Bull Nose Energy Absorption System

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Bull Nose Energy Absorption System
Part of

• Inland Navigation Safety Initiatives

Current Team Members Jeff Maynard, John
Clarkson, - LRH Bob Willis, Chad Linna,
LRD Kent Hokens MVP Dr. Robert Ebeling,
CEERD-IE
RD funding for FY 09 provided by Navigation
Systems Research Program at ERDC Mr. James E.
Clausner, Program Manager Dr. John Hite, Inland
Focus Area Leader
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Problem

• Head-on collisions with the end of rigid
  navigation lock approach walls lead to lashing
  failures
• The barges that are no longer under control can
  collide with dam and/or navigation lock gates
• This scenario at its worst can lead to possible
  pool loss due to gate failure, total loss of
  barge and cargo, damages to navigation
  structures, danger to personnel, etc.

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Proposed Demonstration Site Smithland Lock and
Dam

• Pair of 1200 ft locks.
• Upstream approach wall.
• Consider protection of the existing rigid
  bullnose with a new deformable bullnose system.
• Design for a 3 by 5 barge train fully loaded
  weighing 32,000 tons

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Solutions Being Investigated
A deformable (energy absorbing) bullnose
placed in front of an existing rigid bullnose to
reduce or eliminate lashing failures due to
head-on collisions.
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The Basic Physics of a Deformable Bull Nose
System Response
System Response Concept

• The approach taken to solve this problem is to
  develop a new deformable bullnose.
• A rigid bullnose abruptly de-celerates the barge
  train during an impact.
• During an abrupt de-acceleration, the forces
  imparted to the lashings result in lashing
  failures and out of control break-away barges.

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The Basic Physics of a Deformable Bull Nose
System Response
System Response Concept

• The concept is to develop a deformable bullnose
  that allows the barge train to de-accelerate at a
  lower rate, thereby reducing the possibility for
  lashing failures .
• We want to thank ACL and AEP for providing
  lashing information for our study.

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Deformable Numerical Model To Investigate /
Mitigate Lashing Failures
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Sectional Elevation System 5.3
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Sectional Elevation System 5.3 Isolators at
500 Strain (Extreme Load)
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Sectional Plan System 5.3
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Sectional Plan System 5.3
Impact Nosing Impact face armored
Pier Table
M-1 Corbel
Impact Nosing Floor Slab
Gap
M-1
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Elevation Range of Significant Allisions with
Upper Approach Walls at Smithland Locks, 1981-2007
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System 6
Floating pier table
Permits efficient arrangement of pier table
isolators for all pool elevations
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Idea of Floating Pier Table Is Based on a
Floating Wave Attenuator Flushing Bay ,NY
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Sectional Elevation System 6
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Sectional Plan System 6
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Sectional Plan System 6
Impact Nosing Impact face armored
Gap
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M-1 Corbel
Gap
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0
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DIP
Floating Pier Table
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M-1
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Prevention of Barge Tow Lashing Failures
A Deformable Bull Nose Approach
Our goal is to reduce lashing failures and out of
control break-away barges by absorbing the energy
from a tow!
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Winfield Barge Impact Test on Flexible Walls

• Thanks to AEP for supplying tow and crew for the
  test!
• The initial Rigid Wall Barge Impact Test from
  several years ago was instrumental in getting our
  arms around these values for design on rigid
  walls, ETL 1110-2-563 BARGE IMPACT ANALYSIS FOR
  RIGID WALLS. These tests also helped us in our
  understanding to pursue the Bull-nose solution.

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Test Site - Winfield Lock and Dam, Kanawha River,
West Virginia
Wall section of interest for impact testing the
upstream guard
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Proposed Guide Wall - LD 25
Why We Selected Winfield

• Winfield is similar in design to several proposed
  projects on the Upper Miss
• Lock and Dam 22
• Lock and Dam 25

• Other near-term projects to potentially benefit
  from this field effort include
• Upper Miss LD 3
• J.T. Myers Lock
• Extension
• Greenup Lock Extension
• Soo Locks

• Characteristics -
• 125-foot precast concrete beams.
• Connected to 35-ft-diameter concrete-filled
  cells.
• Cells anchored with 36-inch pipe piles.

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BIE 2008 Experiment Execution Goal A Safe
Operation with Minimal Impact to Navigation

• Tow configuration will be 3 x 3 jumbo
  open-hopper barges (35 x 195 feet each), drafting
  9 feet, and displacing approximately 20,000 short
  tons.

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BIE 2008 - Technical Objectives/Measurements

• Determined the dynamic impact force under
  controlled low-angle/low-velocity impacts on the
  deformable lock wall.
• Measured the corresponding wall deflection and
  strain as a function of time.

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Impact Testing at Winfield LD
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Displacement Time History of Wall Section
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Barge Impact Experiments Winfield Lock
The experiment was conducted on 25 and 26 August
2008.

• 23 Impacts were completed.
• Impact angles from 4 to 20.
• Approach speeds from 0.7 to 2.4 mph.
• Maximum deflections at mid-span. approximately
  0.5 inches.
• Maximum normal force approx. 500 kips.
• No damage to lock wall was observed.

Corner Barge Approaching Impact Point Winfield
LD, Aug 2008
Force measuring bumper used at Winfield LD
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Assessing the Barge Impact Data

• Current Activities - Extrapolate data for
  multiple angles, velocities and other flexible
  wall types.
• Will write guidance for the efficient design of
  new flexible walls.

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PIANC Inland Navigation Safety

• The objective of this working group is to
  identify useful safety measures to reduce
  accidents.
• The ability of the system to quickly return to
  service following a major catastrophe (man made
  or natural) will be a major area of focus for
  this report.
• This working group would also inventory recent
  safety initiatives in various countries and give
  recommendations to improve safety.

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Thank You

• John Clarkson, P.E.
• John.D.Clarkson_at_usace.army.mil
• 304-399-5217

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Barge Impact Experiments

• PI Bruce Barker
• Capability Being Developed
• Measurement of the dynamic response of flexible
  beams during full scale impact events.
• Final Products
• Document full scale experiment with a 3 x 3 barge
  train impacting the upstream flexible guide wall
  at Winfield Lock and Dam in an ERDC TR (FY09).
• Measurement time histories of impact forces under
  a wide range if impacts including bending
  strains, lateral and longitudinal beam
  displacement, acceleration, and beam deflections.

Wall section of interest for impact testing the
upstream guard
Site selected New upstream guard wall at
Winfield Lock and Dam, WV (Huntington District)

• Benefit
• Provide validation data in support ongoing and
  future guide wall designs for flexible lock walls
  where non previously exists

• FY08 Funding 90K

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