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Numerical investigation of energy dissipation rate in stepped spillways with lateral slopes using experimental model development approach

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Abstract

The water flow in the dam spillway has a lot of energy. This energy can cause an increase in flow velocity, damaging the installations as well as erosion of the riverbed in downstream. The use of stepped spillways is one of the common methods to dissipate energy during the flow of spillway and reduce the dimensions of the stilling basin in the dams. One of the main parameters affecting the rate of energy loss in stepped spillways is the spillway geometry. In this study, the effect of using five different stairs with new and different geometries, in comparison with previous studies, was investigated in terms of energy dissipation. The simulation was performed by Flow 3D software and by the turbulence model (RNG) for discharges between 0.00213 and 0.0121 m3/s. The (RNG) and (k–ε) turbulence models were used for calibration, which (RNG) had better results. The simulation results were compared with the experimental model results where the RMSE error index for type A–E spillways, 0.035, 0.014, 0.021, 0.032, and 0.031, respectively. After this step, to improve the experimental model, barriers were placed on the type D spillway, which was the best experimental model for energy dissipation. Numerical simulation results show that adding these barriers increases the energy dissipation by 15%.

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Notes

  1. Fractional area-volume obstacle representation.

Abbreviations

\(\theta\) :

Stepped spillway slope in degrees

B :

Channel width (m)

E L :

Total energy loss: EL = E0–E1 (expressed in m)

E 0 :

Energy at the inlet section (upstream section; m)

E 1 :

Energy at the downstream section (m)

EL/E0 :

Energy dissipation rate

E1/yc :

Dimensionless residual energy

y 0 :

Upstream clear water flow depth (m)

y 1 :

Downstream clear water flow depth (m)

y c :

Critical flow depth (m)

yc/h :

Critical no dimensional depth

H dam :

Dam height (crest height) (m)

h :

Vertical step height (m)

Q :

Water discharge (m3/s)

q :

Water discharge per unit width (m2/s), q = Q/B

v 1 :

Downstream flow velocity (m/s)

v 0 :

Upstream average flow velocity (m/s)

\({\text{Fr}}^{*}\) :

Froude number in the stepped spillway

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil Engineering, Water Tendency and Hydraulic Structures, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran

    Majid Omidi Arjenaki

  2. Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran

    Hamed Reza Zarif Sanayei

Authors
  1. Majid Omidi Arjenaki
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  2. Hamed Reza Zarif Sanayei
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Correspondence to Hamed Reza Zarif Sanayei.

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Arjenaki, M.O., Sanayei, H.R.Z. Numerical investigation of energy dissipation rate in stepped spillways with lateral slopes using experimental model development approach. Model. Earth Syst. Environ. 6, 605–616 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-020-00714-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-020-00714-z

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