Laboratory measurement and numerical simulation of flow and turbulence in a meandering-like flume with spurs

The paper reported herein presents the laboratory measurement of near-bed flow and turbulence induced by non-submerged spurs protruding from the bank of a meandering-like laboratory flume with smooth rigid bed. The flow property was measured using a 3D acoustic doppler velocimeter for various combinations and locations of spurs in order to assess their effect on mean flow field. Likewise, turbulent characteristics were computed from the measured data for one of the experimental cases. Furthermore, a 2D numerical model was developed for the simulation of mean flow property, turbulent intensities as well as vorticity field using cubic-interpolated pseudoparticle (CIP) numerical technique. The simulated down-stream and cross-stream mean flow property as well as turbulent intensities in shear layer was found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The numerical simulation of vortices, generated from the tip of the spur, was seen to be reliable. In addition, the migration of small vortices was visualized in the experimental flume using a simple technique.