Stilling basin with a negative step is an important structure in hydraulic systems, because it can avoid atomization and decrease scouring problems. Although stilling basins with a negative step have attracted much attention from researchers, few researchers have focused on the wave characteristics. In this research, an experimental study on the wave characteristics of stilling basins with a negative step was carried out. The wave height, average period, wave probability density and power spectrum along the flow direction of different stilling basins with a negative step were described based on the wave theory, and the results indicate discharge and step height have a significant effect on the wave characteristics. The relationships between the different characteristic wave heights, and the empirical formula for the relative characteristic wave height are obtained. Finally, the dimensionless standard deviation at the end of the stilling basin with a negative step is linearly related to the flow-energy ratio and the relative step height under B-jump.

The negative-step stilling basin is an efficient and safe energy dissipator for high-head, large-unit discharge high-dam projects. However, studies of the effects of the negative step on the hydraulic performance of a high-dam stilling basin have not been conclusive. In the present study, a 2D RANS-VOF numerical model was developed to simulate the flow field of a negative-step stilling basin. The numerical model was validated with a physical model and then used to simulate and test the performance of the negative-step stilling basin with different step heights and incident angles. The results showed that the flow pattern, the free-surface profile, the velocity profile, the characteristic lengths are strongly influenced by the step geometry. Increasing the height of the step will increase the relative flow depth and the reattachment length in the basin, but reduce the bottom velocity and the roller length. The incident angle has no significant influence on the flow pattern of the negative-step stilling basin, and increasing the incident angle of the step will reduce the bottom velocity and the reattachment length. Both the step height and the incident angle have no significant influence on the energy dissipation efficiency because of the high submergence conditions in this study.

Fluctuating pressure is the main cause of the floor fatigue of the stilling basin with a negative step. Despite investigations of stilling basin with a negative step conducted by many researchers, there is not enough information about the influence of the geometric parameters on fluctuating pressure on the floor. In the present study, fluctuating pressure on the floor of the stilling basin with a negative step was systematically investigated by a total of 85 model tests. The results show that the fluctuating pressure coefficient Cp’ has a process of rapid increase and decrease, and then decreases slowly until it becomes stable, and the maximum fluctuating pressure coefficient Cp’max lies in the reattachment zone rather than in the jet impingement area for Type II-jump. The dominant frequency of the fluctuating pressure on the floor shows a decreasing trend along stilling basin. With the increase of the step height, the Cp’max presents decreasing trend but X*0 where the Cp’max occurs increasing trend. While there has on obvious regularity between incident angle and Cp’. Finally, according to the fitting of test data, an empirical formula to calculate Cp’max is developed. These research results provide reference for the design of stilling basin with a negative step in engineering applications.