Quantifying Vessel Propeller Wash Impacts on Sedimentation in Shallow-Bay Ports and Waterways

Details

• Creators:
  Figulus, Jens ; Lawrence, Aaron ; Gombac, Andrew ; Kulesza, Stacey
• Corporate Creators:
  Texas A&M University ; Texas State University--San Marcos ; CREATE - Coastal REsearch And Transportation Education
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program ; United States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Acoustics Doppler Current Profiler Doppler Navigation Field Measurements Galveston Bay Texas Houston Ship Channel Ports Resistivity Method Resistivity Probe Sedimentation Ship Channel Shoaling Ships Suspended Sediments Vessel Operations Waterways

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• Publication/ Report Number:
  2301-8
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Texas
• Edition:
  Final Project Report January 29, 2026
• Corporate Publisher:
  CREATE - Coastal REsearch And Transportation Education
• Abstract:
  Shallow-bay ports and waterways in bay systems along the Gulf Coast of America are critical transportation infrastructure and the Nation’s economic drivers. Vessel propeller wash is the water movement induced by the forces generated from propeller rotation as vessels transit shipping channels. It has the potential to suspend sediment that can then be transported throughout the system, leading to potential sedimentation issues. In this study, field measurements using a vessel-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP)and echo sounder system were conducted in the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) in Galveston Bay, Texas, by traversing the HSC back and forth with a survey vessel immediately after passage of a large ship. The obtained high-resolution 3D velocity and acoustic amplitude return values were processed to quantify suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and suspended sediment flux throughout the water column for around 80 different vessels transiting the HSC. Results indicate that vessel-induced SSC in the ship channel and along the slopes can reach values around 1 g/L, two orders of magnitude larger than back ground concentrations. Furthermore, suspended sediment fluxes close to 200 g/s perpendicular to the channel axis have been estimated from the field measurements. Simultaneous electrical resistivity measurements via an instrumented tow cable were used to test another measuring technique to assess suspended sediment concentration in the water column caused by large vessels. Although the signals were too small to image the SSC, the average electrical resistivity within the HSC was significantly different when vessels were and were not present in the same locations. Similarly, the electrical resistivity was not significantly different when two transects with vessels were compared or two transects without. Thus, the electrical resistivity data provide further evidence that the vessels induce SSC in the ship channel. The quantifications of SSC and flux and statistical significance of electrical resistivity differences highlight the importance of propeller wash contributions to persistent shoaling issues in the HSC and provide an opportunity to further develop prediction tools for sediment movement and management guidelines on how to mitigate siltation in our Nation’s waterways.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  69A3552348330
• Collection(s):
  University Transportation Centers
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b570a61bcfa24cf4f6a3bd31128da740efcf9c6d44240133412b36f37bbf9b86e890d75f3c2b3943709d437f8309f0819283a1aab2cb98b1c6990b17a3607f1a
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/89744/dot_89744_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 11.45 MB ]