Numerical study on hydrodynamic interaction between a berthed ship and a ship passing through a lock

• Hydrodynamic interaction of a passing ship with a berthed ship in lock is studied.
• Both cases of ship entering and exiting a lock are dealt with.
• The hydrodynamic forces on the ships are predicted by a CFD method.
• The effects of ship speed, water depth and position of berthed ship are analyzed.

Hydrodynamic interaction between a berthed ship and a passing ship always occurs in a single way lock. This interaction will have significant influences on safe navigation of ships in a lock, and thus the hydrodynamic mechanism behind it should be well understood. In this paper, a numerical study on the hydrodynamic interaction between a berthed ship and a passing ship entering and leaving a single way lock is carried out. By solving the unsteady RANS equations in conjunction with a RNG k−εk−ε turbulence model, numerical simulation of the three-dimensional unsteady viscous flow around the two ships is conducted, and the hydrodynamic interaction is numerically predicted. Dynamic mesh method and sliding interface technique are used to deal with the relative motion between the passing ship and the lock. The numerical results are obtained under different ship speed, water depth, transverse and longitudinal positions of the berthed ship; and the influences of these factors on the ship–ship and ship–lock hydrodynamic interaction are analyzed. This study can provide certain guidance on safe manoeuvring and control of a ship passing through a lock affected by a berthed ship.