Port Construction

This chapter investigates through modelling the impacts of port construction on hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics in regions surrounding ports and harbours, using Bohai Sea (China) and Darwin Harbour (Australia) as case studies. Port Construction has been found to have a significant effect on hydrodynamic conditions such as wave-current interactions which consequently impact the sediment dynamics. It is concluded that wave-current interaction can enhance bottom stress in near shore regions, thus significantly intensify sediment suspension, port erosion and navigation channel siltation. As such, any proposed port construction would be recommended to use ocean modelling to better design and construct ports in order to minimize the impact of a changing hydrodynamic and sediment transport conditions.