Home▸Climate, Ecology & Environment▸Storm Barrier Gate Closure: Gap-Flow Velocity Surge

Storm Barrier Gate Closure: Gap-Flow Velocity Surge

Interactive 3D model of a multi-gate storm surge barrier closing across an estuary: watch the open flow area shrink and, by continuity (Q = A·v), the gap velocity surge — compare a sequential one-gate-at-a-time closure against a synchronized closure.

Climate, Ecology & Environment3DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

A row of movable gates spans an estuary, exactly like the Oosterscheldekering, the Maeslantkering or the Thames Barrier. As storm-surge protocol closes the gates, the total open cross-section shrinks — and by the continuity equation Q = A·v, the same tidal volume flow forced through a smaller gap accelerates. This simulator renders the closing gate array in 3D with an instanced particle current flowing through whatever remains open, and lets you compare a sequential one-gate-at-a-time closure against a synchronized closure of every gate together, tracking the resulting gap-velocity surge live — the exact scour-risk trade-off real barrier operators plan around.

⚙ Under the hood

Watch a multi-gate storm surge barrier close across an estuary and see, by the continuity equation Q = A·v, how the shrinking open area forces the gap-flow velocity to spike — then compare a sequential edge-first closure against a synchronized closure of every gate together.

coastal engineeringstorm surge barrierfluid continuityflood defensehydraulics

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install