Influence of Ship Lock Expansion on Existing Structures and Technological Improvements

Progress in shipping will increase the number of ship lock expansion projects with regard to inland navigation hydro-junctions. Extensions of ship locks from existing junctions will inevitably change the boundary conditions and hydrodynamic characteristics of a given river, which will affect the operation of existing structures. Considering the ship lock extension project on the Fuchun River as an example, we analyzed the impact of the project on existing structures; furthermore, its technological improvements were assessed based on the testing of an overall physical model of the river. We found that the Fuchun River lock is in the branching channel . The diversion ratio of the branching channel has been changed significantly by construction associated with the lock extension project and the new guide-wall structure. The water level rises with an increasing flow through the main channel of the left branch, which adversely affects power generation and flood discharge. Also, to reduce the adverse influences of this lock expansion project, construction crews will need to excavate a flood channel between the partition wall of the ship lock on the right branch and the central bar to preserve the original diversion ratio of the river to a vast extent. However, this flood channel would be near the downstream entrance to the lock, and the resulting flow conditions in the entrance area would not meet the requirements under the influence of concentrated flow in the flood channel . Therefore, the navigability of the lock and the functions of power generation and flood discharge are incompatible. We propose an innovative technology for controlling diversion by installing control gates at the entrances of the branching channels. By regulating the diversion ratio of the two branches with these gates, the interaction between ship lock navigation and hydro-junction operations can be managed.