Experimental investigation

of mooring forces
in an inland navigation lock

T. Heinz, D. Christiaens
Université catholique de Louvain

D. Bousmar
Service Public de Wallonie

1 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Lock filling system design
Balance between
– Complexity (cost)
– Filling duration
– Forces on vessels

2 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Forces on vessels

3 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Through-the-head filling
Symmetric ports
(2 x 101 cm²)
Forces:
– Longitudinal slope
– Impulse difference, friction
– Jet effect

4 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
Longitudinal culverts with side ports
Symmetric ports
(2 x 20 x 8 cm²)
Forces:
– Longitudinal slope
– Transverse slope

5 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Experimental setup
Valves position
Water levels
Discharge estimation
Water surface slope
Vessel pitch angle
Total forces on vessel
Longitudinal
Transversal

6 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Filling curves
0.90 70

0.80 60

Discharge Q (l/s)
Water level h (m)

0.70 50

0.60 40

0.50 Tv = 30 s 30
Tv = 60 s
0.40 Tv = 90 s 20

0.30 10

0.20 0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240
Time (s)

7 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Water surface slope
0.40 PO = 11.1 s  2LL/c
Water slope Sw (1/1000)

0.30 Tv = 30 s
Tv = 60 s
0.20 Tv = 90 s

0.10

0.00

-0.10
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180
Time (s)

8 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Water surface slope
1.00
0.75
Water slope Sw (1/1000)

PO = 11.1 s  2LL/c Tv = 30 s
0.50
Tv = 60 s
0.25 Tv = 90 s
0.00
-0.25
-0.50
-0.75
-1.00
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180
Time (s)

9 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Contents
• Introduction: forces on vessels
• Experimental setup
• Hydraulics of empty lock
• Measurements with a vessel
• Comparison with field measurements
• Conclusions

10 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Vessel influence on slope
0.60
Water slope Sw (1/1000)

0.50

0.40
Empty lock
0.30
With vessel
0.20

0.10

0.00

-0.10
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180
Time (s)

11 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Vessel influence on slope
1.50
Water slope Sw (1/1000)

1.00

Empty lock
0.50
With vessel

0.00

-0.50

-1.00
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180
Time (s)

12 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Longitudinal force
0.80
Slopes Sw, Sv and FL (1/1000)

0.60

0.40 Tv = 30 s Water
Vessel
0.20 Force

0.00

-0.20
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180
Time (s)

13 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Longitudinal force
0.30
Slopes Sw, Sv and FL (1/1000)

0.20

0.10

0.00
Water
-0.10 Vessel
Tv = 90 s Force

-0.20
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180
Time (s)

14 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013
 Longitudinal force
2.00
Slopes Sw, Sv and FL (1/1000)

1.50

1.00

0.50

0.00

-0.50 Water
Vessel
-1.00
Tv = 30 s Force
-1.50
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180
Time (s)

15 Ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined water - Gent - 3-6 june 2013