Effect of Sediment Supply on Morphodynamics of Free Alternate Bars: Insights from Hydrograph Boundary Layer

Sediment supply plays an essential role in river morphology. However, the specific impact of sediment supply on river morphology is not apparent. According to the hydrograph boundary layer (HBL) concept, upstream riverbed changes caused by the imbalance between sediment supply and the capacity can propagate only a limited length and have a negligible effect on the riverbed beyond such a short length. We performed a two-dimensional morphodynamic calculation to test the concept of HBL, which was proposed under a one-dimensional simulation, meaning that the concept of HBL is still valid for plane changes in river morphology. We employed an unsteady flow with equilibrium or constant sediment supply in a straight, modeled gravel-bedded channel with an unerodible bank to simulate alternate bar morphodynamics. The results show that regardless of the sediment supply condition, the alternate bar features formed downstream of the HBL are considerably similar. This suggests that sediment disturbance at the upstream end has a negligible effect on the mobile-bed dynamic processes, including alternate bar formation and development downstream of the HBL.

Effect of sand mining on the flow hydrodynamics around an oblong bridge pier

Extraction of sand from riverbed has catastrophic repercussions on aquatic animalia habitat, water quality, and the environment. Alongside, physical alterations in the fluvial hydraulics arising on account of sand mining are also worthy of attention. Flows passing over the pits excavated in a channel have enhanced erosive propensity, which can be a cause of concern for the downstream hydraulic structures. The complex nature of flow interacting with the bridge piers after passing over a mining pit is not fully understood. Experiments were conducted to apprehend the effects of a dredged pit on the turbulence flow-field around an oblong pier. Flow was passed in an erodible sand bed rectangular channel having an oblong pier for the first case. In the second case, a pit was dredged in the mobile bed to replicate a mined channel, and the pier was subjected to the same discharge. The streambed at the approach of the pier experiences greater mean bed shear because of dredging. The amplification of the instantaneous bed shear beneath the turbulent horseshoe vortex (THSV) zone at the pier front is almost twice due to channel dredging. The findings can be useful in understanding the streambed instabilities around bridge piers in mining-infested channels.

Rill flow resistance law under sediment transport

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.

Wave runup and overtopping on smooth-slope NEXC block

Constant wave runup and overtopping during monsoon coupled with storm-surge events have poses threat to the coastal’s community in flooding and land loss. The study was to further the research on the wave interaction issue using the modified NAHRIM Coastal Protection and Expansion (NEXC) block. The aim was to determine the significant relationship prediction model from the experiment variables due to water level changes. The study was conducted in 30 m long, 2 m height, and 1.5 m width of wave flume using gamma 3.30 of wave height JONSWAP spectrum under 1:15 and 1:8 mobile bed scenarios. Parameters were downscaled to 1:10 and based on Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast hydrodynamics conditions. 36 different test scenarios were simulated every 20 minutes with three repetitions, enables 108 samples to be retrieved. Using statistical tools, correlation tests between the variables in the experiment results indicates wave runup, significant wave height and overtopping discharges are strongly correlated to the bed gradient and smooth-slope NEXC block. Changes in water level from shallow to deep, mild to steep mobile bed gradient with 30° to 60° block affect the relationship Hs-q decrease while Ru2%-q positively increase. Overtopping was not directly affected by water level but positively affected on wave runup and negatively to significant wave height. The fitted relationship design model using a General Full Factorial method was verified with 0.338069 of standard error and 98.12 % of R-square. Finally, the significant relationship predictive model was obtained to have 26 interaction terms in the model successful.

Relative role of sediment entrainments on log-law parameters of longitudinal velocity distributions in mobile bed flows

In alluvial channel, the non-cohesive bed particles are frequently accelerated by the flows and there has been an inconclusive debate on the deviations of logarithmic law parameters that demonstrate the velocity distributions in flows. Present study aims to elucidate the current knowledge of overwhelming theoretical and experimental evidences in this regard within the scope of near-bed turbulent flow characteristics. The study was conducted in two folds collecting instantaneous velocity of flow over a rigid sand bed under clear water flow conditions and compared to those over mobile sand beds under equilibrium bed-load. Results corroborated additional support to confirm the upward shifting of zero-velocity level in mobile bed flows. Most importantly, the conventional value of von Kármán coefficient significantly deviates in mobile bed flows compared to those in rigid sand bed. Also, the frictional velocity obtained from the bed slope consistently differs to those obtained from the Reynolds shear stress (RSS) distributions owing to transfer of stress aliquot to the bed particles. The mechanism is well demonstrated with the energy-momentum transfer within the framework of energy budget concept which shows near-bed negative pressure energy diffusion rates with increasing turbulence production in mobile bed flows.

Improving the 2D Numerical Simulations on Local Scour Hole around Spur Dikes

Local scour is a common threat to structures such as bridge piers, abutments, and dikes that are constructed on natural rivers. To reduce the risk of foundation failure, the understanding of local scour phenomenon around hydraulic structures is important. The well-predicted scour depth can be used as a reference for structural foundation design and river management. Numerical simulation is relatively efficient at studying these issues. Currently, two-dimensional (2D) mobile-bed models are widely used for river engineering. However, a common 2D model is inadequate for solving the three-dimensional (3D) flow field and local scour phenomenon because of the depth-averaged hypothesis. This causes the predicted scour depth to often be underestimated. In this study, a repose angle formula and bed geometry adjustment mechanism are integrated into a 2D mobile-bed model to improve the numerical simulation of local scour holes around structures. Comparison of the calculated and measured bed variation data reveals that a numerical model involving the improvement technique can predict the geometry of a local scour hole around spur dikes with reasonable accuracy and reliability.

Impact of the Weir Slit Location, the Flow Intensity and the Bed Sand on the Scouring Area and Depth at the Dam Upstream

A total of 48 experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of slit weir dimensions and locations on the maximum scour depth and scour area created upstream. The slit weir model was a 110 mm slit opening, and it was installed at the end of the working section in a laboratory flume. The flume was 10.0 m long, 30 cm wide, 30 cm deep, and almost middle. It includes a 2 m working section with a mobile bed with 110 mm in thickness. In the mobile bed, two types of nonuniform sand (with a geometric standard deviation of 1.58 and 1.6) were tested separately. The weir dimensions and location were changed with flow rates. Then dimensions of the slit weir were changed from 60 x 110 mm to 60 x 70 mm (width x height), while the location of the slit weir was changed from the center of the flume to its side. Finally, the flow rates were changed from 2.6 to 8 l/s. The maximum value of scour depth and scour area was recorded 72 mm and 32357 mm2 when the slit height, the flow rate, D50 of the movable bed were 110 mm, 8 l/s, 0.3 mm, respectively.