Registered Civil Engineer (Port & Waterway) cheat sheet

Design vessel is the largest ship the facility must serve; berth length, depth, and load ratings derive from its LOA, beam, draft, and displacement.

Berth depth rule: design draft + under-keel clearance (typically 10-15% of draft, min ~0.5-1.0 m) + allowance for squat, wave, and siltation.

Squat (ship sinkage) grows with speed squared and is largest in shallow, confined channels; block coefficient and depth-to-draft ratio govern magnitude.

Tidal window planning: usable depth = charted depth + predicted tide - under-keel clearance; high-water slack windows maximize allowable draft.

Hydrology inputs: design rainfall intensity from IDF curves, rational method Q = CiA for small catchments, unit hydrograph for larger basins.

Site investigation: boreholes at structure locations, CPT for stratigraphy, seismic refraction for rock depth, side-scan sonar and multibeam for seabed.

Return period selection: 50-100 yr for port structures, 100-200 yr or more for breakwaters and critical coastal defenses, per project risk class.

Sediment sampling and current-meter campaigns (min 15-30 days) are needed to calibrate transport and siltation models.

Linear wave theory: celerity c = sqrt(gL/2π · tanh(2πd/L)); deep water c0 = sqrt(gL0/2π), shallow water c = sqrt(gd).

Wave shoaling: energy flux conservation gives H/H0 = sqrt(c0/(2c)) in shallow water; breaking when H/d ≈ 0.78 (regular) or ~0.5-0.6 (irregular).

Wave setup and runup: setup raises mean water level at the shore; runup estimated by Hunt's formula R = 1.5 ξ H (ξ = surf similarity parameter).

Tides: semidiurnal (M2, ~12.42 h), diurnal, and mixed regimes; spring-neap cycle ~14.77 days; tidal prism method for inlet stability.

Estuarine circulation: salt-wedge, partially mixed, and well-mixed classes depend on freshwater inflow versus tidal mixing (Richardson number).

Sediment transport: bedload via Shields parameter θ = τ/((ρs-ρ)gD); inception near θcr ≈ 0.05; suspended load scales with u*/ws ratio.

Littoral drift estimated by CERC formula Q ∝ H^(5/2) sin(2α); longshore transport drives shoreline change (one-line model).

Storm surge = wind setup + inverse barometer + wave setup; design water level combines astronomical tide, surge, and sea-level rise allowance.

Marine clays are often soft, normally consolidated, and sensitive; undrained shear strength su from UU triaxial, vane, or CPT (su ≈ qc/Nk, Nk ~ 15-20).

Pile capacity: Qu = Qs + Qb; skin friction in clay α·su·As, in sand β·σ'v·As (β ~ 0.2-0.4); end bearing Nq·σ'v·Ab.

Lateral pile response modeled by p-y curves; soft clay p-y differs strongly from sand p-y; scour reduces effective embedment.

Liquefaction screening: loose saturated sands with (N1)60 < 15-20 and high water table are vulnerable; check cyclic stress ratio vs CRR.

Slope stability: undrained analysis for short-term (φ=0, su), effective stress with pore pressures for long term; dredging slopes typically 1:3 to 1:6.

Settlement: immediate, primary consolidation (Terzaghi 1D), and secondary; marine clays may show large creep; preloading or PVDs accelerate consolidation.

Sheet pile walls: embedment by free-earth or fixed-earth methods; anchor design by apparent earth pressure diagrams; check heave and piping.

Corrosion and deterioration: marine splash zone most aggressive; design sacrificial steel thickness or cathodic protection; chloride attack on concrete.

Berth length ≈ LOA + clearance (typically 10-20 m); multiple-berth continuous quay length = n·LOA + (n+1)·clearance.

Apron width must accommodate crane rail gauge, truck lanes, and container stacking; typical STS crane gauge 30.48 m (100 ft) or wider.

Quay load cases: uniform surcharge (20-40 kPa), container stack loads, crane wheel loads (often 400-800 kN per wheel), and mooring/berthing forces.

Berthing energy E = 0.5·Cs·Md·Vb²; fender selected so rated energy exceeds design energy with safety factor.

Mooring loads from wind and current; mooring line angles and bollard spacing (typically 15-30 m) set by vessel size.

Quay wall types: gravity block, sheet pile with anchor, combi-wall, and piled deck; choice depends on soil, depth, and seismic demand.

Container terminal capacity: TEU per hectare per year; STS crane productivity (moves/h) and berth occupancy govern throughput.

Design codes: use classification-society and national port design guidelines; seismic design per local code with performance-based criteria.

Channel design: width from PIANC guidelines (typically 4-8 times beam for one-way, wider for two-way), depth from design vessel draft plus allowances.

Dredger types: cutter suction (stiff soils, reclamation feed), trailing suction hopper (loose sediments, offshore disposal), backhoe (confined, precise).

Production estimate = bucket/trailer volume × cycles per hour × efficiency; soil type, swell factor, and disposal distance dominate cost.

Reclamation fill: select granular fill for consolidation and liquefaction resistance; hydraulic fill needs settling ponds and weir overflow control.

Dredged material management: beneficial reuse, confined disposal facilities, or open-water disposal per national/international (London Convention) rules.

Siltation and maintenance dredging: estimate annual infill from transport models; design for maintenance access and disposal capacity.

Sediment quality testing (heavy metals, organics) is required before disposal; contaminated spoil needs confined or treatment options.

Swell/bulking factors: sand ~1.05-1.15, clay 1.2-1.4; compaction of fill to specified relative density or Proctor density.

Rubblemound breakwater: armor unit size from Hudson formula W = ρr·H³/(KD·Δ³·cotθ); KD depends on unit type and damage level.

Armor alternatives: concrete interlocking units (e.g., tetrapods, X-blocks) allow steeper slopes and smaller quarry stone; check placement and interlocking.

Breakwater crest height set by allowable overtopping; wave transmission and reflection affect harbor tranquility; model testing validates design.

Lock design: chamber dimensions from design vessel plus clearance; filling/emptying system controls cycle time and mooring forces.

Lock hydraulics: filling time via culvert or longitudinal system; maximum allowable hawser force and water-level change rate govern operation.

Ship lifts: caisson or counterweighted lift; capacity defined by lifting force and chamber size; energy efficiency is a key advantage over locks.

Approach channels and guide walls align vessels; fender and mooring systems in locks must resist surge and propeller wash.

Seismic and scour checks: breakwater toe scour and armor displacement under storm sequences; design for design storm plus sea-level rise.

Navigation class (e.g., European CEMT classes) defines vessel dimensions, minimum channel depth, and bridge clearance for a waterway.

Regulation works: training walls, groynes, and revetments to maintain a navigable low-flow channel; dredging maintains declared depth.

Low-flow analysis: use flow-duration curves and drought return periods; minimum navigable discharge sets waterway capacity.

Weirs and sluices maintain water levels for navigation; pool levels fixed by crest elevation and gate operation.

Sediment balance: upstream dams trap sediment causing downstream incision; river training must account for bed degradation.

Bank protection: riprap, gabions, and vegetation; design for design flood velocity and wave from vessel wash.

Ice and flood management: ice booms, winter navigation limits, and flood bypasses; flood routing via Muskingum or hydrodynamic models.

Environmental flow requirements must be reserved alongside navigation allocations under integrated river basin management.

Marine plant: floating cranes, derrick barges, jack-up platforms, and trailing suction hopper dredgers; selection driven by water depth, lift capacity, and wave tolerance.

Piling methods: impact hammer, vibratory hammer, and bored piles; driveability analysis (wave equation) predicts blow counts and refusal.

Concrete in marine works: use low-heat, sulfate-resisting cement, high cover, and corrosion inhibitors; curing in tidal zones requires special measures.

Weather windows: workability limits (e.g., Hs < 0.5-1.0 m for diving, < 1.5 m for crane barges) define schedule and float.

Critical path method: identify critical activities, float, and resource leveling; earned value (CPI, SPI) tracks cost and schedule performance.

Risk register and contingency: quantify weather, geotechnical, and supply risks; allocate contingency by risk-based methods.

Quality control: concrete cube testing, pile integrity testing, and bathymetric surveys after dredging; acceptance criteria per specification.

Safety: diving operations per IMCA/national standards; lifting plans, exclusion zones, and marine traffic management during construction.

Use national design codes plus classification-society rules and PIANC guidelines for port and waterway works; verify current edition and local amendments.

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) required for major port and dredging projects; scoping, baseline studies, prediction, mitigation, and monitoring.

Dredging permits: disposal at sea regulated under the London Convention/Protocol and regional conventions; sediment testing determines disposal route.

Water quality standards: turbidity plumes, dissolved oxygen, and contaminant release limits set during dredging and reclamation.

Safety management: permit-to-work, risk assessment (e.g., HAZID/HAZOP), and emergency response for marine operations.

Coastal protection and habitat: compensatory mitigation, artificial reefs, and fish-friendly design of structures; monitor post-construction.

Noise, air emissions, and vessel discharges (MARPOL) are regulated; shore power and low-sulfur fuel reduce port emissions.

Climate adaptation: design for sea-level rise and increased storm intensity per national adaptation guidance and updated return periods.

Present worth: PW = Σ F/(1+i)^n; compare alternatives on equivalent present worth or annual cost at a common discount rate.

Benefit-cost ratio B/C > 1 indicates economic viability; incremental B/C used to rank mutually exclusive alternatives.

Life-cycle cost includes construction, maintenance dredging, repair, and residual value; discounting favors low-maintenance options.

Depreciation methods: straight-line, declining balance, and MACRS; affects after-tax cash flow and project appraisal.

Sensitivity analysis: vary key parameters (traffic, dredging cost, discount rate) to test robustness; identify switching values.

Professional ethics: competence limits, conflict-of-interest disclosure, and duty to public safety; sign and seal only work you are qualified for.

Contracts: FIDIC-type conditions allocate risk; variations, claims, and delay damages follow contract clauses and applicable law.

Uncertainty: use risk-adjusted discount rates or expected value; Monte Carlo for complex port investment appraisal.