Enhancing Port Infrastructure Resilience: Validation of Scour Protection of Vertical Quaywalls Under Propeller Jet Flows

Technische Universität Braunschweig (TUB), in collaboration with ECOncrete, conducted 2D physical model tests to evaluate the performance of ECOncrete Marine Mattresses for scour protection of vertical quay walls under propeller jet flows. The tests simulated a flow generated by a ship propeller perpendicular to the vertical quay wall under stationary conditions. They were conducted at the hydraulic laboratory flume at the Leichtweiß-Institute for Hydraulic Engineering (LWI) and focused on closed quay structures on a sandy seabed at a 1:20 scale. The simulated flow represented prototype-scale conditions, corresponding to an initial water-jet velocity of 12.07 m/s (prototype) at the propeller (2.7 m/s model at a 1:20 scale). The test campaign included different scour protection configurations and their effect on seabed erosion and structural resilience.

Left: gravel protection only; right: with gravel and ECOncrete mattresses
Results clearly showed that unprotected or insufficiently protected seabed experiences significant erosion, which can compromise the quay wall stability and operational resilience. The study demonstrated that ECOncrete Marine Mattresses, combined with a geotextile or a gravel filter layer, provided excellent scour protection of the vertical quay wall structure. These findings underscore the crucial role of integrated scour protection in safeguarding ports, thereby ensuring the structural stability, operational continuity, and long-term resilience of berthing facilities. Reach out for more details on our Marine Mattresses and physical modelling campaign results. Read More: