Improved Analytical Model for Estimating the Capacity of a Waterway Lock
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 6
Abstract
The many locks built in the development of inland waterborne transport networks in past decades have become major bottlenecks in the China waterway system. Capacity has become one of the most important waterway lock characteristics. However, capacity is difficult to determine because it varies with the operating conditions. Although a traffic simulation is suitable for analyzing lock capacity, a reasonable analytical model may be more feasible and efficient, especially in the planning stage. The typical analytical model loses adaptability when the sizes of navigation locks and freight vessels are not uniform. Moreover, the lock capacity should have enough reserve to meet the peak demand under heavy traffic flow to provide the required level of service. In this article, an improved analytical model for estimating the lock capacity based on the load factor of the chamber area, relationship between the area and tonnage (RAT) of a freight vessel, and daily peak factor with a certain guarantee rate is presented. Three interrelated indicators (i.e., guarantee rate, traffic load, and time delay) are used to measure the lock level of service (LLOS) comprehensively. LLOS criteria and threshold values are proposed for the current conditions in China. Based on field data regarding the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Yangtze River, and Xijiang River, the validations show that the improved model is reasonable, feasible, and very useful for an inland waterway network with nonuniform lock and vessel sizes. Additionally, optimal scheduling can be conducted based on the improved model to promote the development of uniform freight vessels in fully loaded operations as much as possible.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 51009028) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant 2242016K40109). The author is grateful to the anonymous reviewers for helpful suggestions and comments, Dr. Prof. Wei Zhang of Hohai University, and anonymous referees sponsored by the Inland Water Transportation Committee (AW020) of the Transportation Research Board 2013 Annual Meeting. The author also appreciates the Waterway Bureau of the Department of Transport of Jiangsu Province, the Three Gorges Navigation Authority, and the Guangxi Port and Waterway Bureau for providing the data used in this study.
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Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 144 • Issue 6 • November 2018
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© 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 29, 2018
Accepted: May 10, 2018
Published online: Aug 29, 2018
Published in print: Nov 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Jan 29, 2019
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