 Real-time simulations were performed at the full mission bridge simulator by pilots and inland shippers


Studies for a new riverbank connection in Rotterdam


Martin van der Wel m.v.d.wel@marin.nl


As part of a long-term spatial planning programme on housing a new riverbank connection is being designed in the city of Rotterdam. It crosses the New Meuse River, which is one of the main hinterland connections between the Port of Rotterdam and Germany. Two options - a bridge or a tunnel - at several locations were investigated.


During the initial phase MARIN was asked to make an inventory for a river link from a nautical point of view, which considered (inter-)national legislation, regulations and policies. Based on the inventory, the normative ships, as well as the dimensions of the opening and fixed part of the bridge, were determined. Taking the local current conditions into account, along with the narrow bend radius and the ‘reference’ ships, the opening part of the bridge needed a width of 80~100 metres.


Although the initial dimensions were determined based on guidelines, later on MARIN was asked to conduct an extensive simulation study to establish the optimal location and minimum dimensions of the opening of the bridge, while taking the local conditions and manoeuvring characteristics of the passing vessels into consideration. A combination of fast-time and real-time


16 report


simulations were carried out using MARIN’s XMF modelling framework. In total, about 150 fast-time and 90 real-time simulations were performed for different inland and seagoing vessels for three different locations for a bridge over the river.


All the simulations were conducted in the same database, which included: • The tidal current for two river discharges over 10 layers


• Wind magnitude and gradients based on CFD calculations


• Wind shielding around the bridge based on CFD calculations with MARIN’s ReFRESCO Several design vessels were studied. These included an inland motorship with three barges from which the manoeuvring model was developed based on CFD calculations using ReFRESCO, as well as the transport of a newbuild vessel assisted by tugs.


During the fast-time simulations the vessels were steered by autopilot. The outcomes of these simulations were used to adapt the bridge layout and to identify the governing real-time simulations. The real-time simulations were then performed at MARIN’s full mission simulators by pilots and inland shippers.


The insight from the simulations is now being used by policymakers to derive the optimal link in the city from both a nautical, as well as a land-based perspective.


 Pilots and inland shippers testing the new Rotterdam city bridge at the full mission simulator. Source: Rijnmond.nl


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