Improving the Floor Design of Lock Gate at New Port Bhavnagar

Bhavnagar port is located about 10 km away from the city. It is located on the creek, about on creek about 3 km inside the sea. To say in brief, a basin of about 100000 sqmt is dug out and a channel is connecting the basin and sea. The tide difference at Bhavnagar port is maximum i.e about 10 m. The structure was designed in pre independence era and was completed in sixties’. The core bore data were collected in 1930. The water from the sea side enters in the basin by creek connecting it. During the high tide, water is basin is filled with sea water. As there is wide difference in the tide water returns back into the sea, also the water coming from sea side brings with it silt which deposited in the basin. To avoid the problem of siltation and to maintain the water levelinside the basin water flowing back into the sea was required to be held. To make this possible a lockgate was proposed on the creek so that by closing the gate water can be held inside the basin for the required time. To stop the siltation and seepage a flaking dam and sheet pile was inserted inside below the sill beam of the lock gate respectively. ( Fig I )