Field Measurements in the Kiel Canal, Germany: Ship Waves, Drawdown, and Sediment Transport

Abstract

Ship waves and ship-induced flows are the main hydrodynamic loads on waterway beds and embankments. However, the underlying physical processes are not yet understood fully. Recent field measurements, conducted in the Kiel Canal, Germany, allow a better understanding of these loads and the resulting (ship-induced) sediment transport. The measurements include high-resolution time series of pressure, three-dimensional flow velocities, and turbidity, collected using stationary as well as vessel-mounted sensors. The focus of this paper is on two aspects. First, existing drawdown estimation approaches are reviewed and validated against field measurements. Based on this, a new approach is derived to improve the general description of ship waves in confined waters. Second, a new approach to estimate the ship-induced sediment transport in the Kiel Canal is developed using turbidity and flow measurements and validated against dredging volumes. Our results show that about 10% of the total transported sediment volume in the Kiel Canal can be attributed to ship traffic, whereas the remaining volume is mainly transported during regular dewatering periods. This paper provides an empirical-based method to estimate ship-induced sediment transport in artificial waterways as basis for future canal management strategies.