Ship/Tow Simulator

By regulation, every deep draft navigation study involving a federally maintained channel must include a ship simulation study of the proposed project. The majority of these studies are performed at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Ship/Tow Simulator facility. Ship simulation became a part of the Corps’ channel design process in 1983 with development of the first-generation simulator at ERDC, then known as the Waterways Experiment Station.

Using a state-of-the-art physics engine and inputs from validated numerical models, ERDC’s simulator accurately portrays currents, wind and wave conditions, shallow water effects, bank forces, ship handling, ship-to-ship interaction, fender and anchor forces, and tug assistance. The facility’s three ship-bridge mockups assist engineers in evaluating new navigation channel designs, channel modifications and related safety issues in a virtual environment. By placing pilots in this environment, engineers are able to obtain expert feedback from the pilots’ direct interaction with simulated project features. This feedback allows engineers to make significantly more accurate assessments of project viability and safety.

The simulator has been used to study proposed designs in every coastal port in the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and many inland ports. Two studies illustrate the simulator’s impact. Simulations of the 20-mile-long Brownsville Ship Channel (Texas) resulted in a 25-foot reduction of the original required channel width, saving more than $4 million in construction costs. Simulations of three planned floodgates for the New Orleans surge barrier protection system resulted in modifications to the guide walls, operations and aids to navigation. The simulations also allowed the towing industry to become part of the design process and resulted in a safer and more efficient floodgate complex.