Laboratory, numerical and field studies of navigation safety and capability for TGP diversion channel

To ensure the navigation safety and capability during the construction period of the Three Gorges Project (TGP), we carried out a series of numerical and laboratory studies on the diversion channel. In particular, the key technical problems about navigation during the construction period were successfully resolved at the open-channel bend. First, a new laboratory technique, “small scale remote-controlled ship model”, was used to evaluate comprehensively the flow conditions for navigation; here, we presents the results of the influence of channel types and some special construction conditions on the navigation safety and capability. Second, a state-of-the-art numerical laboratory is developed for real-time simulation and visualization of the flow characteristics in various situations such as opening and closing the channel diversion. Finally, our practice showed that the diversion channel reached the huge flood discharge standard and the critical navigable flow standard.