Careful planning and mindful management of numerous considerations are required even in initially envisioned non-complex civil engineering waterway projects: example of replacement of Rideau Canal concrete walls in Ottawa, Ontario.

The removal and replacement of 300 m long section of concrete walls lining a navigational canal would, at first, seem to be a project of relatively low complexity and risk. However, the addition of spatial constrained work area, contaminated canal bottom sediments (heavy metals and PAHs), varying geotechnical conditions, varying seasonal water levels, coffer-damming and dewatering difficulties, adjacent roadway shoring, traffic and pedestrian/cyclist management planning, nearby residential properties sensitive to noise and vibration, adjacent seasonal skateway and navigation period requirements, cold-to-hot weather conditions, fisheries window of no in-water work, as well as other competing construction contracts in close proximity provides for a mix of interesting and challenging scenarios and circumstances for enabling a simple canal wall replacement project in a busy urban environment of limited space and numerous constraints including stakeholder schedule expectations.

After the commissioning of the new locks in the Panama Canal in June 2016, more and larger Post Panamax container ships have visited the main ports on the US Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. These larger container ships draw deeper and squat more resulting in less underkeel clearance in entrance channels. This puts pressure on the allowable draft rules for sailing in the ports’ channels. PortMiami is no exception.

An underkeel clearance forecasting tool was developed to minimize the risk of the bottom touching in the entrance channel to PortMiami. Special attention was paid to the squat of vessels during arrival transits. Ships need to enter the channel on arrival with a speed of approximately 12 km to manoeuvre in strong and varying crosscurrents due to the Gulf Stream that are prevalent near the channel entrance. Therefore, the squat cannot be reduced by entering at a low speed. This high speed is maintained in the first section of the channel with steep dredged slopes, where bank effects cause the vessel to squat deeper in the water.

A detailed measurement campaign was conducted to better understand the squat of Post Panamax container ships and the role of the specific conditions in the PortMiami entrance channel due to the effect of currents and steep side slopes. Ship motions were surveyed during arrival channel transits on 17 Post Panamax container ships using three GPS receivers installed on the ship during each transit. The largest ship in the survey program was a 10,000 TEU ship with a width of 159 ft. Currents were measured at two locations along the channel.

The squat measurements were used to validate and calibrate numerical modeling of squat and wave response. The boundary-integral equation model was calibrated to include counter-currents and to represent increased squat at the stern due to propeller wash effects. The vessel speed in the model is the speed through water, which is the speed over ground corrected for counter currents due to tide and the Gulf Stream.

The simulated squat corresponds well to the measurements and is in most occasions close to predictions using the ICORELS squat formula. Notable exceptions are particularly for ships with non-typical length-to-width ratios, for which the numerical model performs better than the ICORELS formula. Squat is generally larger for wider ships. However, hull shape is critical. Some smaller and slender ships squat more due to a strong bow-down dynamic trim angle, while larger ships have a small stern-down trim angle.

The calibrated squat model was subsequently used to develop the underkeel clearance forecasting application. The application includes computation of all underkeel clearance components, squat, heel (due to turning and wind) and wave response. Five Post Panamax container ships are included in the application, ranging from 5,500 TEU to 14,000 TEU.

Doug Scott, Director, W. F. Baird & Associates Coastal Engineers Ltd.
Dr. Doug Scott, a Principal and Director of W.F. Baird & Associates, has specialized in the overall management and high-level technical direction of complex investigations and projects in the coastal and port engineering fields. He has successfully managed teams supporting the design of large-scale dry and liquid bulk cargo facilities from feasibility assessment through to detailed design. Key areas of expertise include metocean characterization, port layout, dredging design, identification of towage requirements, mooring design and port capacity assessment. Doug is responsible for promoting innovation within W.F. Baird & Associates with the objective of keeping the firm on the leading edge of developments within key areas of practice.

The Port Lands Flood Protection Project is about taking action to protect Toronto’s southeastern downtown area. Right now, in an extreme weather event, floodwaters from the Don River overwhelm portions of the Port Lands, South Riverdale and Leslieville. In June 2017, all three governments announced $1.25-billion in shared funding for Port Lands Flood Protection after Waterfront Toronto completed extensive study and consultations. Waterfront Toronto’s plan is to reconnect the Don River to Lake Ontario by creating a naturalized river mouth. To do this they are embarking on one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Toronto’s history.

This presentation will explore how Waterfront Toronto is transforming one of the largest underdeveloped stretches of downtown waterfront in North America into a thriving community. Speakers will share how Waterfront Toronto is creating two new outlets for the existing river so that floodwaters will run off into the inner harbour to protect the surrounding neighbourhoods. Waterfront Toronto is also cleaning up polluted land while simultaneously building new roads, bridges, utilities and public trails. When this work is complete, 41 hectares of lush greenspace and parkland will be habitable.

This presentation will also provide an overview of what the program of work includes and the progress of Waterfront Toronto and the extended project team. Due to the scale of the program, Waterfront Toronto assembled a large project team. Together, representatives from this team will take a deep dive into the project management, risk management and stakeholder management approaches that are necessary for the program’s success. Speakers will also discuss the stakeholders involved in the project (City of Toronto, CreateTO, Ports Toronto/ Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, First Gulf, Metrolinx, Toronto Transit Commission, amongst others) and how competing priorities are being managed. 

Julius Gombos, Senior Vice President, Project Delivery, Waterfront Toronto
Julius Gombos, Senior Vice President, Project Delivery at Waterfront Toronto, is responsible for operational delivery of capital projects, including the Port Lands Flood Protection Project. Having negotiated the plan development agreement between Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto, Julius is now managing the coordination of work efforts being undertaken by the two firms in the completion of a comprehensive development plan for Toronto’s Quayside development.

Previously, Julius worked as global head of project management at CBRE and Cushman & Wakefield, as President of HOK’s Program Management business and as Senior Vice President, Development Management with Driver Jonas (now Deloitte Real Estate). 

John McKee, Principal, Colliers Project Leaders
John McKee, Principal at Colliers Project Leaders, is a strategic leader with experience building capacity in multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary teams across North America and now acts as Colliers’ project director for the Port Lands Flood Protection & Enabling Infrastructure (PLFPEI). John has more than 33 years of experience as a technical professional providing a broad range of engineering and environmental consulting expertise to a diverse clientele for a comprehensive range of projects throughout Canada and the United States. He has been accountable for large (>$160M gross revenue) multi-discipline operations, overseeing small start-up operations, and establishing and developing new offices.

The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) is responsible for ensuring the safe, sustainable and navigable use of Canadian waters. Canada has the longest coastline in the world, and millions of vessels transit Canadian waters for national defence, fishing and industry, international shipping, and recreation and tourism. CHS publishes and maintains nautical charts, sailing directions, and related publications to ensure the continued safe use of Canadian ports and waterways. Regular bathymetric surveys are conducted, especially for high risk and high priority areas.

Under a collaborative project, the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) developed a methodology to evaluate the risk of grounding and vessel collision for 226 ports in Canada. The methodology uses PIANC (2014) to quantify the potential risk of grounding either within or on the margins of the navigation channel. The risk of grounding is based on a comparison of the actual (minimum) channel width and depth at each port versus the theoretical channel width and depth, taking into account every vessel transiting the channel over a one-year period. The results are combined with additional grounding risk factors (survey accuracy, seabed material, sedimentation risk, pilotage, and wind) to develop an overall grounding risk assignment value for each port. The risk of vessel collision is based primarily upon traffic density at each port, and the manoeuvrability of the vessels transiting to, from and within the port. The results are combined with additional collision risk factors (visibility, pilotage, and ice coverage) to develop an overall collision risk assignment value for each port.

The results from both the grounding and collision assignment values are combined to provide an overall risk assignment value for each port. The overall risk assignment information will be used by CHS to prioritize bathymetric survey efforts.

Doug Scott, Director, W. F. Baird & Associates Coastal Engineers Ltd.
Dr. Doug Scott, a Principal and Director of W.F. Baird & Associates, has specialized in the overall management and high-level technical direction of complex investigations and projects in the coastal and port engineering fields. He has successfully managed teams supporting the design of large-scale dry and liquid bulk cargo facilities from feasibility assessment through to detailed design. Key areas of expertise include metocean characterization, port layout, dredging design, identification of towage requirements, mooring design and port capacity assessment. Doug is responsible for promoting innovation within W.F. Baird & Associates with the objective of keeping the firm on the leading edge of developments within key areas of practice.