Block Ramp Design for Efficient Energy Dissipation

Block ramp structure can be a part of a layout of microhydel scheme, depending upon the conditions of topography and geology at the site. Block ramps transmit the flow of stream to a lower level inducing kinetic energy dissipation. Block ramps consists of base material in the form of stones inducing roughness whereas stepped chutes are overflowing structures which consists of step configuration at the bottom of the flowing stream. As there is a common objective of energy dissipation of flow, the geometrical elements of block ramps and stepped chutes are considered to be comparable under similar hydraulic conditions of skimming flow. This paper analyzes the experimental results on both these structures. A mathematical model in dimensionless form is proposed herein, which correlates the representative bed material size of block ramp with the step height of stepped chute. This correlation is expected to facilitate the design of block ramps using the literature available on stepped chutes.     

Mean Flow and Turbulence Structure in Vertical Slot Fishways

This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the mean and turbulence structures of flow in a vertical slot fishway with slopes of 5.06 and 10.52%. Two flow patterns existed in the fishway and for each one, two flow regions were formed in the pools: a jet flow region and a recirculating flow region. The mean kinetic energy decays rapidly in the jet region and the dissipation rate in most of the areas in the pool is less than 200?W/m3. For the jet flow, the nondimensional mean velocity profile across the jet agrees very well with that of a plane turbulent jet in the central part of the jet with some scatter near its boundaries. Its maximum velocity decays faster compared to a plane turbulent jet in a large stagnant ambient. The jet presents different turbulence structure for the two flow patterns and for each pattern, the turbulence characteristics appear different between the left and right halves of the jet. However, the turbulence characteristics show some similarity for each case. The normalized energy dissipation rate shows some similarity and has a maximum value on the center of the jet. The results are believed to provide useful insight on the turbulence characteristics of flow in vertical slot fishways and can be used to verify numerical models and also for guidance in the design of fishways in the future.     

Energy Dissipation in Transient Gaseous Cavitation

The aim of the paper is to examine nonfriction energy dissipation in transient cavitating flows and to verify whether they can be attributed to thermic exchange between gas bubbles and the surrounding liquid or to gas release and solution process. A two-dimensional (2D) numerical model for liquid flow with a small amount of free gas is proposed. The results of the numerical runs are compared with experimental data of pressure head oscillations in transient cavitating flow. Both thermic exchange and gas release can explain some of the dissipation if a relaxation process is assumed. However, the 2D model, including the thermodynamics of the gaseous phase, does not seem to fully explain the observed dissipation. The 2D model with gas release allows for a good simulation of the experimental data after a suitable calibration of the model parameters.     

Energy Dissipation and Air Entrainment in Stepped Storm Waterway: Experimental Study

For the last three decades, research focused on steep stepped chutes. Few studies considered flat-slope stepped geometries such as stepped storm waterways or culverts. In this study, experiments were conducted in a large, flat stepped chute (θ=3.4°) based upon a Froude similitude. Three basic flow regimes were observed: nappe flow without hydraulic jump, transition flow, and skimming flow. Detailed air–water flow measurements were conducted. The results allow a complete characterization of the air concentration and bubble count rate distributions, as well as an accurate estimate of the rate of energy dissipation. The flow resistance, expressed in terms of a modified friction slope, was found to be about 2.5 times greater than in smooth-chute flow. A comparison between smooth- and stepped-invert flows shows that greater aeration and larger residence times take place in the latter geometry. The result confirms the air–water mass transfer potential of stepped cascades, even for flat slopes (θ<5°).     

Velocity Distribution and Energy Dissipation along Stepped Chutes Lined with Wedge-Shaped Concrete Blocks

Stepped channels lined with wedge-shaped concrete blocks may constitute a low-cost alternative to provide overtopping protection of embankment dams if the discharge capacity of existing spillways is not adequate or even to be used as the main spillway of newly built embankment dams. This paper addresses the velocity distribution and the energy dissipation, downstream of the inception point, on stepped chutes lined with wedge-shaped concrete blocks. An experimental setup was developed with two flumes designed with a relative scale of 1∶2.5. Air concentration was measured with an optical probe in several cross sections of both flumes. The velocity profiles along chutes lined with wedge-shaped blocks with the upper face sloping downstream were analyzed. The measurements’ accuracy was checked by comparing discharges indicated by a facility flowmeter and obtained by the integration of velocity and air concentration profiles. The effect of the steps-slope in the energy dissipation is studied. Values of the Darcy-Weissbach friction factor are proposed for this type of chute lining, for transition flows, and for skimming flows.     

Energy Dissipation on Reinforced Block Ramps

Block ramps or rock chutes are stream restoration structures used in many hydraulic projects. If the base material presents stability problems, a reinforcement can be used; it consists of placing over the ramp rocks greater in size than the base material in order to increase the flow resistance and reduce the shear stresses on the base material. The presence of these boulders also changes the energy dissipation of the flow over the structure. This work shows the results of experimental tests conducted on reinforced block ramps with slopes varying from 0.08 to 0.33. The effect of the various geometric parameters has been investigated. The aim is to extend existing relationships for a simple block ramp and define a new equation that can be applied to a block ramp with or without the presence of boulders.     

Turbulence Structure of Hydraulic Jumps of Low Froude Numbers

Turbulence characteristics of hydraulic jumps with Froude numbers of 2.0, 2.5, and 3.32 are presented. A Micro Acoustic Doppler velocimeter was used to obtain measurements of the velocities, turbulence intensities, Reynolds stresses, and power spectra. The maximum turbulence intensities and Reynolds stress at any section were found to decrease rapidly from the toe of the jump towards downstream within the jump and then gradually level off in the transition region from the end of the jump to the friction dominated open channel flow downstream. The maximum turbulence kinetic energy at each section decreases linearly with the longitudinal distance within the jump and gradually levels off in the transition region. The Reynolds stress and turbulence intensities within the jump show some degree of similarity. The dissipative eddy size was estimated to vary from 0.04 mm within the jump to 0.15 mm at the end of the transition region. The dominant frequency is in the range from 0 to 4 Hz for both horizontal and vertical velocity components.     

Turbulence Characteristics in Flows Subjected to Boundary Injection and Suction

The influence of seepage (lateral flow) on the turbulence characteristics in free-surface flows over an immobile rough boundary is investigated. Steady flows having zero-pressure gradient over an immobile rough boundary created by uniform gravels of 4.1 mm in size were simulated experimentally with injection (upward seepage) and suction (downward seepage) applied through the boundary. A Vectrino (acoustic Doppler velocimeter) was used to measure the instantaneous velocities, which are analyzed to explore second- and third-order correlations, turbulent kinetic energy, turbulent energy budget, and conditional Reynolds shear stresses. It is observed that the second-order correlations decrease in presence of injection and increase in suction. The turbulent diffusivity and mixing length increase in presence of injection and decrease in suction. The third-order correlations suggest that the ejections are prevalent over the entire flow depth. The near-boundary flow is significantly influenced by the existence of upward seepage, which is manifested by a reduction in streamwise flux and the vertical advection of streamwise Reynolds normal stress. In addition, the upward flux and the streamwise advection of vertical Reynolds normal stress are also affected. The streamwise flux of turbulent kinetic is found to migrate upstream, while the vertical flux of turbulent kinetic energy is transported upward. The fluxes increase in presence of injection and decrease in suction. Energy budget evidences a lag between the turbulent dissipation and production and an opposing trend in the turbulent and pressure energy diffusions. A quadrant analysis for the conditional Reynolds shear stresses reveals that the ejection and sweep events are the primary contributions toward the total Reynolds shear stress production, with ejections dominating over the entire flow depth. The effect of seepage is shown to affect the magnitude of such events. However, in case of sweeps, this phenomenon is the opposite. The mean-time of occurrence of ejections and that of sweeps in suction are more persistent than those in no-seepage and injection.     

Turbulence Measurements with Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters

The capability of acoustic Doppler velocimeters to resolve flow turbulence is analyzed. Acoustic Doppler velocimeter performance curves (APCs) are introduced to define optimal flow and sampling conditions for measuring turbulence. To generate the APCs, a conceptual model is developed which simulates different flow conditions as well as the instrument operation. Different scenarios are simulated using the conceptual model to generate synthetic time series of water velocity and the corresponding sampled signals. Main turbulence statistics of the synthetically generated, sampled, and nonsampled time series are plotted in dimensionless form (APCs). The relative importance of the Doppler noise on the total measured energy is also evaluated for different noise energy levels and flow conditions. The proposed methodology can be used for the design of experimental measurements, as well as for the interpretation of both field and laboratory observations using acoustic Doppler velocimeters.     

Laboratory Measurements of Flow and Turbulence in Discontinuous Distributions of Ligulate Seagrass

Turbulent flow characteristics were investigated in laboratory flume studies of a ligulate plant canopy interrupted by a gap representing discontinuities observed in seagrass prairies. The reliability of velocity measurements obtained using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter within the canopy was shown using specifically designed experiments. In relatively fast flow (mean velocity 5.5?cm?s?1), the mean flow profile was logarithmic above the canopy, had an inflection point near its top, and uniformly low values within it. Within the gap, a recirculation cell formed. Reynolds stress maxima were approximately coincident with the mean flow inflection point. Quadrant analysis revealed an ejection-dominated upper layer, a sweep-dominated region around the top of the canopy and within the gap, and no dominant quadrant within the canopy. In slower flow (mean velocity 1.7?cm?s?1) the plants were quasiemergent and the flow fields more uniform. Sweeps similarly dominated the region near the top of the canopy and within the gap. In both flows, autocorrelation of longitudinal velocity fluctuations showed a Lagrangian time scale maximum at the downstream end of the gap.     

Energy Dissipation in Surface Layer due to Vertically Propagating SH Wave

Vertical array data recorded during the 1995 Kobe earthquake are used to calculate the upward and downward energy flow based on one-dimensional SH-wave multireflection theory, from which the energy dissipation in a surface layer is evaluated as their residual. The dissipated energy thus evaluated in a liquefied site is found to reach about 70% of the upward input energy, which indicates that soil nonlinearity and liquefaction serve as effective energy absorbers. In contrast, more energy returns to deeper ground in sites without strong nonlinear behavior. Furthermore, the dissipated energy in the surface layer tends to increase nonlinearly in a convex shape with increasing equivalent damping ratio of the soil there. A simplified two-layer system indicates that the energy dissipation is influenced not only by the soil damping in the surface layer but also by the impedance ratio between the base and surface layers and the input frequency. The same convex relationship is also obtained in the two-layer system, indicating that the simplified system may reflect some important aspects of the energy dissipation mechanisms in the ground.     

Application of Several Depth-Averaged Turbulence Models to Simulate Flow in Vertical Slot Fishways

Vertical slot fishways are hydraulic structures which allow the upstream migration of fish through obstructions in rivers. The velocity, water depth, and turbulence fields are of great importance in order to allow the fish swimming through the fishway, and therefore must be considered for design purposes. The aim of this paper is to assess the possibility of using a two-dimensional shallow water model coupled with a suitable turbulence model to compute the flow pattern and turbulence field in vertical slot fishways. Three depth-averaged turbulence models of different complexity are used in the numerical simulations: a mixing length model, a k?ε model, and an algebraic stress model. The numerical results for the velocity, water depth, turbulent kinetic energy, and Reynolds stresses are compared with comprehensive experimental data for three different discharges covering the usual working conditions of vertical slot fishways. The agreement between experimental and numerical data is very satisfactory. The results show the importance of the turbulence model in the numerical simulations, and can be considered as a useful complementary tool for practical design purposes.     

Turbulence Modeling of Flows over Circular Spillways

To predict the characteristics of flows over circular spillways, a turbulence model based on the Reynolds stress model (RSM) is presented. Circular spillways are used to regulate water levels in reservoirs. The flow over the spillway is rapidly varied with highly curvilinear streamlines. The isotropic eddy-viscosity models such as k-ε models are based on the Boussinesq eddy viscosity approximation that assumes the components of the turbulence Reynolds stress tensor linearly vary with the mean rate of strain tensor. Hence, they cannot very precisely predict the characteristics of flows over the spillway. On the other hand, the non-isotropic turbulence models such as the turbulence Reynolds stress models (RSM) that calculate all the components of the Reynolds stress tensor can accurately predict the characteristics of these flows. The k-ε models and RSM were applied in the present study to obtain the flow parameters such as the pressure and velocity distributions as well as water surface profiles. The previously published experimental results were used to validate the simulation predictions. For flow over a circular spillway, RSM appears to properly validate the characteristics of the flow under various conditions in the field, without recourse to expensive experimental procedures.     

Dissipation of Turbulent Kinetic Energy near a Bubble Plume

Profiles of the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy were inferred from temperature microstructure measurements near a bubble plume at the center of a tank with diameter of 13.7 m and maximum depth of 8.3 m. Six sets of between 18 and 51 profiles were collected at airflow rates of 0.1–0.6 L/s, measured at atmospheric pressure, and ensemble-averaged dissipation profiles were calculated. The dissipation in all cases was between 10?8 and 10?6?m2/s3 in most of the profile, but it increased sharply near the water surface. Energy considerations are used to discuss the experimental results in terms of previous numerical models of bubble plume turbulence. Two previous numerical studies show that the turbulence dissipates between 15 and 30% of the available power. In the experiments, the fraction is less than 1% because some of the energy of the plume is used to generate waves on the water surface and the profiles used to compute the volume-averaged dissipation were relatively far from the bubble plume.     

Coupled Effects of Small-Scale Turbulence and Phytoplankton Biomass in a Small Stratified Lake

Recent laboratory studies demonstrated that small-scale fluid motion mediates phytoplankton physiological responses. We have investigated to what extent the laboratory studies are consistent with field measurements in a small stratified lake. We propose the rate of energy dissipation and corresponding Kolmogorov velocity are important scaling variables that describe the enhanced algal growth and the uptake of nutrients in a moving fluid under laboratory and field conditions. The ratio of nutrient flux to an alga in a moving fluid versus the nutrient flux in a stagnant fluid (Sherwood number) is quantified by the ratio of advective nutrient transport to molecular diffusion of a nutrient (Péclet number, PeK). The advective transport of nutrients is described by the layer-averaged Kolmogorov velocity (K). An enhanced algal growth due to fluid motion is proposed over the Péclet number range 6.7>PeK>1.3, with the maximal growth at PeK = 2.9. Field measurements recorded by a microstructure profiler demonstrated encouraging agreement between laboratory and field findings. The current mechanistic models of phytoplankton population dynamics could consider the proposed Péclet number with redefined characteristic velocity scale (K) in the formulation of subgrid scale closure fluxes on nutrient uptake and growth rate. Furthermore, the laboratory and field results presented in this study are intended to motivate researchers to question the validity of standard laboratory biotoxicity protocols and to modify existing procedures in the examination of effluent toxicity in the environment by including the fluid motion.     

Near-Bed Turbulence Characteristics at the Entrainment Threshold of Sediment Beds

This experimental study is devoted to quantification of the near-bed turbulence characteristics at an entrainment threshold of noncohesive sediments. Near the bed, the departure in the distributions of the observed time-averaged streamwise velocity from the logarithmic law is more for immobile beds than for entrainment-threshold beds. In the Reynolds shear stress distributions, a damping that occurs near the bed for sediment entrainment is higher than that for immobile beds. Quadrant analysis reveals that in the near-bed flow zone, ejections and sweeps on immobile beds cancel each other, giving rise to the outward interactions, whereas sweeps are the dominant mechanism toward sediment entrainment. The bursting duration for entrainment-threshold beds is smaller than that for immobile beds. On the other hand, the bursting frequency for entrainment-threshold beds is larger than that for immobile beds. The third-order correlations indicate that during sediment entrainment, a streamwise acceleration associated with a downward flux and advection of streamwise Reynolds normal stress is prevalent. The streamwise and the downward vertical fluxes of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) increase with sediment entrainment. The TKE budget proves that for sediment entrainment, the pressure energy diffusion changes drastically to a negative magnitude, indicating a gain in turbulence production.     

Joined Influences of Nonlinearity and Dilation on the Ultimate Pullout Capacity of Horizontal Shallow Plate Anchors by Energy Dissipation Method

The ultimate pullout capacity (UPC) and the shape modification factors of horizontal plate anchors were calculated by using upper-bound limit analysis, in which the assumptions of both a nonlinear failure criterion and the nonassociated flow rule were made upon the soil mass above the anchor plate. Three types of anchor plates, including strip anchors, circle anchors, and rectangle anchors, and the corresponding failure mechanisms are taken into consideration. The anchor breakout factors were obtained according to the principle of virtual power, which was realized numerically by the nonlinear sequential quadratic programming algorithm. The shape modification factors for different kinds of anchors were given through a multiple nonlinear regression method. Numerical experiments demonstrate the validity of the solutions by reducing the solutions (nonlinear criterion and nonassociated flow rule) into their special cases (linear criterion and associated flow rule), which matches well with existing work. The dilation and nonlinearity of soil mass should be considered because it plays a remarkable role in the UPC of anchor plates.     

Mean Flow and Turbulence around a Laboratory Spur Dike

The three-dimensional turbulent flow field around a spur dike in a plane fixed-bed laboratory open channel was studied experimentally using a microacoustic Doppler velocimeter. Mean and turbulence characteristics in all three spatial directions were evaluated at upstream and downstream cross sections near the dike. Results showed that the primary flow separated in both lateral and vertical directions. Two counter-rotating flow circulations, consisting of the lateral and vertical velocity components, originated at the dike section. Downstream of the dike, the circulation in the flow-separation zone is stronger than the one in the contracted primary flow zone. The maximum bed-shear stresses estimated using Reynolds stresses is about three times as large as the mean bed-shear stress of incoming flow.     

Performance Test of Energy Dissipation Bearing and Its Application in Seismic Control of a Long-Span Bridge

Energy dissipation bearing (EDB) is a conventional steel bridge bearing in connection with well designed mild steel dampers. Seismic performance test was undertaken for both damper units and a prototype bearing, and the results show very stable and high dissipation characteristics. In describing the hysteretic behavior of EDBs, the Wen model is proved to be more reasonable, and the corresponding model parameters are also proposed according to the test results. EDBs have been applied in the seismic control of a long span bridge, the Nanjing Jia River Bridge, for the first time, in both the longitudinal and transverse directions. Sensitivity studies were conducted to investigate the effectiveness and to determine the optimum parameters and distribution of the EDBs through nonlinear time-history analysis. The results show that EDBs achieve a very high effectiveness in seismic control, in both the longitudinal and transverse directions. Compared with other damping devices, they can provide a simple but valid seismic control solution, with low maintenance requirements, especially in the transverse direction.     

CFRP-Based Strengthening Technique to Increase the Flexural and Energy Dissipation Capacities of RC Columns

A strengthening technique, combining carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates and strips of wet layup CFRP sheet, is used to increase both the flexural and the energy dissipation capacities of reinforced concrete (RC) columns of square cross section of low to moderate concrete strength class, subjected to constant axial compressive load and increasing lateral cyclic loading. The laminates were applied according to the near surface mounted technique to increase the flexural resistance of the columns, while the strips of CFRP sheet were installed according to the externally bonded reinforcement technique to enhance the concrete confinement, particularly in the plastic hinge zone where they also offer resistance to the buckling and debonding of the laminates and longitudinal steel bars. The performance of this strengthening technique is assessed in undamaged RC columns and in columns that were subjected to intense damage. The influence of the concrete strength and percentage of longitudinal steel bars on the strengthening effectiveness is assessed. In the groups of RC columns of 8 MPa concrete compressive strength, this technique provided an increase of about 67% and 46% in terms of column’s load carrying capacity, when applied to undamaged and damaged columns, respectively. In terms of energy dissipation capacity, the increase ranged from 40%–87% in the undamaged columns, while a significant increase of about 39% was only observed in one of the damaged columns. In the column of moderate concrete compressive strength (29 MPa), the technique was even much more effective, since, when compared to the maximum load and energy dissipation capacity of the corresponding strengthened column of 8 MPa of average compressive strength, it provided an increase of 39% and 109%, respectively, showing its appropriateness for RC columns of buildings requiring upgrading against seismic events.