Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation and Analysis of Flows around a Submerged Weir in a Channel Bendway
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 131, Issue 8
Abstract
To improve navigation conditions for barges passing through river channels, many submerged weirs (SWs) have been installed along the bendways of many waterways by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This paper presents results from three-dimensional numerical simulations that were conducted to study the helical secondary current (HSC) and the near-field flow distribution around one SW. The simulated flow fields around a SW in a scale physical model were validated using experimental data. The three-dimensional flow fields around a SW, the influence of the SW on general HSC, and the implication of effectiveness of submerged weirs to realign the flow field and improve navigability in bendways were analyzed. The numerical simulations indicated that the SW significantly altered the general HSC. Its presence induced a skewed pressure difference cross its top and a triangular-shaped recirculation to the downstream side. The over-top flow tends to realign toward the inner bank and therefore improves conditions for navigation.
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Acknowledgments
This investigation was conducted under Contract No. UNSPECIFIEDDACW42-01-P-0243 with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Waterways Experimental Station and National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering, The University of Mississippi. Professor Pierre Julien of Colorado State University provided valuable suggestions during this study. Mr. Michael F. Winkler of USACE provided the physical model data. The writers appreciate the help of Research Assistants Mr. Y. Zhang, and Miss. T. T. Zhu who generated the computational meshes and computer graphics.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 131 • Issue 8 • August 2005
Pages: 682 - 693
Copyright
© 2005 ASCE.
History
Received: Sep 25, 2003
Accepted: Dec 21, 2004
Published online: Aug 1, 2005
Published in print: Aug 2005
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