Assessing Alternative Concepts and Future Developments for the Extension of the Port of Zeebrugge

摘要

In the design process of marine and coastal developments, the technical feasibility of various alternatives needs to be assessed. Especially due to the tendency for ever larger developments, combining different measures for anticipating on future needs of economy, safety and nature, the need for an assessment tool is obvious. In the framework of evaluating future developments for the Port of Zeebrugge, a numerical hydrodynamic model, and post processing tool has been developed. The relative simplicity of the tool allows the user to assess various concepts and their impact on pre-defined technical issues related to hydrodynamic and sediment influx challenges. The importance of such an out-of-the-box investigation is paramount. It adds to the technical discussion on the feasibility and necessity of large and smaller scale developments in the port area. As such, these theoretical assessments support the design process and ultimately lead to more refined feasible designs. This is illustrated for the case study of the assessment of alternative concepts and future developments for the Port of Zeebrugge.