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Experimental study of near-wall turbulent characteristics in an open-channel with gravel bed using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter

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Abstract

This experimental study investigated the mean velocity profiles, skin friction and turbulent characteristics of a gravel bed over a wide range of roughness using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV). The median diameter of bed material ranged from 2 to 40 mm, and the normalized roughness heights ranged from 47 to 4,881 mm. The flow regime was fully developed turbulence with a Reynolds number in the range of 4.2 × 104–9.86 × 104. All velocity curves exhibited logarithmic distributions, and the log-law region was influenced greatly by both the roughness and the Reynolds number. Moreover, the roughness of the gravel bed exerted a strong effect on Reynolds stress, and the turbulence tended towards isotropic with increasing roughness. Using statistical analyses, the third-order turbulence moments, sweep, and ejection motions were also examined. The results of this experimental analysis present a contrast to the classical wall similarity hypothesis.

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Acknowledgments

The work described in this paper was supported partially by a Strategic Research Grant from the City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, HKSAR [Project No. 7002684(BC)], and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40771022).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, People’s Republic of China

    X. Y. Wang

  2. Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, People’s Republic of China

    X. Y. Wang, Q. Y. Yang & W. Z. Lu

  3. State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People’s Republic of China

    X. K. Wang

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  1. X. Y. Wang
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  2. Q. Y. Yang
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Correspondence to W. Z. Lu.

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Wang, X.Y., Yang, Q.Y., Lu, W.Z. et al. Experimental study of near-wall turbulent characteristics in an open-channel with gravel bed using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter. Exp Fluids 52, 85–94 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-011-1202-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-011-1202-3

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