Resistance in steep open channels due to randomly distributed macroroughness elements at large froude numbers

Energy Loss in Steep Open Channels with Step-Pools

Abstract: Three-dimensional numerical simulations were performed for different flow rates and various geometrical parameters of step-pools in steep open channels to gain insight into the occurrence of energy loss and its dependence on the flow structure. For a given channel with step-pools, energy loss varied only marginally with increasing flow rate in the nappe and transition flow regimes, while it increased in the skimming regime. Energy loss is positively correlated with the size of the recirculation zone, velocity in the recirculation zone and the vorticity. For the same flow rate, energy loss increased by 31.6% when the horizontal face inclination increased from 2° to 10°, while it decreased by 58.6% when the vertical face inclination increased from 40° to 70°. In a channel with several step-pools, cumulative energy loss is linearly related to the number of step-pools, for nappe and transition flows. However, it is a nonlinear function for skimming flows.

Investigations on Large-Scale Geometric Roughness Elements in Open Channels with Different Heights

Abstract: Large-scale geometric roughness elements is one of the solutions that is used to protect openchannels from erosion. It is use to change the hydraulic characteristics of the flow. It may be concrete blocksor large stone placed at the bed of the channel to impose more resistance in the bed. The height of theseroughness elements is an important parameter that can affect the hydraulic characteristics of the flow. Usinga series of tests of T-shape roughness elements at three different heights, 3, 4.5, and 6cm, arranged in thefully rough configuration in order to investigate the velocity distributions along the flume. ANSYSParametric Design Language, APDL, and Computational Fluid Dynamics, CFD, were used to simulate theflow in an open channel with roughness elements. This simulation helps to find the best height of roughnesselements that can be used to change the hydraulic characteristics of the flow. The results showed that thevelocity values are decreased near the bed by about 61%, 58%, and 64% in case of 3cm, 4.5cm, and 6cmroughness heights consequently compared with the velocity of the control case. The velocity values areincreased near the free surface by about 32% and 19% in case of roughness elements height 6cm comparedwith 3cm and 4.5cm roughness heights respectively. The case of 6cm roughness height is considered to bethe effective case for decreasing the velocity values near the bed of the flume.

A Computational Fluid Dynamics Investigation of using Large-Scale Geometric Roughness Elements in Open Channels

Abstract: The hydraulic behavior of the flow can be changed by using large-scale geometric roughness elements in open channels. This change can help in controlling erosions and sedimentations along the mainstream of the channel. Roughness elements can be large stone or concrete blocks placed at the channel's bed to impose more resistance in the bed. The geometry of the roughness elements, numbers used, and configuration are parameters that can affect the flow's hydraulic characteristics. In this paper, velocity distribution along the flume was theoretically investigated using a series of tests of T-shape roughness elements, fixed height, arranged in three different configurations, differ in the number of lines of roughness element. These elements were used to find the best configuration of roughness elements that can be applied to change the flow's hydraulic characteristics. ANSYS Parametric Design Language, APDL, and Computational Fluid Dynamics, CFD, was used to simulate the flow in an open channel with roughness elements. CFD can be used to study the hydrodynamics of open channels under different conditions with inclusive details rather than relying on the costly field and time-consuming. Runs were implemented with different conditions, the discharge, and water depth in upstream and downstream of the flume. T-shape roughness elements with height equal to 3cm placed in three different configurations, two lines, four lines, and fully rough configurations were tested. The results show that the effect of roughness elements increasing with increasing the number of lines of roughness elements. Cases of four lines and fully rough configurations have almost the same hydraulic performance by having the same results of the velocity decrease percentage, which is decreased by approximately about 66% and 61% of the control case's velocity in the zone near the roughness elements consequently. But the difference is that four lines configuration is affected in a part of the test section. This behavior increases the velocity values by about 11% in the other side and by about 10% near the free surface in the case of four lines configuration and increased by about 32% above the roughness elements in a fully rough configuration.

Volume of fluid (VOF) method for the dynamics of free boundaries

Abstract: Several methods have been previously used to approximate free boundaries in finite-difference numerical simulations. A simple, but powerful, method is described that is based on the concept of a fractional volume of fluid (VOF). This method is shown to be more flexible and efficient than other methods for treating complicated free boundary configurations. To illustrate the method, a description is given for an incompressible hydrodynamics code, SOLA-VOF, that uses the VOF technique to track free fluid surfaces.

The prediction of laminarization with a two-equation model of turbulence

Abstract: The paper presents a new model of turbulence in which the local turbulent viscosity is determined from the solution of transport equations for the turbulence kinetic energy and the energy dissipation rate. The major component of this work has been the provision of a suitable form of the model for regions where the turbulence Reynolds number is low. The model has been applied to the prediction of wall boundary-layer flows in which streamwise accelerations are so severe that the boundary layer reverts partially towards laminar. In all cases, the predicted hydrodynamic and heat-transfer development of the boundary layers is in close agreement with the measured behaviour.

Flow Resistance in Gravel-Bed Rivers

Abstract: The resistance to uniform flow in straight gravel-bed rivers is basically dependent on the flow geometry, the cross-sectional variation in roughness heights, and the roughness height of the graded gravel bed sediment. The effect of these factors on the resistance to flow is evaluated and a general approach for the estimation of the Darcy-Weisbach friction factor is presented. Independent field data indicates that the method can be successfully applied to predict the resistance to uniform flow in gravel-bed rivers.

Flow Resistance Estimation in Mountain Rivers

Abstract: Examination of the flow resistance of high-gradient gravel and boulder-bed rivers, using data collected in British mountain rivers with slopes of 0.4 - 4%, shows that there are differences in resistance variation between mountain and lowland rivers and that between-site variations do not necessarily reflect at-a-site variations. Comparison of data with the familiar resistance equation relating the Dracy-Weisbach friction factor to the logarithm of relative submergence shows that the equation tends to overestimate the resistance in uniform flow. The equation also tends to underestimate the rate of change of resistance at a site (as discharge varies) with high gradients. The influences of nonuniform channel profile, sediment size distribution, channel slope and sediment transport are reviewed, but the data do not allow any quantification of these effects. Instead an empirical approach based on the available data is presented, allowing the friction factor to be calculated from the relative submergence with an error of up to ±\N25% to ±\N35%. A summary of the field data is included.

Flow resistance equations for gravel- and boulder-bed streams

Abstract: [1] Alternative general forms are considered for equations to predict mean velocity over the full range of relative submergence experienced in gravel- and boulder-bed streams. A partial unification is suggested for some previous semiempirical models and physical concepts. Two new equations are proposed: a nondimensional hydraulic geometry equation with different parameters for deep and shallow flows, and a variable-power resistance equation that is asymptotic to roughness-layer formulations for shallow flows and to the Manning-Strickler approximation of the logarithmic friction law for deep flows. Predictions by existing and new equations using D84 as roughness scale are compared to a compilation of measured velocities in natural streams at relative submergences from 0.1 to over 30. The variable-power equation performs as well as the best existing approach, which is a logarithmic law with roughness multiplier. For predicting how a known or assumed discharge is partitioned between depth and velocity, a nondimensional hydraulic geometry approach outperforms equations using relative submergence. Factor-of-two prediction errors occur with all approaches because of sensitivity to operational definitions of depth, velocity, and slope, the inadequacy of using a single grain-size length scale, and the complexity of flow physics in steep shallow streams.