Testing slope effect on flow resistance equation for mobile bed rills

Abstract Purpose In this paper, a deduced flow resistance equation for open-channel flow was tested using measurements carried out in mobile bed rills with sediment-laden flows and fixed bed rills. The main aims were to (i) assess the effect of sediment transport on rill flow resistance, and (ii) test the slope-flow velocity relationship in fixed bed rills. Methods The following analysis was developed: (i) a relationship between the Γ function of the velocity profile, the rill slope and the Froude number was calibrated using measurements carried out on fixed bed rills; (ii) the component of Darcy-Weisbach friction factor due to sediment transport was deduced using the corresponding measurements carried out on mobile bed rills (grain resistance and sediment transport) and the values estimated by flow resistance equation (grain resistance) for fixed bed rills in the same slope and hydraulic conditions; (iii) the Γ function relationship was calibrated using measurements carried out on mobile bed rills and the data of Jiang et al. (2018). Results This analysis demonstrated that the effect of sediment transport on rill flow resistance law is appreciable only for 7.7% of the examined cases and that the theoretical approach allows for an accurate estimate of the Darcy-Weisbach friction factor. Furthermore, for both fixed and mobile beds, the mean flow velocity was independent of channel slope, as suggested by Govers (1992) for mobile bed rills. Conclusions The investigation highlighted that the effect of sediment transport on rill flow resistance is almost negligible for most of the cases and that the experimental procedure for fixing rills caused the unexpected slope independence of flow velocity.

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Roughness Effect of Submerged Groyne Fields with Varying Length, Groyne Distance, and Groyne Types

Water ◽

10.3390/w11061253 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1253 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ronald Möws ◽

Katinka Koll

Keyword(s):

Flow Resistance ◽

Relative Increase ◽

Design Guidelines ◽

Water Levels ◽

Constant Field ◽

Initial Water ◽

Mobile Bed ◽

Wake Interference ◽

Backwater Effect ◽

Varying Length

Design guidelines were developed for a number of in-stream structures; however, the knowledge about their morphological and hydraulic function is still incomplete. A variant is submerged groynes, which aim to be applicable for bank protection especially in areas with restricted flood water levels due to their shallow height. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the backwater effect and the flow resistance of submerged groyne fields with varying and constant field length and groyne distance. The effect of the shape of a groyne model was investigated using two types of groynes. The validity of different flow types, from “isolated roughness” to “quasi smooth”, was analyzed in relation to the roughness density of the groyne fields. The results show a higher backwater effect for simplified groynes made of multiplex plates, compared to groynes made of gravel. The relative increase of the upstream water level was lower at high initial water levels, for short length of the groyne field, and for larger distance between the single groynes. The highest roughness of the groyne fields was found at roughness densities, which indicated wake interference flow. Considering a mobile bed, the flow resistance was reduced significantly.

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Assessing theoretical flow velocity profile and resistance in gravel bed rivers by field measurements

Journal of Agricultural Engineering ◽

10.4081/jae.2018.810 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 220-227 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Vito Ferro ◽

Paolo Porto

Keyword(s):

Velocity Profile ◽

Flow Velocity ◽

Froude Number ◽

Flow Resistance ◽

Field Measurements ◽

Mean Flow ◽

Gravel Bed ◽

Wide Range ◽

Gravel Bed Rivers ◽

Resistance Equation

Previous studies showed that integrating a power velocity profile, deduced applying dimensional analysis and the incomplete self-similarity condition, the flow resistance equation for open channel flow can be obtained. At first, in this paper the relationship between the Γ function of the power velocity profile, the channel slope and the Froude number, which was already empirically introduced in a previous paper, is now theoretically deduced. Then this relationship is calibrated using the field measurements of flow velocity, water depth and bed slope carried out in 101 reaches of gravel bed rivers available by literature. The proposed relationship for estimating Γ function and the theoretical flow resistance equation are also tested by an independent dataset of 104 reaches of some gravel bed rivers (Fiumare) in Calabria region. Finally, the theoretically-based relationship for estimating the Γ function is calibrated by the overall available database (205 reaches). In this way the three coefficients of the theoretically based Γ function are estimated for a wide range of slopes (0.1%-6.19%) and hydraulic conditions (Froude number values ranging from 0.08 to 1.25). In conclusion, the analysis shows that the Darcy-Weisbach friction factor for gravel bed rivers can be accurately estimated by the approach based on a power-velocity profile and the theoretically-based relationship proposed for estimating Γ function. The analysis also points out a performance in estimating mean flow velocity better than that obtained in a previous study carried out by the authors.

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Effects of Biochar Addition on Rill Flow Resistance

Water ◽

10.3390/w13213036 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (21) ◽

pp. 3036

Author(s):

Alessio Nicosia ◽

Vincenzo Pampalone ◽

Vito Ferro

Keyword(s):

Reynolds Number ◽

Friction Factor ◽

Flow Resistance ◽

Accurate Estimate ◽

Power Equation ◽

Flow Turbulence ◽

Bed Slope ◽

The Relationship ◽

Resistance Equation ◽

Rill Flow

The development of rills on a hillslope whose soil is amended by biochar remains a topic to be developed. A theoretical rill flow resistance equation, obtained by the integration of a power velocity distribution, was assessed using available measurements at plot scale with a biochar added soil. The biochar was incorporated and mixed with the arable soil using a biochar content BC of 6 and 12 kg m−2. The developed analysis demonstrated that an accurate estimate of the velocity profile parameter Гv can be obtained by the proposed power equation using an exponent e of the Reynolds number which decreases for increasing BC values. This result pointed out that the increase of biochar content dumps flow turbulence. The agreement between the measured friction factor values and those calculated by the proposed flow resistance equation, with Гv values estimated by the power equation calibrated on the available measurements, is characterized by errors which are always less than or equal to ±10% and less than or equal to ±3% for 75.0% of cases. In conclusion, the available measurements and the developed analysis allowed for (i) the calibration of the relationship between Гv, the bed slope, the flow Froude number, and the Reynolds number, (ii) the assessment of the influence of biochar content on flow resistance and, (iii) stating that the theoretical flow resistance equation gives an accurate estimate of the Darcy–Weisbach friction factor for rill flows on biochar added soils.

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