PORT OF ANTWERP (LEFT BANK). WAASLAND PORT. EUROPEAN BIRD DIRECTIVE AREA THANKS TO PORT DEVELOPMENT

摘要

The assessment of dam break hazards for hydropower dams or inland channel reservoir dams has sparkled a number of research works in hydraulic numerical modelling, and has led to several regulations for public safety. Whereas river weirs are far less dangerous than the aforementioned waterworks, social demand today spawns an increasing concern for structural safety, which has led CETMEF to recommend that the consequences of accidental clearance of a retaining valve in days of lower waters be elucidated, though without further indications on practical procedures. Available analytical models give some clue as to the order of magnitude of water volumes involved in such floods, but the low lift of mobile weirs contradicts the range of their basic assumptions, e.g. the flood wave is heavily influenced from downstream bed geometry. Using the software MASCARET, developed jointly by EDFLNHE and CETMEF for computing the dynamics of flood phenomena, a real-case study was carried out by CETMEF. This survey yields a number of teachings regarding the nature of hazards sparkled by dam breaks, and the subsequent threats on boats and environment. Beyond the reinforcement of waterworks to prevent dam breaks, the most realistic issue consists: on the one hand, in resolution of new emergency procedures at the downstream weir capable of dumping the flood wave so far as it endangers that very weir; and on the other hand, in systematic storage of an emergency cofferdam to stop local leakages and preserve inland ports were safety really is at stake.