Design of unstructured block ramps: A state-of-the-art Review

River hydrodynamicsInteraction with structure

Wood Retention at Inclined Bar Screens: Effect of Wood Characteristics on Backwater Rise and Bedload Transport

In forested mountain catchment areas, both bedload and large wood (LW) can be transported during ordinary flows. Retention structures such as sediment traps or racks are built to mitigate potential hazards downstream. Up to now, the design of these retention structures focuses on either LW or bedload. In addition, the majority of LW retention racks tend to retain both LW and bedload, while bedload transport continuity during ordinary flows is an important aspect to be considered in the design. Therefore, a series of flume experiments was conducted to study the effect of LW accumulations at an inclined bar screen with a bottom clearance on backwater rise and bedload transport. The main focus was put on testing different LW characteristics such as LW size, density, fine material, and shape (branches and rootwads), as well as a sequenced flood. The results demonstrated that a few logs (wood volume of ≈ 7 m3 prototype scale with a model scale factor of 30) are sufficient to reduce the bedload transport capacity to below 75% compared to the condition without LW. Fine material and smaller wood sizes further reduced bedload transport and increased backwater rise. In contrast, LW density and LW shape had a negligible effect. The test focusing on a sequenced flood highlighted the need for maintenance measures to avoid self-flushing of the bed material. The results of this study further indicate that an inclined bar screen may need to be adapted by considering LW characteristics in the design of the bottom clearance to enable bedload continuity during ordinary flows

Hochwasserschutz Sihl, Zürichsee, Limmat - Einlaufbauwerk Entlastungsstollen Thalwil

Aufsatz veröffentlicht in: "Wasserbau-Symposium 2021: Wasserbau in Zeiten von Energiewende, Gewässerschutz und Klimawandel, Zurich, Switzerland, September 15-17, 2021, Band 2" veröffentlicht unter: https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-00049975

Influence of dead-water zones on the dispersive mass-transport in rivers

The dispersive mass transport in rivers has been investigated to improve the predictability of transport scenarios in case of accidental pollutant spills. In particular, the influence of dead-water zones, as they are given by groin fields, on the transport characteristics in the main stream has been analyzed. A literature review of detailed map material from the rivers Rhine, Waal and Elbe has been performed, in order to plan representative laboratory experiments. Typical aspect ratios of the groin fields as well as typical inclination angles have been summarized. Based on these results, experiments have been performed in a laboratory flume equipped with schematized groins. Within theses experiments the aspect ratio, the inclination angles as well as the groin field volume has been varied. Due to the fact that the flow is very shallow and, therefore, quasi two-dimensional, the flow velocities have been determined at the water surface, using a Surface Particle-Image-Velocimetry-System that has been developed for that purpose. Additional measurements, using a two-dimensional Laser-Doppler-Velocimeter, have been performed for resolving the velocity distribution over the water depth. With the help of these measurements it was possible to determine the typical recirculating flows in the groin fields as well as the coherent, horizontal eddies in the mixing layer between dead-water zone and main stream, that are governing the mass exchange. The high spatial and temporal resolution of the surface PIV measurements made it possible to estimate also the mass exchange between groin field and main stream. With the help of Planar-Concentration-Analysis, which is a method for determining depth-averaged planar concentration fields, it could be shown that the mass exchange between groin field and main stream increases with increasing length of the groin field. For these measurements a tracer injection device has been developed, that consists of a movable multi-port injection-box and vacuum-pressure-unit, which is able to produce instantaneously, homogeneous and reproducible concentration fields. Finally a Lagrangian-Particle-Tracking-Method was developed to transfer the results, obtained locally at single groin fields, into the overall transport characteristics in the far-field of pollutant spill scenario for a river system consisting of a series of groin fields. Through the implementation of a transient-adhesion-boundary, it was possible to parameterize the influence of groin fields on the longitudinal dispersion, the transport velocity and the skewness of the concentration distribution in the case of a pollutant spill

Influence of dead-water zones on the dispersive mass-transport in rivers

The dispersive mass transport in rivers has been investigated to improve the predictability of transport scenarios in case of accidental pollutant spills. In particular, the influence of dead-water zones, as they are given by groin fields, on the transport characteristics in the main stream has been analyzed. A literature review of detailed map material from the rivers Rhine, Waal and Elbe has been performed, in order to plan representative laboratory experiments. Typical aspect ratios of the groin fields as well as typical inclination angles have been summarized. Based on these results, experiments have been performed in a laboratory flume equipped with schematized groins. Within theses experiments the aspect ratio, the inclination angles as well as the groin field volume has been varied. Due to the fact that the flow is very shallow and, therefore, quasi two-dimensional, the flow velocities have been determined at the water surface, using a Surface Particle-Image-Velocimetry-System that has been developed for that purpose. Additional measurements, using a two-dimensional Laser-Doppler-Velocimeter, have been performed for resolving the velocity distribution over the water depth. With the help of these measurements it was possible to determine the typical recirculating flows in the groin fields as well as the coherent, horizontal eddies in the mixing layer between dead-water zone and main stream, that are governing the mass exchange. The high spatial and temporal resolution of the surface PIV measurements made it possible to estimate also the mass exchange between groin field and main stream. With the help of Planar-Concentration-Analysis, which is a method for determining depth-averaged planar concentration fields, it could be shown that the mass exchange between groin field and main stream increases with increasing length of the groin field. For these measurements a tracer injection device has been developed, that consists of a movable multi-port injection-box and vacuum-pressure-unit, which is able to produce instantaneously, homogeneous and reproducible concentration fields. Finally a Lagrangian-Particle-Tracking-Method was developed to transfer the results, obtained locally at single groin fields, into the overall transport characteristics in the far-field of pollutant spill scenario for a river system consisting of a series of groin fields. Through the implementation of a transient-adhesion-boundary, it was possible to parameterize the influence of groin fields on the longitudinal dispersion, the transport velocity and the skewness of the concentration distribution in the case of a pollutant spill

Impact of Large Wood on River Ecosystems

ISSN:2073-444

Estimation of flow discharge by an airborne velocimetry system

A low-cost airborne velocimetry system has been developed and tested, consisting of an action cam, a quadrocopter, ground reference points, and seeding material. The obtained video frames were ortho-rectified and geo- referenced by computer vision techniques, with the by-product that each image got scaled as well. Flow velocity vector fields were determined using a particle image velocimetry algorithm covering a total reach length of 310 m. The data generally confirm depth-averaged velocity profiles obtained by a 3D acoustic Doppler current profiler. Flow discharges are estimated from that. For areas with homogeneous flow conditions we conclude that a correction factor of 0.85-0.9 should be applied to reduce surface velocities to depth-averaged velocities

Wood blockage and sediment transport at inclined bar screens

Semi-permeable sediment traps are designed to retain sediment during large floods and enable sediment transport continuity during ordinary floods by combining two barriers with a guiding channel. During floods, not only sediment but also large wood (LW) can be transported, that may block the inclined bar screen (mechanical barrier) and inhibit sediment transport. The design of the inclined bar screen has not been tested with LW. We conducted a first set of simplified flume experiments to study the effect of (1) initial conditions, (2) bar screen design, and (3) LW volume on sediment transport. First results demonstrate that a LW volume blocking 20% of the flow cross-section is sufficient to reduce sediment transport by 50%. Hence, LW volume is a relevant parameter for the design of inclined bar screens. We provide future research ideas to enable the local separation of LW and sediment.ISSN:0022-1686ISSN:1814-207