The 12th International Conference on Scour and Erosion (ICSE 2025)

Ship propellers can cause significant scouring near quay walls and jetties, leading to instability. To prevent this the development of effective bed protection has become a crucial aspect of design. An environmentally friendly solution, rock-filled gabion mattresses, have emerged as an attractive bed protection measure. A recent study tested a specially designed prefilled gabion mattress subjected to jet propeller actions in a physical scale model. The research campaign focused on measuring near-bed velocities and deformation to evaluate the effectiveness of special rock-filled mattresses. The findings show that these mattresses effectively prevent scour and keep the bed stable even in harsh hydrodynamic conditions. Special attention was given to the connection between the mattresses and the quay-wall, which showed the highest flow velocities. This study validates the tested rock-filled mattress solution as a robust alternative to traditional bed protection methods, offering a sustainable alternative for berthing structures.

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