Prof. Gamal Helmy Mohamed Elsaeed :: Publications:

Dredging as a tool to enhance river transport in Damietta branch was conducted since 1999. About six million meter cubic of bed material was removed with a total cost of 60 million Egyptian pounds. The navigation channel has an average width of 40m. However, the last 12km of the route to Damietta port is via an artificial canal of water depth of 4m and channel width of 40m at bed level which is sufficient for two way traffic for container vessels. The waterway design specification has guaranteed a minimum water depth for navigation of 2.3m for uninterrupted period of 365 day a year. A navigation hazard represented by a drop in the design water level was evident in 2006. The drop of water level was threatening the satisfaction of 2.3m water depth in some days within the year. This study aims at improving the navigation condition downstream Zefta barrage, Damietta branch by installing permanent regulation structure such as weirs. The weirs will enhance heading up of water in the weir back water zone to solve some of navigational bottlenecks. A one dimensional mathematical model (SOBEK) was used to simulate a study reach of 134km downstream Zefta. The weirs are simulated in three locations according to the intensity of the bottlenecks. Different crest level for the weirs is tested. The model enables the simulation of the hydraulic structures along the branch such as Zefta and Damietta barrages. The study concluded that the weir installation has resulted in solving some of navigational bottlenecks vary between 22 to 88%.