Modelling the impact of large scale sediment dumping on the meso-scale hydro- and morphodynamics in the Western Scheldt

The current report aims to understand the hydro- and morphodynamic response of the Western Scheldt in a large sediment dumping operation. This study investigates the estuary’s response to sediment dumping in the Everingen channel area, which is located in the middle of the Scheldt Estuary, The Netherlands. Furthermore, it studies whether these sediment nourishments could indirectly feed the nearby-located Baarland tidal flat. In this study, two morphodynamic models for the Scheldt Estuary were set up, using both the newly developed D-Flow Flexible Mesh software, for the numerical modelling, and the more established Delft3D software. The new software allows a local refinement of the grid in the area of interest for better hydraulic and morphological analysis and shorter computational times. Both models were calibrated and validated for the local hydrodynamics, and subsequently used to study several sediment dumping scenarios. As the sediment module within D-Flow FM was not available yet, the morphological impact of each dumping scenario is investigated using offline-predicted sediment transport patterns based on predicted velocities. These large dumping operations can cause intense changes in the local hydrodynamics and also significant morphodynamic changes not only locally but also in the wider macro-cell area. Indications of erosion and accretion in the Baarland flat were found without though having a clear view of the flat nourishment. Based on the study results, further investigation of dumping scenarios close to the area of interest is recommended.

Subject

sediment dredging and dumping
sediment transport
sediment management
Scheldt Estuary
Everingen
Baarland
Delft3D
D-Flow Flexible Mesh

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Student theses

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master thesis

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MScThesis_NefeliPalaiogianni.pdf

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