Technical Papers
Oct 3, 2013

Flow Patterns and Turbulence Structures in a Scour Hole Downstream of a Submerged Weir

Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 1

Abstract

Scouring downstream of submerged weirs is a common problem resulting from the interaction of the three-dimensional turbulent flow field around the structures and the mobile channel bed. This paper presents the distributions of flow patterns, bed shear stresses, and turbulence structures in the approach flow and the scour hole downstream of a submerged weir. The experiments were conducted under the clear-water scour condition for an equilibrium scour hole. The experimental results show that the flow structures are considerably changed by the presence of the structure. A large recirculation zone and a flow reattachment region are formed downstream of the submerged weir. Strongly paired cellular secondary flows are observed in the scour hole. The turbulence structures ahead of the recirculation zone govern the dimensions of the scour hole.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank China Scholarship Council (CSC) for the financial support of this research.

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Information & Authors

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Published In

Go to Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 140Issue 1January 2014
Pages: 68 - 76

History

Received: Aug 9, 2012
Accepted: Jul 16, 2013
Published ahead of production: Oct 3, 2013
Published online: Dec 16, 2013
Published in print: Jan 1, 2014
Discussion open until: May 16, 2014

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Authors

Affiliations

Ph.D. Student, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand (corresponding author). E-mail: [email protected]
Bruce W. Melville [email protected]
M.ASCE
Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. E-mail: [email protected]
Heide Friedrich [email protected]
Lecturer, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. E-mail: [email protected]

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