Mud dynamics in the Belgian coastal zone and siltation in the harbor of Zeebrugge

Ports are important drivers for economic activity. For the Port of Zeebrugge, important sectors include cars, containers and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Due to significant siltation, frequent maintenance dredging is necessary in order to ensure the nautical accessibility. For Zeebrugge, that responsibility falls on the Flemish department of...

Formation of the Zeebrugge coastal turbidity maximum: The role of uncertainty in near-bed exchange processes

Despite availability of a large amount of observational data and modelling studies, the mechanisms maintaining the Turbidity Maximum in the Belgian-Dutch coastal zone around the port of Zeebrugge (Belgium) are insufficiently understood. In order to better understand the dynamics of this turbidity maximum we examine the role of baroclinic ...

Mud dynamics in the Port of Zeebrugge

This paper presents the mud dynamics in the harbor basin of Zeebrugge in the Southern North Sea based on an analysis of field data. Mud is typically transported into and within the harbor basin through advection of suspended particulate matter (SPM). Three important timescales have been identified. On the intratidal timescale, sediment import...

Influence of Salinity on the Coastal Turbidity Maximum in the Southern Bight of the North Sea

In the Southern Bight of the North Sea, a Coastal Turbidity Maximum (CTM) can be observed in the Belgian coastal area around the port of Zeebrugge. Understanding the dynamics of this turbidity maximum is of great importance in coastal zone management. Our research studies the CTM with a numerical process model

Mud dynamics in the harbor of Zeebrugge

One year of SPM concentration (SPMC) and Velocity data are analyzed to gain insight in the mud dynamics in the harbor of Zeebrugge. Seasonal dynamics are inferred from satellite images, depth soundings and SPMC data.