Mathematic modeling and CFD simulation of the sedimentation process in a TSHD

Abstract

In the construction process, a trailing suction hopper dredger exploits the drag head and pipes to transport seabed sediment to the spoil hopper for storage. When the liquid level of the mixture was elevated in the spoil hopper, the mixture overflowed to the hopper via the overflowing cylinder. The spoil hopper sedimentation significantly affected the control decision and hopper loading efficiency of the dredger. In this study, mathematical modelling, simulation, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to build a sedimentation model of the sediment in the spoil hopper. Subsequently, the movement of the sediment after it entered the spoil hopper was stimulated was calculated based on the simulation, as well as the sediment distribution, overflow loss, and dry soil production of the spoil hopper. As indicated by the results, the mathematical model and CFD simulation methods were consistent with the simulation results of the built spoil hopper sedimentation model, thereby demonstrating that the built model was credible and could help guide the hopper loading control strategy research, as well as construction optimization.