In the course of the research project WAMS II the software “Waterway Asset Management System" (WAMS), currently used by viadonau, was developed further, in order to provide an improved basis for decision-making regarding the economically and ecologically optimal maintenance of the Danube waterway. As a result, maintenance measures can be planned systematically, optimised and their implementation, including the achieved effects, can be presented transparently and comprehensibly.

Apart from the optimisation and enhancement of the existing programme functionalities (mainly analysis and controlling features), three new software modules were implemented. The research entailed

  • the bedload management,
  • the management of hydraulic structures for low water regulation (groynes and training works) and
  • the optimised interface between waterway and traffic management. 

The WAMS management system will also be extended with regard to the transfer of the tasks concerning the marking of the waterway.

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Technical office Hoffmann

News and project status

  • module management of hydraulic structures for low water regulation:  the exact postition and condition of the individual structures is being monitored precisely by means of aerial photographs and multi-beam surveys displayed in the WAMS; any possible maintenance measures on the structures can be derived from the analysis
  • module bedload management:  extensive documentation of the dredging and dumping works in the free flowing section east of Vienna; presentation of the dredged volumes and the ecological effects of the dumping of dredged material further upstream (in order to keep the bedload in the river system)  
  • module traffic management: presentation of the actual vessel tracks (by means of so-called "heat maps") and combination with infrastructure data (bathymetric surveys) enables the optimisation of the fairway trajectory and possible dredging measures   

Smaller improvements of the system are still implemented on a continuous basis.

The project made a substantial contribution to the implementation of measure 
04. Promote innovations in waterway management of the Action Programme for the Danube 2022.