Surface and Subsurface Flow through Block Ramps
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 135, Issue 3
Abstract
Block ramps are permeable hydraulic structures. Flow that enters the block ramp infiltrates between the blocks and eventually on the porous base material on which the ramp is posed. The percentage rate of subsurface flow with respect to the total flow at the entrance of a block ramp or a rock chute is studied experimentally and analyzed by means of dimensional analysis. This quantity is described as a function of related parameters, such as the total inflow discharge, the particles’ characteristics, the thickness of the base material bed, the geometric characteristics of the block ramp, and the boundary conditions at the toe of the ramp itself. The experimental data were elaborated in order to supply new formulations of the flow discharge through the base ramp material and the block ramp energy dissipation. The amount of energy losses of such structures is essentially a function of the geometry and the bed surface characteristics of the ramp, the hydraulic conditions, and the percentage rate of the subsurface flow.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Abt, S. R., Ruff, J. F., and Wittler, R. J. (1991). “Estimating flow through riprap.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 117(5), 670–675.
Bathurst, J. C. (1978). “Flow resistance of large-scale roughness.” J. Hydr. Div., 104(12), 1578–1603.
Chamani, M. R., and Rajaratnam, N. (1999a). “Characteristics of skimming flow over stepped spillways.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 125(4), 361–368.
Chamani, M. R., and Rajaratnam, N. (1999b). “Onset of skimming flow on stepped spillways.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 125(9), 969–971.
Christodoulou, G. C. (1993). “Energy dissipation on stepped spillways.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 119(5), 644–650.
Codell, R. B., Abt, S. R., Johnson, T., and Ruff, J. (1990). “Estimation of flow through and over armoured slopes.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 116(10), 1252–1269.
Comiti, J., and Renaud, M. (1989). “A new model for determining mean structure parameters of fixed beds from pressure drop measurements: Application to beds packed with parallelepipedal particles.” Chem. Eng. Sci., 44(7), 1539–1545.
Dey, S., and Raikar, R. V. (2007). “Characteristics of loose rough boundary streams at near-threshold.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 133(3), 288–304.
Diez-Cascon, J., Blanco, J. L., Revilla, J., and Garcia, R. (1991). “Studies on the hydraulic behaviour of stepped spillways.” Int. Water Power Dam Constr., 43(9), 22–26.
Hagerty, D. J., and Parola, A. C. (2001). “Seepage effects in some riprap revetment.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 127(7), 556–566.
Hansen, D., and Bari, R. (2002). “Uncertainty in water surface profile of buried stream flowing under coarse material.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 128(8), 761–773.
Legrand, J. (2002). “Revisited analysis of pressure drop in flow through crushed rocks.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 128(11), 1027–1031.
Li, B., and Garga, V. K. (1998). “Theoretical solution for seepage flow in overtopped rockfill.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 124(2), 213–217.
McCorquodale, J. A., Hannoura, A., and Nasser, M. S. (1978). “Hydraulic conductivity of rockfill.” J. Hydraul. Res., 16(2), 123–137.
Michioku, K., Maeno, S., Furusawa, T., and Haneda, M. (2005). “Discharge through a permeable mound weir.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 131(1), 1–10.
Packman, A. I., Salehin, M., and Zaramella, M. (2004). “Hyporheic exchange with gravel beds: Basic hydrodynamic interactions and bedform-induced adventive flows.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 130(7), 647–656.
Pagliara, S., and Chiavaccini, P. (2006). “Energy dissipation on block ramps.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 132(1), 41–48.
Peyras, L., Royet, P., and Degoutte, G. (1992). “Flow and energy dissipation over stepped Gabion weirs.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 118(5), 707–717.
Platzer, G. (1983). Die hydraulic der breiten Blocksteinrampe—Rampenneinung 1:10, Bundensanstalt, Wien, Austria, 81.
Prinos, P. (1995). “Bed suction effects on structure of turbulent open channel flow.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 121(5), 404–412.
Prinos, P., Sofialidis, D., and Keramaris, E. (2003). “Turbulent flow over and within a porous bed.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 129(9), 720–733.
Rice, C. E., Kadavy, K. C., and Robinson, K. M. (1998). “Roughness of loose rock riprap on steep slopes.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 124(2), 179–185.
Stephenson, D. (1979). Rockfill in hydraulic engineering, Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Stephenson, D. (1991). “Energy dissipation down stepped spillways.” Int. Water Power Dam Constr., 43(9), 27–30.
Trussell, R. R., and Chang, M. (1999). “Review of flow through porous media as applied to head loss in water filters.” J. Environ. Eng., 125(11), 998–1006.
Venkataraman, P., and Rama Mohan Rao, P. (1998). “Darcian, transitional, and turbulent flow through porous media.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 124(8), 840–846.
Ward, J. C. (1964). “Turbulent flows in porous media.” J. Hydr. Div., 90(5), 1–12.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 10, 2008
Accepted: Sep 4, 2008
Published online: May 15, 2009
Published in print: Jun 2009
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.