3rd International Conference on Ship Manoeuvring in Shallow and Confined Water

with non-exclusive focus on Ship Behaviour in Locks

June 03 - 05, 2013, Ghent, Belgium

Benchmark model test data on ship behaviour in locks

Open access has been given to a selection of experimental data from model tests studying the behaviour of ships in or near locks. Researchers can use these data to validate numerical tools and mathematical models.

The first set of benchmark data were carried out with self-propelled models and were selected from model tests carried out in 2007-2008 to investigate the behaviour of vessels transiting the Panama Canal Third Set of Locks, which is presently under construction. The tests were carried out in a 1/80 scale model of a lock and an approach channel at Flanders Hydraulics Research. The second set of benchmark data were selected from systematic captive model tests carried out in the 1990s in the towing tank for manoeuvres in shallow water as a first step in a feasibility study for receiving bulk carriers with larger beam in the Pierre Vandamme Lock in Zeebrugge. This lock has a length of 500m, a width of 57 m and a depth of 18.5m. A 1/75 scale model of the lock configuration was constructed in the towing tank, with special attention to the asymmetric layout of the approach channel.

The data can be obtained by mailing to info@shallowwater.be. A digital version of the benchmark data will then be sent to you, along with an accompanying paper describing the experimental set-up.