Advanced Characterization of Hydraulic Structures for Flow Regime Control: Experimental Developement

A good understanding of flow in a number of hydraulic structures, such as energy dissipators, among others, is needed to effectively control upstream and downstream flow conditions, for instance, high water depth and velocity to ensure, scouring, flow stability and control scouring, which is thus crucial to ensuring safe acceptable operation. Although some previous research exists on minimizing scouring and flow fluctuations after hydraulic structures, none of this research can fully resolve all issues of concern. In this research, three types of structures were studied, as follows: a) a vertical gate; b) a vertical gate with an expansion; and c) a vertical gate with a contraction. A Stability Concept was introduced and defined to characterize the conditions downstream of gated structures. When established criteria for stability are met, erosion is prevented. This research then investigated and evaluated two methods to classify the flow downstream of a gated vii structure to easily determine stability. The two classification methods are: the Flow Stability Factor and the Flow Stability Number. The Flow Stability Factor, which is developed based on the Fuzzy Concept, is defined in the range of 0 to 1; the maximum value is one and indicates that the flow is completely stable; and the minimum value is zero and indicates that the flow is completely unstable. The Flow Stability Number is defined as the ratio of total energy at two channel sections with a maximum value of one, and it allows flow conditions to be classified for various hydraulic structures; the number is dimensionless and quantitatively defines the flow stability downstream of a hydraulic structure under critical and subcritical flow conditions herein studied, also allowing for an estimate of the downstream stable condition for operation of a hydraulic structure. This research also implemented an Artificial Neural Network to determine the optimal gate opening that ensures a downstream stable condition. A post-processing method (regression-based) was also introduced to reduce the differences in the amount of the gate openings between experimental results and artificial intelligence estimates. The results indicate that the differences were reduced approximately 2% when the post-processing method was implemented on the Artificial Neural Network estimates. This method provides reasonable results when few data values are available and the Artificial Neural Network cannot be well trained. Experiments were conducted in two laboratories, for two different scales, to investigate any possible scale effect. Results indicate, for instance, that the case of the vertical gate with an expansion performs better in producing a downstream stable condition than the other two studied structures. Moreover, it was found that smaller changes caused by expansions and contractions on the channel width show better performance in ensuring a viii downstream stable condition in the cases of a vertical gate with an expansion and a vertical gate with a contraction over a wide range of structures. Moreover, upstream flow depths in the gate with expansion are higher than in the cases of a gate and a gate with a contraction, suggesting that it may be more appropriate for agriculture applications. This research also applied Game Theory and the Nash Equilibrium Concept in selecting the best choice among various structures, under different flow expectations. In addition, the accuracy of the Flow Stability Factor and the Flow Stability number were compared. This showed that the Flow Stability Factor and the Flow Stability number had good agreement in stable conditions. Hence, the Flow Stability Factor can then be used instead of the Flow Stability number to define stable conditions, as a visual method that does not need any measurement. Importantly, a Fuzzy-based Efficiency Index, a method based on an image processing technique, was also innovatively tested to estimate the hydraulic efficiency of the hydraulic structures. The method was tested and validated using laboratory data with an average agreement of 96.45%, and then demonstrated for prototype case situations in Florida and California. These cases yielded overall efficiencies of 96% and 97.87% in Spillway Park, FL and Oroville Dam, CA, respectively. Statistical assessment was also done on the image, determining an Efficiency Index. Specifically, an image histogram was extracted from the grayscale image, then the mean and standard deviation of the histogram was used to calculate the Index. The method uses the darkness and whiteness of the image to estimate the Efficiency Index; it is easy to use, quick, low cost, and trustworthy

Flow Simulation and Energy Loss Estimation in the Nappe Flow Regime of Stepped Spillways with Inclined Steps and End Sill: A Numerical Approach

Recently, the usage of stepped spillways, as energy dissipaters, has increased and led to a reduction in the size of the stilling basin. Extensive experimental considerations, plus the high cost and extended time required for laboratory methods, are among the major issues that require precise attention to determine optimal step design. This research deals with comparing the 2-D numerical simulation and experimental description in stepped spillways equipped with inclined steps and end sill together and presents a brisk, reliable, low-cost, and non-experimental approach to designing the steps. In this new type and complicated geometry, simulation is more complicated than horizontal steps, because it needs more accuracy around the end sills. The VOF Method and the k-ε standard turbulence model are proposed to simulate the flow pattern and evaluate the energy loss over stepped spillway. Energy dissipations obtained through the numerical approach have been compared with laboratory measurements and demonstrate reasonable agreement. Also, the flow pattern, velocity vectors and flow direction resulted from numerical simulation is in a good agreement with the experimental results

The effect of geometry parameters and flow characteristics on erosion and sedimentation in channels junction using finite volume method

One of the most critical problems in the river engineering field is scouring, sedimentation and morphology of a river bed. In this paper, a finite volume method FORTRAN code is provided and used. The code is able to model the sedimentation. The flow and sediment were modeled at the interception of the two channels. It is applied an experimental model to evaluate the results. Regarding the numerical model, the effects of geometry parameters such as proportion of secondary channel to main channel width and intersection angle and also hydraulic conditionals like secondary to main channel discharge ratio and inlet flow Froude number were studied on bed topographical and flow pattern. The numerical results show that the maximum height of bed increased to 32 percent as the discharge ratio reaches to 51 percent, on average. It is observed that the maximum height of sedimentation decreases by declining in main channel to secondary channel Froude number ratio. On the assessment of the channel width, velocity and final bed height variations have changed by given trend, in all the ratios. Also, increasing in the intersection angle accompanied by decreasing in flow velocity variations along the channel. The pattern of velocity and topographical bed variations are also constant in any studied angles

Nappe flow regime energy loss in stepped chutes equipped with reverse inclined steps: experimental development

With advances in technology and the invention of the Roller-Compacted Concrete (R.C.C) technique, stepped spillway construction has become much faster than in the past. Due to this, designers have become more interested in using this kind of chute as one of the best energy dissipaters. Along with the increasing use of stepped spillways, researchers have focused on increasing the efficiency of this hydraulic structure. They have proposed different methods to achieve this. Step geometry optimization, regarding flow regime type, is one of these efforts. In this experimental research, reverse inclined steps have been applied for three degrees (7o, 10 o, and 12o) to investigate their effect on the energy dissipation rate in the Nappe Flow Regime of stepped spillways. Energy loss rates obtained from the reverse inclined steps have been compared with the energy loss rate in a horizontal step. Results indicate a slight increase in the energy loss rate when the reverse inclined steps have been applied in the Nappe Flow Regime of stepped spillways

Nappe flow regime energy loss in stepped chutes equipped with reverse inclined steps: experimental development

With advances in technology and the invention of the Roller-Compacted Concrete (R.C.C) technique, stepped spillway construction has become much faster than in the past. Due to this, designers have become more interested in using this kind of chute as one of the best energy dissipaters. Along with the increasing use of stepped spillways, researchers have focused on increasing the efficiency of this hydraulic structure. They have proposed different methods to achieve this. Step geometry optimization, regarding flow regime type, is one of these efforts. In this experimental research, reverse inclined steps have been applied for three degrees (7o, 10 o, and 12o) to investigate their effect on the energy dissipation rate in the Nappe Flow Regime of stepped spillways. Energy loss rates obtained from the reverse inclined steps have been compared with the energy loss rate in a horizontal step. Results indicate a slight increase in the energy loss rate when the reverse inclined steps have been applied in the Nappe Flow Regime of stepped spillways

Energy Loss Estimation and Flow Simulation in the skimming flow Regime of Stepped Spillways with Inclined Steps and End Sill: A Numerical Model.

Abstract: Energy dissipaters in dams consider as expensive structures; therefore, economic design of these structure are desirable. Stepped spillways can be use as energy dissipater to reduce the size and cost of the stilling basin. Hard experimental works, high-cost and time-consuming laboratory methods brought about some difficulties to determine the most-efficient design of the steps. This research deals with comparing the two-dimensional numerical simulation and experimental description in stepped spillways equipped with inclined steps and end sill together and presents a quick, trustworthy, economical, and numerical approach to designing the steps. In complicated geometries, simulation is more problematic than simulation of flow in horizontal steps, because it needs more precision around the end sills. Finite volume method and the k-ε standard model are proposed to simulate the flow pattern and evaluate the energy loss over stepped spillway. The flow pattern and velocity vectors resulted from numerical simulation is in a good agreement with the experimental results. Also, energy losses resulted from the numerical approach have been compared with laboratory measurements and demonstrate reasonable agreement

Asphalt Mixture Segregation Detection: Digital Image Processing Approach

Segregation determination in the asphalt pavement is an issue causing many disputes between agencies and contractors. The visual inspection method has commonly been used to determine pavement texture and in-place core density test used for verification. Furthermore, laser-based devices, such as the Florida Texture Meter (FTM) and the Circular Track Meter (CTM), have recently been developed to evaluate the asphalt mixture texture. In this study, an innovative digital image processing approach is used to determine pavement segregation. In this procedure, the standard deviation of the grayscale image frequency histogram is used to determine segregated regions. Linear Discriminate Analysis (LDA) is then implemented on the obtained standard deviations from image processing to classify pavements into the segregated and nonsegregated areas. The visual inspection method is utilized to verify this method. The results have demonstrated that this new method is a robust tool to determine segregated areas in newly paved FC9.5 pavement types