Simulation for Evaluating Traffic Performance of an Inland Waterway Lock

China has expanded many inland waterway locks in recent years to reduce severe navigational delays and improve lock performance. The primary objective of the study was to analyze quantitatively lock traffic performance and to conduct the traffic scheduling using traffic simulation model. The expertise rule-based scheduling rules were developed according to the operation of typical inland waterway locks in China. As a case study, the traffic performance of the Changsha lock in the Xiangjiang River was validated and simulated. The results showed that the load factor of the chamber area, which is related to the arrival distribution, vessel size, and chamber packing, had an obvious effect on lock traffic performance. It may help the operators promote traffic performance according to traffic demand and lock conditions, such as the planned lockage declaration under the cooperation with shipping lines which assigns integrated dangerous goods carriers under the premise of safety.