This project is looking to improve the state\’s understanding of the hydrodynamic processes that produce ferry-induced scour at Washington State Ferry (WSF) terminals. The researchers are measuring ferry propeller wash and turbulence at WSF terminals to determine the potential for erosion of the nearby seabed. They are looking at two ferry terminals, Edmonds and Kingston, where erosion is a particular issue, but will use existing soil data, bathymetric data, and vessel power characteristics, together with information from new prop-wash measurements, to develop ways to predict scour potential for a range of tidal and wind conditions, soil types, terminal configurations, and, potentially, vessel types.
Principal Investigators:
Alexander Horner-Devine, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UW
Peter Mackenzie-Helnwein, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UW
Sponsor: WSDOT
WSDOT Technical Monitor: Chris Stearns
WSDOT Project Manager: Jon Peterson
Scheduled completion: June 2019