Resistance to flow in rough supercritical sheet flow

Shallow water depths on steep slopes of as much as fifty per cent can be measured easily by weighing a light flume and the water it contains. Because water accelerates along the flume, a good approximation of the steady state depth is obtained when the recording balance is fixed to its bottom end. From the unit discharge and the depth, and not from measurements of the surface velocity, the Darcy-Weisbach friction coefficient can be calculated. The present results show that this friction coefficient is larger in thin sheet flows than that calculated from the equation for rough turbulent flow. This latter could fit at a Reynolds Number of 50,000. When the regime is laminar (Re < 2,440) the Darcy-Weisbach friction coefficient always exceeds the theoretical value of 96/Re. The great relative depth of standing and travelling waves could account for this discrepancy together with turbulence and wake formation around bottom grains. Herein it is assumed that a regime can prevail where a laminar superlayer glides over a turbulent sublayer in the vicinity of bottom grains, because the ratio of the surface velocity to the mean velocity can greatly exceed 1.5, especially on steep slopes. Until photographs of the streamlines are taken, no statement about flow regimes in supercritical sheet flow can be made.     

Influence of bank vegetation and gravel bed on velocity and Reynolds stress distributions

This paper presents the results of a laboratory flume experimental study on the interaction of bank vegetation and gravel bed on the flow velocity （primarily on the location of the maximum velocity, Umax） and the Reynolds stress distributions. The results reveal that the dip of the maximum velocity below the water surface is up to 35% of flow depth and the difference between Umax and the velocity at the water surface is considerable in the presence of vegetation on the walls. The zone of the log-law varies from y/h=2 up to 15 percent of flow depth and it does not depend on distance from the wall. Deviation of the velocity profile in the outer layer over a gravel bed with vegetation cover on the walls is much larger than the case of flow over a gravel bed without vegetation cover on the walls. The presence of vegetation on the walls changes uniform flow to non-uniform flow. This fact can be explained by considering the nonlinear Reynolds stress distribution and location of maximum velocity in each profile at different distances across the flume. The Reynolds stress distributions at the distance 0.02 m from the wall have negative values and away from the wall, they change the sign taking positive values with specific convex form with apex in higher location. Average of von Karman constant κ for this study is equal to 0.16. Based on to=0.16, the methods of Clauser and the Reynolds stress are compatible for determination of shear velocity.     

Meander hydrodynamics initiated by river restoration deflectors

River restoration projects have installed j‐hook deflectors along the outer bank of meander bends to reduce hydraulic erosion, and in this study we use a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to document how these deflectors initiate changes in meander hydrodynamics. We validated the CFD with streamwise and cross‐channel bankfull velocities from a 193° meander bend flume (inlet at 0°) with a fixed point bar and pool equilibrium bed but no j‐hooks, and then used the CFD to simulate changes to flow initiated by bank‐attached boulder j‐hooks (1^st attached at 70°, then a 2^nd at 160°). At bankfull and half bankfull flow the j‐hooks flattened transverse water surface slopes, formed backwater pools upstream of the boulders, and steepened longitudinal water slopes across the boulders and in the conveyance region off the mid‐channel boulder tip. Streamwise velocity and mass transport jets upstream of the j‐hooks were stilled, mid‐channel jets were initiated in the conveyance region, eddies with a cross‐channel axis formed below boulders, and eddies with a vertical axis were shed into wake zones downstream of the point bar and outer bank boulders. At half bankfull depth conveyance region flow cut toward the outer bank downstream of the j‐hook boulders and the secondary circulation cells were reshaped. At bankfull depth the j‐hook at 160° was needed to redirect bank‐impinging flow sent by the upstream j‐hook. The hooked boulder tip of both j‐hooks funneled surface flow into mid‐channel plunging jets, which reversed the secondary circulation cells and initiated 1 to 3 counter rotating cells through the entire meander. The main outer bank collision zone centered at 50° without the j‐hook was moved by the j‐hook to within and just beyond the 70° j‐hook boulder region, which displaced other mass transport zones downstream. J‐hooks re‐organized water surface slopes, streamwise and cross‐channel velocities, and mass transport patterns, to move shear stress from the outer bank and into the conveyance and mid‐channel zones at bankfull flow. At half bankfull flows a patch of high shear re‐attached to the outer bank below the downstream j‐hook. J‐hook geometry and placement within natural meanders can be analyzed with CFD models to help restoration teams reach design goals and understand hydraulic impacts. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Feedback between residual circulations and sediment distribution in highly turbid estuaries: An analytical model

Motivated by field studies of the Ems estuary which show longitudinal gradients in bottom sediment concentration as high as O(0.01 kg/m⁴), we develop an analytical model for estuarine residual circulation based on currents from salinity gradients, turbidity gradients, and freshwater discharge. Salinity is assumed to be vertically well mixed, while the vertical concentration profile is assumed to result from a balance between a constant settling velocity and turbulent diffusive flux. Width and depth of the model estuary are held constant. Model results show that turbidity gradients enhance tidally averaged circulation upstream of the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM), but significantly reduce residual circulation downstream, where salinity and turbidity gradients oppose each other. We apply the condition of morphodynamic equilibrium (vanishing sediment transport) and develop an analytical solution for the position of the turbidity maximum and the distribution of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) along a longitudinal axis. A sensitivity study shows great variability in the longitudinal distribution of suspended sediment with the applied salinity gradient and six model parameters: settling velocity, vertical mixing, horizontal dispersion, total sediment supply, fresh water flow, and water depth. Increasing depth and settling velocity move the ETM upstream, while increasing freshwater discharge and vertical mixing move the ETM downstream. Moreover, the longitudinal distribution of SSC is inherently asymmetric around the ETM, and depends on spatial variations in the residual current structure and the vertical profile of SSC.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE RELATION OF BED MORPHOLOGY WITH SURFACE FLOW IN MEANDER CHANNELS

1 INTRODUCTION The plane shape of a river channel is very important for river improvement planning, because it must allow floodwater to flow off safely. Natural rivers wind from side to side, which creates meandering forms. From the history of river impro…     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE RELATIONA OF BED MORPHOLOGY WITH SURFACE FLOW IN MEANDER CHANNELS

Alternate bars have the property that they migrate downstream whenever floods occur. However, in meander channels whose bend angles are larger than a critical value, the migration of bars can be suppressed, and the positions of bank erosion and flood attack also will be steady. In this study, the bed morphology in flume channels with bends of various lengths and angles is investigated at various flow discharges, and the relation of bed morphology to surface flow is investigated in detail using fluid measuring software. An effort is made to obtain guidelines for the plane shape design of meander channels. Based on the experimental results of bed topography and measurement of surface flow direction and velocity distribution, from the viewpoint of bank erosion and the concentration and dispersion of flood flow the most suitable plane shape for meandering channels is suggested through which the migration of alternate bars is suppressed.     

REVIEW ON LOCAL SCOUR DUE TO JETS

The safety of an apron of the energy dissipator is threatened by the large-scale scour in the downstream of the apron due to the erosive action of a horizontal jet issuing from a sluice opening. Also, large-scale deposition of the scoured sediments due to an impinging jet in a plunging pool type energy dissipator affects the passage of flow adversely in the downstream channels. Owing to the significant practical importance, the problem of local scour due to jets has been studied by many investigators, In this paper, a comprehensive review of the up-to-date investigations on local scour due to horizontal and impinging jets is presented including all possible aspects, such as scouring process, parameters affecting scour, time variation of scour velocity distribution on the apron and within the scour hole, development of boundary layer thickness, bed shear stress, scour estimation formulas and protection works.     

利用宽角反射/折射地震剖面揭示芦山M_S7.0地震震区深部孕震环境

2013年4月芦山地震发生后,中国地震局迅速成立了芦山地震科学考察指挥部,要求查明芦山地震的深部构造环境和孕震背景.为此,中国地震局地球物理勘探中心于2013年9月至11月在芦山震源区布设了一条长约410km的人工地震高分辨宽角反射/折射探测剖面,获得了信噪比较高的人工地震探测数据,采用地震射线走时正演拟合构建了该区的地壳及上地幔二维P波速度结构模型,结果显示:扬子块体和松潘—甘孜块体显示出迥异的速度结构特征,地壳厚度由南向北逐渐加厚.沉积盖层在四川盆地厚达7.8km,而进入松潘—甘孜块体沉积层最薄处只有几百米厚,几乎出露地表;在中上地壳,扬子块体平均速度比松潘—甘孜块体高0.2km·s-1,在盆地与高原耦合部位(构造转换带)以北深度大约20km左右有一厚度为8.0km的软弱层(低速层),该层内的速度为5.80km·s-1,明显低于周围介质的平均速度6.00~6.10km·s-1;构造转换带内,震相显示紊乱、不清晰、不能连续对比,由地表至上地幔顶部壳内界面不连续、速度结构异常紊乱且呈现低速异常特征;在中下地壳,沿剖面速度呈现正梯度垂向增大变化;壳内界面在扬子块体内部起伏变化不大,但在构造转换带以北呈现急速加深的趋势,特别是Moho界面起伏变化较为明显,界面深度在距离50km范围内由扬子块体的36.2km迅速变化至松潘—甘孜块体下方的45.8km,形成一陡变带.芦山MS7.0级地震震源位置位于二维速度结构异常紊乱和界面起伏变化的地带,研究表明,壳内界面及速度结构差异、起伏变化的特征与该区域的地震活动性关系密切.     

Scour Downstream of Grade Control Structures under the Influence of Upward Seepage

The installation of free falling jet grade control structures has become a popular choice for river bed stabilization. However, the formation and development of scour downstream of the structure may lead to failure of the structure itself. The current approaches to scour depth prediction are generally based on studies conducted with the absence of upward seepage. In the present study, the effects of upward seepage on the scour depth were investigated. A total of 78 tests without and with the application of upward seepage were carried out using three different sediment sizes, three different tailwater depths, four different flow discharges, and four different upward seepage flow discharge rates. In some tests, the three-dimensional components of the flow velocity within the scour hole were measured for both the cases with and without upward seepage. The scour depth measured for the no-seepage results compared well with the most accurate relationship found in the literature. It was found that generally the upward seepage reduced the downward velocity components near the bed, which led to a decrease in the maximum scour depth. A maximum scour depth reduction of 49% was found for a minimum tailwater depth, small sediment size, and high flow discharge. A decay of the downward velocity vector within the jet impingement was found due to the upward seepage flow velocity. The well known equation of D’Agostino and Ferro was modified to account for the effect of upward seepage, which satisfactorily predicted the experimental scour depth, with a reasonable average error of 10.7%.     

新丰江水库中上地壳P波三维速度结构特征及库水的渗透影响

利用震源位置和速度结构的联合反演得到2007年6月—2014年7月新丰江水库地区地震序列的震源位置及中上地壳P波三维速度结构模型,并进一步研究库区序列分布及速度结构特征.结果显示:库区中上地壳不同深度P波速度存在显著横向不均匀性,浅部库区速度高于周缘,在5~10 km上地壳从库坝下游白田至库尾锡场NW方向存在高速异常体以及2个低速间断区域,低速间断区分别位于人字石断裂与南山—坳头断裂交汇处以及1962年6.1级地震震源区,库水可能沿低速间断区的人字石断裂、石角—新港—白田断裂下渗至13~14 km的地壳.在10~14 km地壳以NE走向的大坪—岩前断裂为界,NW侧为最高速度6.2 km·s~(-1)的高速区域,SE侧从库区中部回龙至库坝下游白田为显著低速异常区域,是可能的库水渗透影响区域,亦是库区中强地震集中区.库区地震多发生在高速体内部、高低速过渡带或低速的渗水通道两侧.     

Velocity and turbulence variations at the edge of saltmarshes

Saltmarsh vegetation significantly influences tidal currents and sediment deposition by decelerating the water velocity in the canopy. In order to complement previous field results, detailed profiles of velocity and turbulence were measured in a laboratory flume. Natural Spartina anglica plants were installed in a 3 m length test section in a straight, recirculating flume. Different vegetation densities, water depths and surface velocities were investigated. The logarithmic velocity profile, which existed in front of the vegetation, was altered gradually to a skimming-flow profile, typical for submerged saltmarsh vegetation. The flow reduction in the denser part of the canopy also induced an upward flow (the current was partially deflected by the canopy). The skimming flow was accompanied by a zone of high turbulence co-located with the strongest velocity gradient. This gradient moved upward and the turbulence increased with distance from the edge of the vegetation. Below the skimming flow, the velocity and the turbulence were low. The structure of the flow in the canopy was relatively stable 2 m into the vegetation. The roughness length (z₀) of the vegetation depends only on the vegetation characteristics, and is not sensitive to the current velocity or the water depth. Both the reduced turbulence in the dense canopy and the high turbulence at the top of the canopy should increase sediment deposition. On the other hand, the high turbulence zone just beyond the vegetation edge and the oblique upward flow may produce reduced sedimentation; a phenomenon that was observed near the vegetation edge in the field.     

Salt-Finger convection in the surface discharge of heated saline jets

Abstract

Experimental investigations of the surface discharge of two-dimensional heated saline jets into surroundings with stable, constant salt gradients were carried out. The discharge conditions were parameterized with the densimetric Froude number, and the Reynolds number. The evolution of the discharge was monitored by flow visualization methods, and by the measurements of temperature and salinity distributions. For comparison, experiments of the surface discharge of heated water into homogeneous surroundings at the corresponding discharge conditions were also conducted. The results clearly showed that while in the former case, the region away from the vicinity of the discharge manifold was marked by the presence of salt-finger convection, in the latter case this region exhibited stable thermal stratification. Furthermore the occurrence of salt-finger convection considerably retarded the motion of the jet, and increased the penetration depth of temperature and salinity fields.     

Predicting river width,depth and velocity at ungauged sites in England and Wales using multilevel models

Using a dataset of gauged river discharges taken from sites in England and Wales, linear multilevel models (also known as mixed effects models) were applied to quantify the variability in discharge and the discharge‐hydraulic geometry relationships across three nested spatial scales. A jackknifing procedure was used to test the ability of the multilevel models to predict hydraulic geometry, and therefore width, mean depth and mean velocity, at ungauged stations. These models provide a framework for making predictions of hydraulic geometry parameters, with associated levels of uncertainty, using different levels of data availability. Results indicate that as one travels downstream along a river there is greater variability in hydraulic geometry than is the case between rivers of similar sizes. This indicates that hydraulic geometry (and therefore hydrology) is driven by catchment area, to a greater extent than by natural geomorphological variations in the streamwise direction at the mesoscale, but these geomorphological variations can still have a major impact on channel structure. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial variations of flow structure over estuarine hollows

Observations of the flow field over an elongated hollow (bathymetric depression) in the lower Chesapeake Bay showed tidally asymmetric distributions. Current speed increased over the landward side of the hole during flood tides and decreased in the deepest part of the hollow during ebb tides. A simple conceptual analysis indicated that the presence of a horizontal density gradient can generate the asymmetric spatial variations of flow structure depending on the sign of the horizontal density gradient. When water density decreases downstream, the velocity increases over the downstream edge of the hollow. Conversely when water density increases downstream, the flow decreases over the hollow more than a case without a horizontal density gradient. The conceptual analysis is confirmed by numerical experiments of simplified hollows in steady open channel flows and of an idealized tidal estuary. These hollows also alter the local current field of tidally averaged estuarine exchange flows. The residual depth-averaged currents over a hollow show a two-cell circulation when Coriolis forcing is neglected and an asymmetric two-cell circulation, with a stronger cyclonic eddy, when Coriolis forcing is included.     

THE INFLUENCE OF TOPOGRAPHY ON TIME AND SPACE DISTRIBUTION OF SOIL SURFACE WATER CONTENT

The distribution of water content in time and space at the soil surface has been investigated on a small farmland catchment (1.3 km² ) from four field surveys corresponding to different moisture statuses. For each survey, about 400 samples were collected at the soil surface at a depth of 5 cm along ten axes parallel to the greatest slope. The relationship between the measurements and the topography has been analysed. The structure of the data is well explained by a topographic index referring to the downslope conditions and defined as the elevation difference between the sample point and the stream point corresponding to the outlet of the water pathway derived from the digital elevation model (DEM). This index can be considered as an hydraulic head, at least for saturated conditions. A threshold for this index allows two domains within the catchment to be distinguished; an upper domain where the water content is nearly constant and varies slowly, and a lower domain where moisture status increases and is highly variable. The spatial distribution of these two domains is well correlated to the spatial distribution of the soils. Thus, both topography and the spatial distribution of soil appear to control the spatial distribution of surface water content at the 1-km² scale. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Velocity characteristics along a small step–pool channel

This paper summarizes measurements of velocity along three reaches of a small mountain channel with step–pool bedforms. A one‐dimensional electromagnetic current meter was used to record velocity fluctuations at 37 fixed measurement points during five measurement intervals spanning the peak of the annual snowmelt hydrograph. Measurement cross‐sections were located upstream from a bed‐step, at the step lip, downstream from the step, and in a uniform‐gradient run. Data analyses focused on characteristics of velocity profiles, and on correlations between velocity characteristics and the potential control variables bedform type, reach gradient and flow depth. To test the hypothesis that velocity characteristics are related to channel bedform types, ANOVA and ANCOVA tests were performed for the average velocity and coefficient of variation of point velocity data. Results indicate that high frequency velocity variations correlate to some degree with both channel characteristics and discharge. Velocity became more variable as stage increased, particularly at low‐gradient reaches with less variable bed roughness. Velocity profiles suggest that locations immediately downstream from bed‐steps are dominated by wake turbulence from mid‐profile shear layers. Locations immediately upstream from steps, at step lips, and in runs are dominated by bed‐generated turbulence. Adverse pressure gradients upstream and downstream from steps may be enhancing turbulence generation, whereas favourable pressure gradients at steps are suppressing turbulence. The bed‐generated turbulence and skin friction of runs appear to be less effective energy dissipators than the wake‐generated turbulence and form drag of step–pool bedforms. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of roughness configuration on velocity profiles in an artificial channel

In order to determine the effect of bed roughness on velocity distribution, we used seven different configurations of bed roughness, with 16 test runs of varying discharge and slope for each configuration. For each run, one-dimensional velocity profiles were measured at 1 cm vertical increments over the crest of the roughness element, and at intervals of 4·25 cm downstream. Results indicate that velocity profile shape remains fairly constant for a given slope and roughness configuration as discharge increases. As slope increases, the profiles become less linear, with a much larger near-bed velocity gradient and a more pronounced velocity peak close to 0·6 flow depth at the measurement point immediately downstream from the roughness element. The zone of large near-bed velocity gradients increases in both length and depth as roughness concentration decreases, up to a length/height ratio of about 9, at which point maximum flow resistance occurs. Longitudinal roughness elements do not create nearly as much flow resistance as do transverse elements. Rates of velocity increase suggest that roughness elements spaced at a length/height ratio of about 9 are most effective at creating flow resistance over a range of discharges in channels with steeper slopes. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Discharge estimation of submarine springs in the Dead Sea based on velocity or density measurements in proximity to the water surface

The Dead Sea is a closed lake, the water level of which is lowering at an alarming rate of about 1 m/year. Factors difficult to determine in its water balance are evaporation and groundwater inflow, some of which emanate as submarine groundwater discharge. A vertical buoyant jet generated by the difference in densities between the groundwater and the Dead Sea brine forms at submarine spring outlets. To characterize this flow field and to determine its volumetric discharge, a system was developed to measure the velocity and density of the ascending submarine groundwater across the center of the stream along several horizontal sections and equidistant depths while divers sampled the spring. This was also undertaken on an artificial submarine spring with a known discharge to determine the quality of the measurements and the accuracy of the method. The underwater widening of the flow is linear and independent of the volumetric spring discharge. The temperature of the Dead Sea brine at lower layers primarily determines the temperature of the surface of the upwelling, produced above the jet flow, as the origin of the main mass of water in the submarine jet flow is Dead Sea brine. Based on the measurements, a model is presented to evaluate the distribution of velocity and solute density in the flow field of an emanating buoyant jet. This model allows the calculation of the volumetric submarine discharge, merely requiring either the maximum flow velocity or the minimal density at a given depth.     

The effects of discharge and slope on hyporheic flow in step‐pool morphologies

This paper focuses on surface–subsurface water exchange in a steep coarse‐bedded stream with a step‐pool morphology. We use both flume experiments and numerical modelling to investigate the influence of stream discharge, channel slope and sediment hydraulic conductivity on hyporheic exchange. The model step‐pool reach, whose topography is scaled from a natural river, consists of three step‐pool units with 0.1‐m step heights, discharges ranging between base and over‐bankfull flows (scaled values of 0.3–4.5 l/s) and slopes of 4% and 8%. Results indicate that the deepest hyporheic flow occurs with the steeper slope and at moderate discharges and that downwelling fluxes at the base of steps are highest at the largest stream discharges. In contrast to findings in a pool‐riffle morphology, those in this study show that steep slopes cause deeper surface–subsurface exchanges than gentle slopes. Numerical simulation results show that the portion of the hyporheic zone influenced by surface water temperature increases with sediment hydraulic conductivity. These experiments and numerical simulations emphasize the importance of topography, sediment permeability and roughness elements along the channel surface in governing the locations and magnitude of downwelling fluxes and hyporheic exchange. Our results show that hyporheic zones in these steep streams are thicker than previously expected by extending the results from streams with pool‐riffle bed forms. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.