The dam-break problem for viscous fluids in the high-capillary-number limit

Experiments were undertaken to investigate dam-break flows where a finite volume of highly viscous fluid (glucose with viscosity μ ≈ 350 Pa s) maintained behind a lock gate was released into a horizontal or inclined flume. The resulting sequence of flow-depth profiles was tracked using a three-dimensional visualization system. In the low-Reynolds-number and high-capillary-number limits, analytical solutions can be obtained from the Navier-Stokes equations using lubrication theory and matched asymptotic expansions. At shallow slopes, similarity solutions can also be worked out. While the variation in the front position scaled with time as predicted by theory for both horizontal and sloping flumes, there was a systematic delay in the front position observed. Moreover, taking a closer look at the experimental flow-depth profiles shows that they were similar, but they noticeably deviated from the theoretical similarity form for horizontal planes. For sloping beds, the flow-depth profile is correctly predicted provided that different scalings are used at shallow and large slope

The dam-break problem for concentrated suspensions of neutrally buoyant particles

This paper addresses the dam-break problem for particle suspensions, that is, the flow of a finite volume of suspension released suddenly down an inclined flume. We were concerned with concentrated suspensions made up of neutrally buoyant non-colloidal particles within a Newtonian fluid. Experiments were conducted over wide ranges of slope, concentration and mass. The major contributions of our experimental study are the simultaneous measurement of local flow properties far from the sidewalls (velocity profile and, with lower accuracy, particle concentration) and macroscopic features (front position, flow depth profile). To that end, the refractive index of the fluid was adapted to closely match that of the particles, enabling data acquisition up to particle volume fractions of 60 %. Particle migration resulted in the blunting of the velocity profile, in contrast to the parabolic profile observed in homogeneous Newtonian fluids. The experimental results were compared with predictions from lubrication theory and particle migration theory. For solids fractions as large as 45 %, the flow behaviour did not differ much from that of a homogeneous Newtonian fluid. More specifically, we observed that the velocity profiles were closely approximated by a parabolic form and there was little evidence of particle migration throughout the depth. For particle concentrations in the 52-56 % range, the flow depth and front position were fairly well predicted by lubrication theory, but taking a closer look at the velocity profiles revealed that particle migration had noticeable effects on the shape of the velocity profile (blunting), but had little impact on its strength, which explained why lubrication theory performed well. Particle migration theories (such as the shear-induced diffusion model) successfully captured the slow evolution of the velocity profiles. For particle concentrations in excess of 56 %, the macroscopic flow features were grossly predicted by lubrication theory (to within 20 % for the flow depth, 50 % for the front position). The flows seemed to reach a steady state, i.e. the shape of the velocity profile showed little time dependenc

Draft tube discharge fluctuation during self-sustained pressure surge: fluorescent particle image velocimetry in two-phase flow

Hydraulic machines play an increasingly important role in providing a secondary energy reserve for the integration of renewable energy sources in the existing power grid. This requires a significant extension of their usual operating range, involving the presence of cavitating flow regimes in the draft tube. At overload conditions, the self-sustained oscillation of a large cavity at the runner outlet, called vortex rope, generates violent periodic pressure pulsations. In an effort to better understand the nature of this unstable behavior and its interaction with the surrounding hydraulic and mechanical system, the flow leaving the runner is investigated by means of particle image velocimetry. The measurements are performed in the draft tube cone of a reduced scale model of a Francis turbine. A cost-effective method for the in-house production of fluorescent seeding material is developed and described, based on off-the-shelf polyamide particles and Rhodamine B dye. Velocity profiles are obtained at three streamwise positions in the draft tube cone, and the corresponding discharge variation in presence of the vortex rope is calculated. The results suggest that 5-10% of the discharge in the draft tube cone is passing inside the vortex rop

COCO_TS Dataset: Pixel-level Annotations Based on Weak Supervision for Scene Text Segmentation

The absence of large scale datasets with pixel-level supervisions is a significant obstacle for the training of deep convolutional networks for scene text segmentation. For this reason, synthetic data generation is normally employed to enlarge the training dataset. Nonetheless, synthetic data cannot reproduce the complexity and variability of natural images. In this paper, a weakly supervised learning approach is used to reduce the shift between training on real and synthetic data. Pixel-level supervisions for a text detection dataset (i.e. where only bounding-box annotations are available) are generated. In particular, the COCO-Text-Segmentation (COCO_TS) dataset, which provides pixel-level supervisions for the COCO-Text dataset, is created and released. The generated annotations are used to train a deep convolutional neural network for semantic segmentation. Experiments show that the proposed dataset can be used instead of synthetic data, allowing us to use only a fraction of the training samples and significantly improving the performances

An Underlying Asymmetry within Particle-size Segregation

We experimentally study particle scale dynamics during segregation of a bidisperse mixture under oscillatory shear. Large and small particles show an underlying asymmetry that is dependent on the local particle concentration, with small particles segregating faster in regions of many large particles and large particles segregating slower in regions of many small particles. We quantify the asymmetry on bulk and particle scales, and capture it theoretically. This gives new physical insight into segregation and reveals a similarity with sedimentation, traffic flow and particle diffusion

The FOOT GROUND REACTION ON THE SOCCER AND RUGBY PLAYER

Introduction The body’s motion must be interpreted a succession of elementary movements that can be studied as the combination of translational and rotational motions. The correct expression of a motion is dependent on the balance between internal and external forces. The vector and scalar characteristics of the reaction are related to the physical and mechanical characteristics of two structures coming in contact Methods and Materials The analysis is performed during the normal strike and the running of the soccer and the rugby player. We have used a dynamometric platform Kistler that provided the complete progression of the foot ground reaction which deve1opes during the stage of placing of the fool on the ground.24 soccer p layers of Italian national team and 40 soccer players with high ability and performance and 50 rugby players are examined and the tests are correlated with a control reference group of normal subjects. Results The analysis of the soccer players’ foot-ground reaction on the sagittal plane has revealed: during the normal strike an impact phase characterized by high force both maximum and medium and high velocity of progression of application's point. A support phase characterized by velocity of progression of application point lower compared to the impact phase and by the backward inclination of vectors. A propulsive phase with a presence of a peak of force lower than the first one in the contact phase and with rotational moment significantly increased compared to the normal. The trace diagram show a wider extension of internal rotation during the contact phase and movement with a predominance of an external rotation during the support phase. The analysis of the rugby players' fool-ground reaction has revealed on the sagittal plane: during the normal strike an impact phase with high force both maximum and medium and high velocity of progression of application's point. In comparison of the soccer player’s ground reaction the data show values reduced of force during the impact phase. A support phase shows backward inclination of vectors and a reduced velocity of progression compared to the impact phase. A propulsive phase demonstrate a presence of a peak of force same that the first one during the contact phase. On the horizontal plane, the trace diagram shows a normal extension of internal rotation and a significantly extension of external rotation. Conclusions: The ground reaction pattern of the professional soccer player is repetitive, typical and different by the pattern of the vectorial diagram of the rugby player