including deepening waterways for navigation, creating new land by raising low-lying areas, constructing control works for water bodies, and recovering valuable underwater materials or marine life. Dredges are broadly classified as mechanical or hydraulic, with many specialized variations and combinations of the two.1

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dredge
A ladder dredge employs a continuous chain of buckets rotating around a rigid adjustable frame called a ladder. When the ladder is lowered to the bottom at a slant, the empty buckets descend along the underside to the bottom, where they dig into the mud; the…
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A ladder dredge employs a continuous chain of buckets rotating around a rigid adjustable frame called a ladder. When the ladder is lowered to the bottom at a slant, the empty buckets descend along the underside to the bottom, where they dig into the mud; the…
Read More