Structure de l’écoulement tridimensionnel, turbulence et contrainte de cisaillement dans une boucle de méandre

Plusieurs facteurs contribuent à l’instabilité des berges dans les méandres, mais le rôle joué par la dynamique de l’écoulement complexe au sein de ces sites n’est pas clairement élucidé. L’objectif de cette recherche est d’examiner la dynamique de l’écoulement tridimensionnel (3D) d’une boucle de méandre en vue de déterminer les liens entre la structure de l’écoulement moyen et turbulent, la contrainte de cisaillement et l’érosion des berges. Des données de vitesse 3D ont été recueillies dans une boucle de méandre avec un vélocimètre acoustique Doppler (ADV) et un profileur acoustique Doppler conçu pour les rivières peu profondes (PC-ADP). Une comparaison entre ces deux appareils a révélé que le PC-ADP donne de bons estimés de vitesse moyenne dans un écoulement relativement simple (au centre du chenal), mais le problème de moyennage spatial le rend moins efficace dans un plan de mélange où l’écoulement est plus complexe. L’ADV est aussi supérieur au PC-ADP pour les estimés de contrainte de cisaillement et l’étude de la turbulence à petite échelle, mais ce dernier révèle mieux les patrons à grande échelle. Deux cellules d’écoulement secondaire dans le méandre ressortent nettement avec les mesures simultanées du PC-ADP. Les maxima de contrainte de cisaillement mesurée avec l’ADV par la méthode d’énergie turbulente cinétique sont situés à l’entrée du méandre lorsque le niveau est plus bas, et à la sortie du méandre lorsque le niveau augmente. Ces deux zones correspondent à des observations de décrochement de berge au site d’étude.Many factors contribute to bank instability in meanders, but the exact role played by the complex flow dynamics is not very well understood. The objective of this research is to examine the three-dimensional (3D) flow dynamics in a meander loop to determine the links between the mean and turbulent flow structure, and bank erosion. 3D velocity data were collected in a meander loop with an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) and a pulse-coherent acoustic Doppler profiler (PC-ADP). A comparison between these two devices revealed that the PC-ADP provides accurate estimates of mean velocity in a relatively simple flow (in the centre of the channel), but that it is less efficient in a complex flow field with a mixing zone due to spatial averaging problems. The ADV is also better than the PC-ADP for bed shear stress estimates and for small-scale turbulence studies, but the latter reveals large-scale structures efficiently. Two secondary cells in the meander loop are clearly seen from the simultaneous PC-ADP measurements. The maximum values of bed shear stress measured with the ADV with the turbulent kinetic energy method are located at the meander entrance when flow stage is low, and at the meander exit when flow stage increases. These two zones correspond to observations of bank failure events at the field site

Temporal Development of Scour Holes around Submerged Stream Deflectors

Although the deflector structures used in many fish habitat rehabilitation schemes are frequently overtopped, few studies have examined the scour patterns created around submerged models. Furthermore, laboratory studies typically test smooth-surfaced structures, when those installed in natural rivers are generally made of logs or boulders. This study uses rough-surfaced, paired deflectors to investigate the temporal evolution of scour for three overtopping ratios in identical approach flow conditions in a flume. Results show that when maintaining identical discharge, raising deflector height and thus reducing the overtopping ratio (flow depth / structure height), an increased depth and volume of scour is generated next to the structures. The location of maximum depth and the rate of scouring with time is similar for the two highest deflectors (overtopping ratios of 1.22 and 1.83), but different for the lowest deflector model (overtopping ratio of 3.67). In order to improve the success rate of river restoration projects using in-stream structures, the overtopping ratio should be used in equations that predict scour depth evolution with time

Characteristics of Flow around Open Channel 90° Bends with Vanes

Sharp open channel bends are commonly encountered in hydraulic engineering design. Disturbances such as secondary flows and flow separation caused by the bend may persist for considerable distances in the downstream channel. A simple way of reducing these disturbances is through the insertion of vertical vanes in the bend section. A Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA) unit was used to measure the three-dimensional mean and turbulent velocity components of flow in an experimental rectangular open channel bend. Flow characteristics of the bend with no vane are compared with those of bends having 1 or 3 vertical vanes. The size of the flow separation zone at the inner wall of the bend was determined from dye visualization data and confirmed using the mean streamwise velocity data. Results show that the vertical vanes are effective in considerably reducing flow separation, intensity of secondary flows and turbulence energy in the downstream channel. Furthermore, energy loss for bends with vanes is slightly less than for the no-vane case

Simulating bank erosion over an extended natural sinuous river reach using a universal slope stability algorithm coupled with a morphodynamic model

Meandering river channels are often associated with cohesive banks. Yet only a few river modelling packages include geotechnical and plant effects. Existing packages are solely compatible with single-threaded channels, require a specific mesh structure, derive lateral migration rates from hydraulic properties, determine stability based on friction angle, rely on nonphysical assumptions to describe cutoffs, or exclude floodplain processes and vegetation. In this paper, we evaluate the accuracy of a new geotechnical module that was developed and coupled with Telemac-Mascaret to address these limitations. Innovatively, the newly developed module relies on a fully configurable, universal genetic algorithm with tournament selection that permits it (1) to assess geotechnical stability along potentially unstable slope profiles intersecting liquid-solid boundaries, and (2) to predict the shape and extent of slump blocks while considering mechanical plant effects, bank hydrology, and the hydrostatic pressure caused by flow. The profiles of unstable banks are altered while ensuring mass conservation. Importantly, the new stability module is independent of mesh structure and can operate efficiently along multithreaded channels, cutoffs, and islands. Data collected along a 1.5-km-long reach of the semialluvial Medway Creek, Canada, over a period of 3.5 years are used to evaluate the capacity of the coupled model to accurately predict bank retreat in meandering river channels and to evaluate the extent to which the new model can be applied to a natural river reach located in a complex environment. Our results indicate that key geotechnical parameters can indeed be adjusted to fit observations, even with a minimal calibration effort, and that the model correctly identifies the location of the most severely eroded bank regions. The combined use of genetic and spatial analysis algorithms, in particular for the evaluation of geotechnical stability independently of the hydrodynamic mesh, permits the consideration of biophysical conditions for an extended river reach with complex bank geometries, with only a minor increase in run time. Further improvements with respect to plant representation could assist scientists in better understanding channel-floodplain interactions and in evaluating channel designs in river management projects

Role of upstream planform curvature at asymmetrical river confluences–laboratory experiment revisited

River confluence hydrodynamics is influenced by different controls such as the junction angle, bed elevation discordance between incoming streams, upstream planform curvature, momentum ratio values of the confluent streams, as well as by the sediment composition of the river bed. Previous studies were mostly concerned with the analysis of individual or combined effects of the junction angle, bed elevation discordance and momentum ratio values. The role of upstream planform curvature was indeed recognised, but there were no attempts to investigate it either separately, or in combination with other examined controls. This paper addresses an issue of upstream planform curvature effect on the confluence hydrodynamics by means of a three-dimensional numerical model. Existing laboratory measurements in a single-flume confluence model are used for model validation. Both an individual and combined effect with the bed elevation discordance are analysed for a single momentum-ratio value. Results are discussed in terms of downstream (u) and vertical (w) velocity distributions at the confluence and in the post-confluence channel, and variations of flow and deviation angles along the junction-line at different elevations above the tributary bed

Mixing processes at an ice-covered river confluence

River confluences are characterized by a complex mixing zone with three-dimensional turbulent structures, which can be affected by the presence of an ice cover during the winter. The objective of this study is to characterize the flow structure in the mixing zone at a medium-size (~ 40 m) river confluence with and without an ice cover. Detailed velocity profiles were collected under the ice along the mixing plane with an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter. For the ice-free conditions, drone imagery was used to characterize the mixing layer structures for various flow stages. Results indicate that during the ice-free conditions, very large Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) coherent structures are visible due to turbidity differences, and occupy up to 50% of the width of the parent channel. During winter, the ice cover affects velocity profiles by moving the highest velocities towards the center of the profiles. Large turbulent structures are visible in both the streamwise and lateral velocity components. The strong correlation between these velocity components indicates that KH vortices are the dominating coherent structures in the mixing zone. A spatio-temporal conceptual model is presented to illustrate the main differences on the three-dimensional flow structure at the river confluence with and without the ice cover

Flood hazard mapping techniques with LiDAR in the absence of river bathymetry data

In many areas of the world, flood risk assessment is either out of date or completely lacking. In Quebec (Canada), one of the challenges to map flood risk is the very large territory combined with very few datasets on river bathymetry, which are required to run hydraulic models. The objective of this study is to assess the precision and accuracy of 2D flood hydraulic modelling exclusively based on LiDAR elevation data which do not include information on in-channel river bathymetry. Hydraulic simulations (HEC-RAS 5.0) are carried out, for discharges of 20-, 100- and 500-year recurrence intervals, using two techniques that do not require bathymetry data, either subtracting discharge of the LiDAR survey from the flood discharge or estimating flow depth from the water surface slope. These techniques are compared to a traditional approach using bed topography obtained from detailed field surveys, on two long reaches (several kilometers). Sensitivity tests were conducted to assess the impacts of the main sources of error on simulated flood levels. Results show that both techniques can be applied with limited introduction of error in the modelled flood stages, and that errors are greatly reduced if calibration data are available

Mixing processes at an ice-covered river confluence

River confluences are characterized by a complex mixing zone with three-dimensional turbulent structures, which can be affected by the presence of an ice cover during the winter. The objective of this study is to characterize the flow structure in the mixing zone at a medium-size (~ 40 m) river confluence with and without an ice cover. Detailed velocity profiles were collected under the ice along the mixing plane with an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter. For the ice-free conditions, drone imagery was used to characterize the mixing layer structures for various flow stages. Results indicate that during the ice-free conditions, very large Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) coherent structures are visible due to turbidity differences, and occupy up to 50% of the width of the parent channel. During winter, the ice cover affects velocity profiles by moving the highest velocities towards the center of the profiles. Large turbulent structures are visible in both the streamwise and lateral velocity components. The strong correlation between these velocity components indicates that KH vortices are the dominating coherent structures in the mixing zone. A spatio-temporal conceptual model is presented to illustrate the main differences on the three-dimensional flow structure at the river confluence with and without the ice cover