A dimensionless approach for determining the scouring performances of flushing waves in sewer channels

Abstract

In the management of sewer systems great attention has recently been addressed to the problems determined by the accumulation of sediments on the bottom of the channels. The hydraulic flushing devices have proved to be a cost-effective solution for the channel cleansing and therefore they have been adopted in several sewer networks. This paper reports the results of a numerical investigation on the scouring performances of flushing waves. For the investigation, a numerical model based on the De Saint Venant-Exner equations in dimensionless form has been adopted and validated using data derived from laboratory experiments. Then, simulations have been carried out considering different values of the dimensionless parameters involved in the analysis, in order to derive indications on the design, set-up and positioning of flushing devices in sewer channels