Quantifying vessel propeller wash impacts on sedimentation in shallow-bay ports and waterways
Shallow-bay ports and waterways in bay systems along the Gulf of Mexico coast are critical transportation infrastructure and the Nation’s economic drivers. The durability of this infrastructure relies heavily on dredging maintenance to keep channels navigable. Vessel propeller wash is the sediment movement induced by the hydrodynamic forces generated from propeller rotation. Deep-draft vessels with propellers located close to the channel bed during transit mobilize a large amount of sediment that may settle out in locations where it can cause unwanted extensive shoaling issues. As maritime traffic volume and vessel size are predicted to increase further in the future, so will the expensive maintenance dredging requirements. The hydro- and sediment dynamics of propeller rotation induced water jets and turbulence interacting with sediments on the channel bed and slopes are complex and depend on various parameters related to vessel geometry and propulsion, channel morphology, draft clearance, and sediment characteristics. While some limited studies on vessel-wake impact to sedimentation exist, no comprehensive field measurements of propeller wash sedimentation drivers have been conducted and it is thus not known to what extent vessel traffic is responsible for channel sedimentation issues. The objective of this research project is to measure propeller wash dynamics and quantify resultant sediment suspension caused by deep-draft vessels in the Houston Ship Channel in Galveston Bay, Texas. This will be accomplished by Texas A&M (Figlus) using a vessel-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and echo sounder system capable of high-resolution 3D velocity and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) measurements throughout the water column. Texas State (Kulesza) will support field measurements with qualitative marine electrical resistivity measurements of the extent and magnitude of the suspended sediment column. Available Automated Information System (AIS) data for the deep-draft vessels and channel bathymetry data will be used to correlate measured SSC values with vessel and site characteristics and to quantify mobilized sediment mass. Using these results future researchers can better predict sediment drivers. Such data can be incorporated in asset management plans to forecast dredging needs based on supply chain projections.
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Supplemental Notes:
- Funding from CREATE grant, Federal, and TAMU & TXST
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $394744
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Sponsor Organizations:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
University Transportation Centers Program
Department of Transportation
Washington, DC United States 20590Coastal Research and Education Actions for Transportation Equity
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX United States 77666Texas A&M University, College Station
318 Jack K. Williams Administration Building
College Station, TX United States 77843Texas State University, San Marcos
JCK Building, Suite 489
San Marcos, TX United States -
Managing Organizations:
Coastal Research and Education Actions for Transportation Equity
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX United States 77666Texas A&M University, College Station
318 Jack K. Williams Administration Building
College Station, TX United States 77843 -
Project Managers:
Bruner, Britain
Kulesza, Stacey
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Performing Organizations:
Texas A&M University, College Station
318 Jack K. Williams Administration Building
College Station, TX United States 77843Texas State University, San Marcos
JCK Building, Suite 489
San Marcos, TX United StatesCoastal Research and Education Actions for Transportation Equity
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX United States 77666 -
Principal Investigators:
Figlus, Jens
Kulesza, Stacey
- Start Date: 20230901
- Expected Completion Date: 20250531
- Actual Completion Date: 0
- USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Deep draft ships; Hydrodynamics; Propellers; Sedimentation; Wakes
- Geographic Terms: Galveston Bay
- Subject Areas: Environment; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Maintenance and Preservation; Marine Transportation;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01895206
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Coastal Research and Education Actions for Transportation Equity
- Files: UTC, RIP
- Created Date: Oct 3 2023 3:13PM