THESIS 2013, June 10-12 Chatou France, T. Uchida & S. Fukuoka,

Numerical calculation for bed variation in compound-meanderingchannel using depth integrated model without assumption ofshallow water flow
Tatsuhiko Uchida
Associate Prof., Research and Development Initiative, Chuo University
Postal address:1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan 112-8551:
Tel. +81 (3) 3817 1617, Fax: +81 (3) 3817 1617,
e-mail : utida@tamacc.chuo-u.ac.jp

Shoji Fukuoka
Prof., Research and Development Initiative, Chuo University
Postal address:1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan 112-8551:
Tel. +81 (3) 3817 1625, Fax: +81 (3) 3817 1625,
e-mail : sfuku@tamacc.chuo-u.ac.jp

In a compound-meandering channel, patterns of flow structures and bed variations change withcomplex momentum exchanged between high velocity flow in a main channel and low velocity flows inflood plains due to the increase of the water depth. A method to calculate these hydraulic phenomenain the compound-meandering channel is required to clarify mechanisms of bed scouring and bankerosions during a flood event. We have developed a new depth integrated model without the shallow
water assumption such as the hydrostatic pressure distribution, the general Bottom Velocity
Computation (BVC) method, in which a set of depth integrated equations including depth integrated
momentum and vorticity equations are prepared for evaluating bottom velocity and vertical velocity
distributions. The objective of this paper is to develop a bed variation calculation method for both
single-meandering and compound-meandering channels by using the general BVC method coupledwith sediment transport model. This paper presents that the general BVC method can reproduce thepattern change of bed variation in a compound meandering channel flow with increasing relative
depth.

Key words
Compound meandering channel, bed variation, secondary flow, depth integrated model, shallow water
assumption, general bottom velocity computation method.

I

INTRODUCTION

In a compound-meandering channel, the changes in patterns of flow structures and bed
variations are induced by increasing water depth on flood plains. It has been considered as the resultsof the complex momentum exchange with 3D vortex motions between high velocity flow in a main
channel and low velocity flows in flood plains [2]. A calculation method to explain these phenomenain the compound-meandering channel is required to clarify mechanisms of bed scouring and bankerosions in rivers during flood events. Until now, researchers and engineers have improved depth
integrated models, especially for a helical flow in a curved or meandering channel. Most of previous
advanced depth integrated models have been employed the assumption of the hydrostatic pressure
distribution. However, Watanabe & Fukuoka [6] showed that the non-hydrostatic pressure distribution
along the bank of the main channel played an impotant role to calculate bed variation in a compoundmeandering channel. Although we have become to simulate complex turbulent flow and local scouring
around a pier by a recent advanced 3D turbulence model [3], applications of the 3D turbulence modelTHESIS 2013, June 10-12 Chatou France, T. Uchida & S. Fukuoka,

Depth-integrated continuity eq.: husx

∂h ∂U j h+=0∂t
∂x j

dpb

ubx

Uy

Ωyubzxδzb

uby

Vertical velocity distribution:
ui =Ui +∆ui (12η3 −12η2 +1) −δui (4η 3 − 3η 2 ),ΩxUx

 ∂t+∂U iU j h ∂hτ ij  ∂hdp0∂z  = − ρgh ∂zs − τ bi +−+ dpb b 
∂x j ∂xi∂x j  ∂xi∂xi DA turbulence energy transport eq.: k∂k∂k 1 ∂  vh ∂k 
 + Pk − ε+U j=∂t∂x j h ∂xi  σ k ∂xi Bottom velocity eq.： ubi
ubi = usi − ε ij 3Ω j h −∂Wh∂z∂z+ ws s − wb b
∂xi
∂xi
∂xi

DA horizontal vorticity eq.： Ωi∂hDωij∂Ω i h= Rσi + Pω i +∂t∂x j

General BVC methodW ∂U i hρ BVC method with SWAusy

2D modelDA horizontal momentum eq.: Ui

Horizontal momentum eq. on water surface： usi∂u si∂u ∂dp   ∂z s+ u sj si = −  g + + Psi ∂t∂x j
 ∂z  z= zs  ∂xi

Poisson eq. for time variation in DA vertical velocity: W∂ ∂φ (C∆t ) 2+ φ P −φ = 0∂x j ∂x j DA vertical momentum eq. for bottom pressure intensity: dpbydpbρ=∂hτ zj∂hW ∂hWU j∂z++ τ bj b −∂t
∂x j
∂x j
∂x j

DA: Depth Averaged, BVC: Bottom Velocity Computation, SWA: Shallow Water Assumption ∆ui =usi −Ui , δui =usi −ubiFig.1. Governing equations and unknown quantities of general BVC method
are still limited to small scale phenomena such as local scouring around structures in experimental
channels because of large computational time, many memories, and a lot of computational task. In fact,
3D numerical calculation to the bed variation analysis in a compound meandeing channel is stillchallenging [6][7] .
To dissolve the limitation of the previous depth integrated models, we have developed a new
depth integrated model (general Bottom Velocity Computation method) without the shallow water
assumption such as the hydrostatic pressure distribution, the Bottom Velocity Computation (BVC)
method, in which equations of 3D motions are computed with shallow water equations to evaluatebottom velocity and vertical velocity distributions [5]. The objective of this paper is to develop a bed
variation calculation method both for single-meandering and compound-meandering channels by using
the general BVC method coupled with sediment transport model.

IICALCULATION METHOD

For bed variation analysis, we have to evaluate bed tractive forces acting on sediment particles
by a hydrodynamic model. The general BVC method makes it possible to calculate the bottom
velocity acting on bed surface by the bottom velocity equation. The equation is derived by depthintegrating horizontal vorticity:δui = usi − ubi = ε ij 3Ω j h +∂Wh∂z∂z− ws s + wb b
∂xi
∂xi
∂xi

(1)

Where, ubi: bottom velocity, usi: water surface velocity, Ωj: depth averaged (DA) horizontal vorticity,
h: water depth, W: DA vertical velocity, zs: water level, zb: bed level, ws, wb: vertical velocity on water
surface and bottom. The bottom shear stress acting on the bed τ bi is evaluated with equivalentroughness ks, assuming the equilibrium velocity condition in the bottom layer δzb.

τ bi = (cb ) 2 ui ub ,11  δz + ak s = Ar + ln bcbκ  ks

(2)

Where, h/δzb =e3−1, a :parameter for origin height of the log-low. On the other hand, the bottompressure intensity is given by Eq.(3), depth-integrating the vertical momentum equation.

dpb

ρ=∂hW ∂hWU j∂z ∂hτ zj++ τ bj b −∂t
∂x j
∂x j
∂x j

(3)

Where, dp: pressure deviation from hydrostatic pressure distribution (p=ρg(zs−z)+dp), dpb: dp onbottom, τbj: bed shear stress, τij: shear stress tensor due to molecular and turbulence motions andvertical velocity distribution. To calculate Eqs. (1) and (3), the governing equations for the unknown
quantities are solved in the general BVC method as shown in Fig.1. Refer to the literatures [5] fordetails of the equations and the numerical computation method for the general BVC method.
The time variation in bed level is calculated by the 2D continuity equation for sedimenttransport of the Exner’s form.

THESIS 2013, June 10-12 Chatou France, T. Uchida & S. Fukuoka,

Roughened flood plain
Relative depth Dr=hf/hm

Main channel withmovable bed materialhf
Slope: 1/600

Dr=0.49 ,hm=0.106m

hm
Dr=0.00,hm=0.055mFlood plain(m)Flood plain

Main channel

Fig.2. Compound meandering channel and calculation conditions(1 − λB )∂zb ∂qBi+=0
∂t
∂xi

(4)

Where, λB: sediment porosity, qBi: bedload sediment transport rate. The sediment transport rate is
calculated by the momentum equation for sediment motion to take into account non-equilibrium
motions of sediment particles [4] :∂q Bi ∂u Bj qBi+= (Pu BPi − Du BDi ) + m*hB (γ ei − γ i )∂t∂x j(5)

Where, uBi: sediment particle velocity of bedload, PuBPi: gain momentum from bed material, DuBDi:
loss momentum by particle deposition, m∗=µksgcosθ /(s+1+CM), CM: coefficient of added mass, µk:
dynamic friction coefficient of sediment, s: specific gravity of sediment in water, θ : maximum bed
gradient, hB=qB/uB, qB=qBiqBi, uB=uBiuBi, γi, γei: i component of unit vector of sediment movement andits equilibrium value. The first term in right side for momentum exchange between bed load and bedmaterials is described as:Pu BPi − Du BDi = q Be u Bei / Le − qB u Bi / L(6)Where, qBe: equilibrium sediment transport rate of bed load, L: average spatial lag, Le: L for
equilibrium condition, qBe, uB, uBe, hB are given by reference to Ashida & Michiue formula [1]. The
gravity effects on bed tractive force and the critical shear stress of sediment particle on bed slope aretaken into account. Where the local bed slope exceeds the angle of repose, the cross-section changes inshape due to sliding. Refer to the literatures [4] for details of bed variation analysis.

IIIAPPLICATION OF THE GENERAL BVC METHOD TO BED VARIATION IN
A COMPOUND MEANDERING CHANNELIn this section, we apply the general BVC method coupled with a non-equilibrium sedimenttransport model to bed-variation analysis in a compound meandering channel. Fig.2 shows acompound meandering channel and calculation conditions. Fukuoka et al. [2] investigated the bedvariations in meandering compound channel flows with different relative depths Dr. The present
method is applied to their experimental results. The channel has a meandering main channel with two
wavelengths of the sine-generated curve and wide straight flood plains.
Fig.3 shows comparisons of bed variations between measured and computed results in theflows of Dr=0.0 and Dr=0.49. For a simple meandering channel (Dr=0.0), we can see large scours
along the outer bank and large point bars along the inner bank. However, the increment in the relative
depth of a compound meandering channel causes inner bank scours instead of the outer bank scour,decreasing the area of point bars. The reason of the above hydraulic phenomena is because the helicalflow structure in a compound meandering channel is different from that in a simple meanderingchannel due to 3D flow interactions between a main-channel and flood plains [2]. The present
calculation results give a better agreement with experimental results rather than full-3D calculation
results with the periodic boundary condition [6]. This proves that the actual boundary conditions
should be given for the bed variation analysis, because the periodic boundary condition would give an

THESIS 2013, June 10-12 Chatou France, T. Uchida & S. Fukuoka,

Bed variation (m):-0.1 -0.08 -0.06 -0.04 -0.02-2-2-1-1

00100.02 0.04

1

Dr=0.00 (bankfull)

Dr=0.00(bankfull)
22420-2-4

4-2-2-1-100

120-2-420-2-41

Dr=0.49

Dr=0.49

2

2
420-2

Measured [2]-4

4Calculated

Fig.3 Bed variations in a compound meandering channel for two different types of flow

unrealistic assumption for the analysis. Therefore it would be safe to say that the general BVC method
can reproduce bed variations in compound meandering channel flows with increasing relative depth.

IVCONCLUSIONSThis paper developed a bed variation analysis method in a compound meandering channel byusing the general BVC method based on the depth integrated model. The calculated result showedlarge scours along the outer bank for the bankfull flow condition (Dr=0.00) and inner bank scours forthe overbank flow condition (Dr=0.49). The results show that general BVC method is able to calculate
the pattern change in the secondary flow structure and bottom velocity distribution by increasing thewater depth of the overbank flow.

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Ashida, K. and Michiue, M.(1972). –Study on hydraulic resistance and bed-load transport
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Fukuoka, S., Omata, A., Kamura, D., Hirao, S. and Okada, S. (1999). – Hydrauliccharacteristics of the flow and bed topography in a compound meandering river, Journal ofHydraulic, Coastal and Environmental Engineering, JSCE, 621/II-47, 11-22.
Khosronejad, A., Kang, S. and Sotiropoulos F. (2012). –Experimental and computational
investigation of local scour around bridge piers, Advances in Water Resources, 37, 73–85.
Uchida, T. and Fukuoka, S. (2011). – A bottom velocity computation method for estimating
bed variation in a channel with submerged groins, Journal of JSCE, Ser. B1 (HydraulicEngineering), 67(1), 16-29.
Uchida, T. and Fukuoka, S. (2012). – Bottom velocity computation method based on depth
integrated model without shallow water assumption, 3rd International Symposium on Shallow
Flows (ISSF), Iowa city, USA, CD-ROM.
Watanabe, A. and Fukuoka, S. (1999). – Three dimensional analysis on flows and bed
topography in a compound meandering channel, Annual Journal of Hydraulic Engineering,
JSCE, 43, 665-670.
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