Royal HaskoningDHV Engineering (RHDHV) and High Commission of India visited LHI to see the 3D physical model of the KKS (Kankesanthurai) Port
3rd March 2022
The client representatives from RHDHV visited LHI on 6th December 2021 to witness the 3D physical model of the KKS (Kankesanthurai) port in Sri Lanka.
The KKS harbour and the berthing piers were extensively damaged during the ‘TSUNAMI’ in 2004 and the cyclone ‘NISHA’ in 2008. Besides damage to the existing infrastructure, there were sunken ships inside the harbour in several locations which were major hindrances for safe vessel movement. The various phases of the project work include hydrographic survey, wreck removal and disposal, dredging, rehabilitation of breakwater/pier and construction of new pier with attendant port.
The Government of Sri Lanka, with financial assistance from the government of India, intends to rehabilitate the KKS port to be used as a commercial port. Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) acts as the project proponent. Royal Haskoning Consultancy Pvt ltd (RHDHV) is the design consultant and LHI is the modelling consultant to the project.
At the beginning of the project, LHI carried out the conditional assessment of 1,400m long breakwater to provide the baseline details to RHDHV, the design consultant for the breakwater design. At the later part of the design exercise, LHI was involved in verifying the design through the 2D and 3D physical model studies.
The 2D (Flume) physical model testing was carried out for the breakwater trunk section in order to verify and optimize the design, in terms of the structural stability, degree of the overtopping and the pressure acting on the wave wall. LHI also conducted the 3D (Basin) physical model testing on the breakwater roundheads with adjacent trunk sections of 200 m under the effect of approaching oblique sea states in order to verify and optimize the design.
On completion of the project, the port will be having the capacity of handling cargo vessels or bulk carriers for commercial operations. The Jaffna peninsula will be connected with the rest of the world through sea routes. This will support rapid development and economic growth in the northern region of Sri Lanka. Further, the implementation of the project will generate the huge potential for employment of skilled/non-skilled labour in the region.
Since the project is implemented as a collaboration of the two governments of Sri Lanka and India, the 1st secretary of the Indian High Commission. Ms. Irina Thakur has witnessed the 3D model testing together with higher officials from SLPA on 19th January 2022.