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Scour downstream of stepped-baffle weirs in wide rivers

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Abstract

In this study, the effect of the structure geometry, the bed material, and the river hydraulic conditions on the scour morphology downstream of the stepped-baffle weirs are experimentally investigated. All experiments are conducted in clear water conditions (no sediment transport). Results show, that in the presence of stepped-baffle weirs, the maximum scour depth diminishes with respect to the simple stepped weirs (no baffle) highlighting that increasing the tailwater depth, decreases the maximum scour depth, and decreasing the structure slope, decreases the maximum scour depth. By means of dimensional analysis and incomplete self-similarity, a formula is proposed to predict the maximum scour depth downstream of a stepped-baffle weir considering all aspect ratios of the structure geometry.

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Abbreviations

B :

Channel and stepped weir width

b x :

Baffle width

D :

Pier diameter

d 50 :

Stilling basin median particle diameter

D h :

Hydraulic depth

D h = y 0 :

Upstream approach flow depth that the maximum observed y0 = yt + Δy

d s :

Maximum scour depth

f:

Functional symbol

Fd :

Particle Froude number

g :

Gravity acceleration

G s :

Relative density of bed material

h stp :

Height of each step

h x :

Baffle height

k :

Number of distances between baffles

l stp :

Length of each step

l x :

Baffle length

m :

Number of basic dimensions

n :

Number of dimensional variables of the original function and

P :

Structure height

Q :

Discharge.

R = VD h/υ :

Reynolds number

t :

Scour development time,

t*:

Dimensionless time for scouring downstream of the bridge piers

T*:

Dimensionless time for scouring downstream of the stepped weir

V :

Upstream approach flow velocity

w x :

Distance between baffles

W x = k w x :

Total distance between baffles

y t :

Tailwater depth

Δy :

Difference between water surface elevation upstream and downstream of stepped weir

η = Fd 2 Δy/P :

Scour self-similar parameter downstream

ρ :

Water density

ρ s :

Stilling basin bed material density

υ :

Kinematic viscosity

Ω:

Functional symbol

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IA.ING, s.r.l., Viale M. Chiatante, 60, 73100, Lecce, Italy

    Sahameddin Mahmoudi Kurdistani

  2. Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

    Mahdi Esmaeili Varaki & Zahra Kazempour Larsari

  3. Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, CSBRC Research Center, Rasht, Iran

    Mahdi Esmaeili Varaki

Authors
  1. Sahameddin Mahmoudi Kurdistani
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  2. Mahdi Esmaeili Varaki
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  3. Zahra Kazempour Larsari
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Correspondence to Mahdi Esmaeili Varaki.

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Kurdistani, S.M., Varaki, M.E. & Larsari, Z.K. Scour downstream of stepped-baffle weirs in wide rivers. Sādhanā 47, 178 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-022-01961-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-022-01961-9

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