Ship-induced water exchanges with wet-bank strip in ecofriendly bank protection of river Lys
Duchâteau, R. (2026). Ship-induced water exchanges with wet-bank strip in ecofriendly bank protection of river Lys. MSc Thesis. Ghent University: Ghent. 57 pp.
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| Abstract |
This thesis investigates the water-exchanges and flow patterns induced by ship passages in the wet-bank strip of a low-crested rubble foreshore along the river Lys. The aim is to develop insight into the water exchanges between the wet-bank strip and the main river body near the fauna exit points. This is done in the context of the monitoring of a new ecofriendly bank protection designed and constructed as part of the Seine Scheldt project.
The flow velocities and water level variations around the fauna exit point were measured on site and recorded with a drone, which allowed to describe the flow patterns induced by upstream and downstream-bound ship passages. Afterward, the water flow through the rubble foreshore was evaluated by means of a mass balance. Therefore, several simplifications and assumptions were required which were partly controlled using LSPIV and a visual analysis of the recordings
Results show that the flow patterns around the fauna exit point largely differ depending on the sailing direction of the ship. Upstream-bound ship passages induce larger water exchanges; one class IV ship is sufficient to replace the whole volume of the defined control volumes. For both sailing directions, each ship increases the total water volume exchanged with the river significantly, through a direct discharge in the FUP as well as through the foreshore. |
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