Understanding　the　compression　behaviour　of　dredged　clays　is　essential　for　their　effective　use　with　drainage.　Measuring　consolidation　parameters　of　dredged　clays　at　high　initial　water　contents　is　a　time-consuming　and　tough　work.　The　research　team　has　accumulated　the　database　of　110　one　dimensional　incremental　load　consolidation　tests　for　dredged　clays.　Based　on　this　database,　this　study　proposes　a　simple　method　of　determining　virgin　compression　of　dredged　clays　using　three　physical　parameters　which　can　be　easily　measured.　The　compression　curves　of　dredged　clays　can　be　divided　into　the　pre-yield　and　the　post-yield　zones.　Basic　equations　are　suggested　for　describing　the　compression　behaviour　of　the　two　zones.　The　associated　parameters　are　correlated　with　the　initial　void　ratio　and　the　void　ratio　at　liquid　limit.　The　predicted　compression　curves　are　compared　with　the　measured　ones　with　the　accumulated　database　and　the　independent　data　available　from　literature.　The　error　of　the　void　ratios　predicted　is　found　to　vary　within　10%　compared　with　the　measured　ones.　In　engineering　practice,　the　work　in　this　study　can　be　applied　instead　of　the　time-consuming　and　tough　experiments　to　simply　estimate　the　compression　behaviour　of　dredged　clays.　©　2016　Elsevier　B.V.