WAVE LOADS ON A NAVIGATION LOCK SLIDING GATE: NON-LINEAR EFFECTS

Luca Cavallaro,Rosaria Ester Musumeci,Pietro Scandura,Enrico Foti,Claudio Iuppa

doi:10.9753/icce.v36v.papers.8

Abstract

The wave loads on a navigation lock gate provided with an opening in the ballast tank are analyzed using a mathematical model based on the linear wave theory and the numerical integration of the Navier-Stokes Equation. The analysis focuses on the evaluation of the non-linear effect influence on the vertical load on the gate. It is shown that the numerical and analytical models agree on the identification of the value of the wave number at which the maximum value of the dimensionless vertical force on the gate is detected. However the analytical model overestimates the peak value of the vertical load with respect to the CFD simulation. To fill this gap, in this paper an easy to use procedure is developed which allows to correct the results of the analytical model.

Highlights

Lock gates are essential structures of a navigation lock system, since they allow for the retention of water and the locking of vessels above or below the sea level
The effects of the force due to wave action on a sliding gate have recently emerged at the seaside gate of the navigation lock realized at the Malamocco inlet of the Venice lagoon, which was designed to allow the access to the Port of Venice during the operative period of the flood control system Mo.S.E. (Cavallaro et al, 2017)
Numerical modelling of wave interaction with a navigation lock sliding gate has been performed by means of CFD simulations based on OpenFoam, which solves the Navier-Stokes equations for free surface flows using a volume of fluid (VOF) method

Summary

Introduction

Lock gates are essential structures of a navigation lock system, since they allow for the retention of water and the locking of vessels above or below the sea level. An analysis of the wave loads on a lock gate similar to that at the Malamocco inlet was recently performed by Cavallaro et al (2018), in which the gate was modelled as a totally immersed ballast tank with a vertical wall adjacent to it.

Results

Conclusion