Estimating propeller scour at quays alongside a berthing ship.

This paper presents the findings from a experimental investigation in to the nature and extent of the scouring that occurs when a ship berths alongside a quay wall within the confines of a harbour. It examines the interaction between the relative position of the quay wall to the central axis of the ship and the influence that angle of the vessel’s rudder on the magnitude of the scouring produced. The experimental programme covered a range of sediment sizes and methods for calculating the depth of expected scour are presented both in terms semi empirical equations and through the use of trained artificial neural networks. This paper has been selected by the ICE publishing as one of their Best in Research and Practice papers. ICE Martime Engineering is the forefront UK publication for Civil Engineers working in this area.