Gedaan met laden. U bevindt zich op: Development of a new measurement tool for validating lock levellings
Development of a new measurement tool for validating lock levellings
Both the Flemish as the Walloon region of Belgium have dense inland waterway networks, in which navigation locks are key elements. Flanders Hydraulics executes optimization studies of the levelling process of both inland and sea locks. The goal of this optimizations studies is to find a compromise between levelling time and cost. Due to the water exchange during levelling hydraulic forces will act on the ships in the lock chamber. To guarantee a safe levelling the forces on the ship and hereby the forces in the mooring lines must be kept below certain criteria.
Flander Hydraulics has a vast experience with in situ measurement of lock levelling processes. From this experience it was concluded that all present techniques have some major drawbacks. Due to this limitations Flanders Hydraulics identified the need for a new technique to validate lock levelling in an accurate, safe and efficient way. Given its innovative nature and potential impact the project was supported by the Programme for Innovation Procurement, a Flemish Government initiative launched in 2016 to stimulate public sector organisations to buy innovative solutions.
A preliminary study concluded that there is no off-the-shelf solution available but pointed out some possible techniques. Two different techniques have been explored in a Proof of Concept. Apixa explored a technique based on stereovision. Iv-Infra explored a technique based on tachymeters tracking prism’s positioned by drones. Both PoCs were executed in autumn 2023 in the lock of Viersel in cooperation with the waterway administrator, the Flemish waterway. Together with the General Technical Support Division of the Department Mobility and Public Works Flanders Hydraulics carried out reference measurements. The execution of both PoCs went well and the comparison with the reference measurements demonstrated the quality of both set-ups. Both proof of Concepts proved that technology is mature enough to develop an operational set-up.
Lees de publicatie
- Publicatiedatum
- December 2024
- Publicatietype
- Rapport
- Thema's
- Scheepvaart, waterwegen en zeewezen
- Auteur(s)
- Vercruysse, J.B., Verelst, K., Schrijvers, S.
- Reeks
- FH reports 19_084_2