Hydraulic Evaluation of Marmet Lock Filling and Emptying System, Kanawha River, West Virginia

Abstract : A hydraulic analysis of the Marmet Lock filling and emptying system was performed. Evaluation of the culvert system was considered important because the lock design is a new In-chamber Longitudinal Culvert System (ILCS) that is found only on one other project, the Ohio River s new McAlpine Lock. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hydraulic conditions within the lock filling and emptying system during locking operations. A numerical model of the lock culvert system was developed to provide velocity and pressure information throughout the system. The model was validated with field data collected earlier in the study. Hydraulic information for both filling and emptying operations with various valve operations was computed. The numerical model results indicate that the hydraulic conditions are not significantly different from those anticipated during the project s design phase.