Discharge Distribution in Open-Channel T-Shape Bifurcations: Effect of a Reduced Side Branch Width
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 148, Issue 9
Abstract
The primary challenge for river managers in handling open-channel bifurcations is the prediction of the discharge distribution to downstream branches. In this study, we aimed to summarize and complete the available database and empirical correlations for T-shape bifurcations at 90°, both in subcritical and transcritical flow regimes, in equal and reduced side branch width geometries. An experimental campaign generated a database of 668 new configurations in addition to 299 sets collected from the literature. The existing correlation for predicting the discharge distribution in the subcritical regime appears to be of limited agreement with these data, whereas a new empirical relationship significantly increases the accuracy and is useful for a side branch as narrow as a third of the main branch width. Regarding the free-recirculation transcritical regime, the present data validate the correlation proposed in 1967 for downstream branch ratios not tested by the authors. An approach was proposed to predict the flow discharge distribution for configurations without a priori knowledge of the flow regime.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
A table of the 668 measurement data points from the present experimental campaign is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. This table comprises the width ; three discharges , , and ; corresponding water depths , , and ; and Froude numbers and .
Acknowledgments
This work was performed within the framework of EUR H2O’Lyon (ANR-17-EURE-0018) of Université de Lyon (UdL) within the program “Investissements d’Avenir” operated by the French National Research Agency (ANR). Part of the research was funded (for the first author) by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) Malaysia, that is, Project No. FRGS19-130-0739.
References
Al-Zubaidy, R. A., and R. H. Ismaeil. 2022. “Sediment control at the lateral channel inlet.” IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 961 (1): 012096. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/961/1/012096.
Hager, W. 2010. Wastewater hydraulics: Theory and practice. Berlin: Springer.
Hager, W. H. 1991. “Abflussverhältnisse in Kanalverzweigungen.” Korrespondenz Abwasser 38 (10): 1350–1357.
Ibrahim, I., S. L. Ibrahim, and S. Khan. 2020. “Flow structures in dividing open channels: A review.” IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 437 (1): 012008. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/437/1/012008.
Kasthuri, B., and N. V. Pundarikanthan. 1987. “Discussion of ‘separation zone at open channel junction’.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 113 (4): 543–544. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1987)113:4(543).
Krishnappa, G., and J. Seetharamiah. 1963. “A new method of predicting the flow in a 90° branch channel.” Houille Blanche 49 (7): 775–778. https://doi.org/10.1051/lhb/1963055.
Lakshmana Rao, N. S. L., K. Sridharan, and M. Y. A. Baig. 1968. “Experimental study of the division of flow in an open channel.” In Proc., 3rd Australasian Conf. on Hydraulics and Fluid Mechanics, 139–142. Barton, Australia: The Institution of Engineers.
Law, S. W. 1965. Dividing flow in open channel. Montréal, Canada: McGill Univ.
Law, S. W., and A. J. Reynolds. 1966. “Dividing flow in open channel.” J. Hydraul. Div. 92 (2): 207–231. https://doi.org/10.1061/JYCEAJ.0001413.
Li, X., V. Kitsikoudis, E. Mignot, P. Archambeau, M. Pirotton, B. Dewals, and S. Erpicum. 2021. “Experimental and numerical study of the effect of model geometric distortion on laboratory modeling of urban flooding.” Water Resour. Res. 57 (10): e2021WR029666. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR029666.
Mignot, E., D. Doppler, N. Riviere, I. Vinkovic, J.-N. Gence, and S. Simoens. 2014. “Analysis of flow separation using a local frame axis: Application to the open-channel bifurcation.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 140 (3): 280–290. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000828.
Mignot, E., C. Zeng, G. Dominguez, C. W. Li, N. Rivière, and P.-H. Bazin. 2013. “Impact of topographic obstacles on the discharge distribution in open-channel bifurcations.” J. Hydrol. 494 (28): 10–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.04.023.
Momplot, A., G. Lipeme Kouyi, E. Mignot, N. Rivière, and J.-L. Bertrand-Krajewski. 2017. “Typology of the flow structures in dividing open channel flows.” J. Hydraul. Res. 55 (1): 63–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221686.2016.1212409.
Neary, V. S., and A. J. Odgaard. 1993. “Three-dimensional flow structure at open-channel diversions.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 119 (11): 1223–1230. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1993)119:11(1223).
Neary, V. S., F. Sotiropoulos, and A. J. Odgaard. 1999. “Three-dimensional numerical model of lateral-intake inflows.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 125 (2): 126–140. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1999)125:2(126).
Ramamurthy, A. S., J. Qu, and D. Vo. 2007. “Numerical and experimental study of dividing open-channel flows.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 133 (10): 1135–1144. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(2007)133:10(1135).
Ramamurthy, A. S., and M. G. Satish. 1988. “Division of flow in short open channel branches.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 114 (4): 428–438. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1988)114:4(428).
Ramamurthy, A. S., D. M. Tran, and L. B. Carballada. 1990. “Dividing flow in open channels.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 116 (3): 449–455. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(1990)116:3(449).
Rao, N. S. L., and K. Sridharan. 1967. “Division of flow in open channels.” Water Energy Int. 24 (4): 393–407.
Rivière, N., and R. J. Perkins. 2004. “Supercritical flow in channel intersections.” In Proc., 2nd Int. Conf. on Fluvial Hydraulics (River Flow), edited by M. Grecco, A. Carravetta, and R. Della Morte, 1073–1077. Napoli, Italy: International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research.
Rivière, N., G. Travin, and R. J. Perkins. 2007. “Transcritical flows in open channel intersections.” In Proc., 32nd IAHR Congress. Venice, Italy: International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research.
Rivière, N., G. Travin, and R. J. Perkins. 2011. “Subcritical open channel flows in four branch intersections.” Water Resour. Res. 47 (Oct): 10. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011WR010504.
Rivière, N., G. Travin, and R. J. Perkins. 2014. “Transcritical flows in three and four branch open-channel intersections.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 140 (4): 04014003. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000835.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 148 • Issue 9 • September 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 12, 2021
Accepted: May 1, 2022
Published online: Jun 29, 2022
Published in print: Sep 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Nov 29, 2022
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.