Channel confluence is one of the important features of each river system and some hydraulic structures. The features that can dominantly control flow characteristics in a confluence are confluence angle, discharge, width ratios, and Froude number of flow. Several research studies have been conducted however a comprehensive three-dimensional (3-D) numerical study of flow characteristics in a confluence has not yet been reported. In the present study, SSIIM2.0, a 3-D numerical model, is validated and applied to investigate secondary currents, velocity distribution, flow separation, and water surface elevation in different conditions. The results of the present study illustrate that flow structure and water surface variations in a confluence are highly influenced by confluence angle, discharge, and width ratios as well as Froude number because of their effect on flow deflection, separation, and secondary currents. The graphs from the present study can be used to analyze water surface variation, velocity field, and flow separation dimensions in difference conditions for engineering designs.
The effect of the intake head wall slope and the installation of a trash rack on the type and strength of vortices are studied experimentally. The strength within each vortex was determined by measuring its tangential velocity utilizing an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV). Experiments were carried out with a projected intake and an intake with various head wall slopes, discharges and submerged depths. The results from the projected intake tests indicated that Type 6 vortex was present. However, the vortex strength and type reduced as the intake head wall slope increased up to the vertical position. In addition, increasing the intake head wall slope increased the vortex instability. All tests were repeated with a trash rack. A relationship was developed for vortex strength and the intake critical submerged depth based on the intake Froude number and the head wall slope. Moreover, a relationship has been found between vortex strength and type.
Flow unsteadiness in flood events has a significant effect on the structure of the flow field and motion of sediment particles, thereby affecting dispersion of pollutants and river ecology. The aim of the present article was to evaluate state-of-the-art research efforts concerning flow characteristics and sediment transport in unsteady flow condition. The paper is organized in four sections: The first section deals with the unsteady parameters which affect sediment transport. In the second section, the flow characteristics in unsteady open channel flow are presented. Different studies showed that the flow characteristics which affect sediment transport including velocity distribution or shear stress during passage of a hydrograph differ from steady flow condition. In addition, measurements during passage of a hydrograph show that turbulence intensity is generally larger in the rising limb of the hydrograph rather than in the falling limb. This causes the peak of sediment load and pollutants occur during the rising limb of the storm hydrograph. The third and forth sections deal with bed load and suspended load in unsteady flow condition, respectively. Studies show that the methods which are based on steady flow conditions generally underestimate the sediment transport rates in unsteady flows. The larger the unsteadiness, the bigger is the difference. Finally, with considering different findings from previous studies, suggestions are presented for further research.
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