Experimental study on erosion characteristics model of the Pinglu Canal bank slope under ship-generated wave disturbance

To investigate the impact of ship-generated waves on the erosion characteristics of the bank slope along the Pinglu Canal, a large-scale laboratory flume model testing system was designed to analyze the surface wave pressure variations and hydraulic erosion characteristics of the bank slope under five different conditions: mesh flexible revetment, square permeable concrete revetment, hexagonal permeable concrete revetment, gravel revetment, and unprotected slope. The results show that the temporal variation of the surface wave pressure on the bank slope is periodic, with the unprotected slope exhibiting the maximum negative wave pressure. The gravel revetment, due to its structural irregularity, demonstrates superior energy dissipation performance. Moreover, under high water levels and high ship speeds, a secondary wave peak effect occurs. The surface wave pressure distribution on the bank slope rapidly attenuates on both sides near the static water level. The ship speed has a significantly greater effect on wave pressure and wave height compared to water level changes. Analysis of surface erosion on the bank slope reveals that the unprotected slope mainly experiences three types of erosion forms, namely slope cracking, soil collapse, and slope scouring. Except for the gravel revetment, all other revetments show fine particle precipitation. The internal soil pressure and surface wave pressure exhibit consistent dynamic response characteristics. Based on the overall ecological benefits and erosion control effects, the gravel revetment is the optimal solution.